Crabgrass 2016

[Kell-inKY]

Somebody told me on this forum years ago that every year would be different, well they wern't lyin.

I had a ton of volunteer crabgrass last year in fields that used to be row crop. Well, I never paid attention when crabgrass really came on strong because I had no idea how good it would go over with the cattle.

What I did last fall was disc it up and plant wheat. What wheat is left is pretty sparse, should not be much shade from it. Is it just one of those years or way too early, because I'm not seeing much of anything yet?

 

[Bigfoot]

I am seeing crabgrass. I don't think, that crabgrass will be as prolific, as it was last year.

 

[Bigfoot]

The take a soil test crowd, will show up, and squelch my post, but it will respond like crazy to a small amount of ammonia nitrate per acre. Like 50 pounds now, and 50 more when the heat of summer comes on (especially if we get some rain). You'll get a good return on your investment.

 

[jallen]

I love me some crabgrass. My cows love it even more. I fed some crabgrass hay a couple winters ago. My lord they loved it and got fat on it but it's so soft they motor through it faster than it can be fed.

 

[Bigfoot]

I love me some crabgrass. My cows love it even more. I fed some crabgrass hay a couple winters ago. My lord they loved it and got fat on it but it's so soft they motor through it faster than it can be fed.

You gotta limit feed that stuff. They'll eat you in the poor house.

 

[u4411clb]

I am thinking even in a normal year which this is not it has been cooler than normal here. That crabgrass would be at its earliest stages at May 12th. I usually start to notice crabgrass soon after fescue has stopped growing which is usually not at May 12th. So may be worrying too soon.

 

[jallen]

I learned the hard way. I bought like 60 rolls of it. Didn't take long to realize I needed some cheap hay to go along with it to slow them down. They looked like a million bucks coming out of that winter lol.

 

[Kell-inKY]

Sounds good,
I did not know what to expect.

I have lots of clover where there wasn't any crabgrass last year, so that's working out good so far. Unfortunately lots of foxtail and buttercup too.

 

[Rajela]

If you disc the soil very deep you may not get much crabgrass back this year. Discing does it good but if you disc deeper than a couple of inches you will bury the seed reserve to deep to germinate.

 

[tdc_cattle]

I'm in SWMO. I broadcast rr crabgrass into a wheat field this spring. I walked it yesterday and didn't see much sign if crabgrass. Will it start coming on before the wheat is harvested? I've never had any rr crabgrass before so no experience to draw from.

 

[OldCrow]

I'm in SWMO. I broadcast rr crabgrass into a wheat field this spring. I walked it yesterday and didn't see much sign if crabgrass. Will it start coming on before the wheat is harvested? I've never had any rr crabgrass before so no experience to draw from.

I have 20 acres in crabgrass and about to plant 8 more acres hopefully this weekend. I use a mix of Quick-n-Big with RR. 50/50. QnB comes on quicker than RR but they both seem to come on a little later than native crabgrass. This is year three for me managing crabgrass as a summer forage and I really like it. It's pretty east to get two cuttings off of it and maybe 3 if managed better. Go to Estel Farm and Seed as he has a lot of fact sheets on timing and management of crabgrass. Their is a new variety of Qucik-N-Big out but I didn't get any. It is supposed to run more for thickening up stands but I haven't had that problem yet. Alos tillage of the top 2" will promote germenation quiker but I haven't done that which I feel like causes delay in a good stand early.

 

[tdc_cattle]

Do you plant any kind of winter forage crop into the crab grass?

 

[Rajela]

You will probably need to cut the wheat before it wil do much. When Crabgrass has to need a pretty warm ground temp to get going.

 

[Rajela]

Was it a native crabgrass or one of the hybrids "QNB or RR" QNB will get going a little earlier than RR and both will get going before native crabgass.

Old crow
It i my understanding that QNB or RR will both be earlier than native. That is the traits that R.L. selected for was the early start, fast growth an more height.

 

[hurleyjd]

Only seeing two small leaves now but should really take of here pretty quick. Two small leaves and a plant about ever 1.5 inch apart.

 

[Rajela]

every 1.5" that is gonna be thick. When did you sow it or is it voluntary from last year. I just drilled in 3.5# per acre lat weekend in existing meadow.

 

[tdc_cattle]

You will probably need to cut the wheat before it wil do much. When Crabgrass has to need a pretty warm ground temp to get going.

We've still been having a lot of cool nights. Everyone that had tried QNB locally didn't have much luck so I just went with RR. I'm not expecting a lot of growth before the wheat comes off but I am hoping to have a good stand up.

This is an experiment this year. Hope I get good results with the RR crabgrass. I intend to go back to wheat in the fall but don't know if it'll just be for grazing, for baleage, or a cash crop.

 

[OldCrow]

Was it a native crabgrass or one of the hybrids "QNB or RR" QNB will get going a little earlier than RR and both will get going before native crabgass.

Old crow
It i my understanding that QNB or RR will both be earlier than native. That is the traits that R.L. selected for was the early start, fast growth an more height.

The QNB is supposed to start faster than RR but If I remember right RR will grow further into the fall. That is why I do a 50/50 mix.

I believe you are correct and I don't want to dis credit anyone especially R.L as he has been a big help to me. So let me clarify as it is how I manage that leads to the QNB or RR coming up later. I double crop the fields by planting rye in the fall and graze it depending on the fall and growth. We take the cows off in February, maybe earlier just depends on winter, and fertilze some time mid to late March. We usually cut it mid to late April and wrap it as haylage. We have done this as late as the First of May due to weather. Due to this practice QNB and RR crabgrass in the double cropped field starts behind our native crabgrass (not in Double cropped fields just in bare spots were hay was fed) by about two weeks. I believe, and you can read the 94-97 Fact Sheet on R.L. Dalrymple site that supports it, that due to stubble and rye not dieing out after cutting leads to the delayed growth. The other main reason is no tillage of the top two inches which has been documeted to help germenation up to 25% and jump start the crabgrass. This is where I lack in management and haven't had the time to properly do it. With the current practice I have still managed to get two cuttings or one cutting and grazing with fertilizer added after each cutting.

Once the QNB and RR take off they will out compete native crabgrass. My apologies for misleading anyone as I wasn't comparing apples to apples with the crabgrass not being in the same field.

 

[OldCrow]

Do you plant any kind of winter forage crop into the crab grass?

I do. I plant rye in September and graze it depending on the winter. See previous post for whole explanation. I'm suprised Ya'll had trouble with QNB. There has been others around that have tried crabgrass and haven't been happy and plenty that have. The key to me is not getting greedy with hay yield or grazing and managing for a good seed drop the next year. I know I've said it before but please read R.L.'s fact sheets as they will help alot. I'd be happy to talk with you and go into any detail, I'm no expert, that might help.

 

[tdc_cattle]

Do you plant any kind of winter forage crop into the crab grass?

I do. I plant rye in September and graze it depending on the winter. See previous post for whole explanation. I'm suprised Ya'll had trouble with QNB. There has been others around that have tried crabgrass and haven't been happy and plenty that have. The key to me is not getting greedy with hay yield or grazing and managing for a good seed drop the next year. I know I've said it before but please read R.L.'s fact sheets as they will help alot. I'd be happy to talk with you and go into any detail, I'm no expert, that might help.

I plan to use wheat instead of rye. How do you plant the rye ? I was curious if the notill drill was enough tillage for the crabgrass or additional tillage was needed.