Crabgrass

[snoopdog]

Cut 10 acres today, never had this much in the field before, tall and mature. I can't keep it in the pasture, cows always eat it down so they must like it. Anybody test any, just wondering how it compares?

 

[anewcomer]

Bet it will amaze you.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Cut 10 acres today, never had this much in the field before, tall and mature. I can't keep it in the pasture, cows always eat it down so they must like it. Anybody test any, just wondering how it compares?

No on the testing. I planted crabgrass ten years ago and it has about taken over. My Cows prefer it.

 

[Bigfoot]

I have had it tested many times. Out performs fescue, but that really a bragging point. I've never seen the need to supplement based on how it tested.

 

[Texasmark]

Mine explodes this time of year...hot and dry. Like JG, seems to keep on trucking in hot, dry weather.

 

[SmokinM]

A month ago mine was non existent, was dry as a bone here. We got some rain then some more rain. Got grass running out my ears now. It is great forage especially when green and growing, priceless here for summer grazing and second cut hay.

 

[gizmom]

We graze crabgrass all summer really puts the bloom on the cows going into calving season. We actually planted a couple of fields in the past few years after seeing how good the volunteer stuff was. Never had it tested with anything but the eye test which it passed with flying colors.


Gizmom

 

[snoopdog]

Thanks everyone, we've got good hay weather this week and should be able to get it up

 

[Texasmark]

My CG is going nuts this time of the year....hot and dry. Had some weed and other grasses growth around an implement and fence rows. Gave them a good dose of Roundup. Targeted species turn brown...next thing I knew the areas were higher than they were prior to spraying and green.....source...Crabgrass. Never planted it, just volunteer. Don't know where it came from.

 

[kilroy60]

We have so much crabgrass that we have started making baleage with it.

 

[Banjo]

Can it be successfully intergrated into fescue/clover pastures?

 

[kenny thomas]

Can it be successfully intergrated into fescue/clover pastures?

Yes because it is warm season grass where fescue is more cool season.

 

[anewcomer]

Contact RL Dalrymple in Ardmore, Ok. He invented crabgrass!

 

[simme]

Can it be successfully intergrated into fescue/clover pastures?

If the cows are rotated out of a pasture and the crabgrass gets to knee high for several weeks, my experience here is that you can lose some of the stand of fescue. Crabgrass is heavy competition if it gets too far ahead for a long time. Cows love it and can make good hay. Can be slow to dry if it is tall/heavy/rank.

 

[Bigfoot]

My fescue has has largely been replaced by crabgrass. Partially from over grazing, and partially due to a few droughts/dry spells. Seems like when the drought breaks, the crabgrass out performs the fescue. My place is largely a crabgrass operation. Only down side I see, is how late in the spring it comes. I guess the stars lined up perfectly this year, and it was really really late. It also doesn't stockpile well. I like to broadcast wheat on it. Fills that spring slump.

 

[Banjo]

Can it be frost seeded like clover or with clover or should i wait on up in the spring?

 

[Texasmark]

My fescue has has largely been replaced by crabgrass. Partially from over grazing, and partially due to a few droughts/dry spells. Seems like when the drought breaks, the crabgrass out performs the fescue. My place is largely a crabgrass operation. Only down side I see, is how late in the spring it comes. I guess the stars lined up perfectly this year, and it was really really late. It also doesn't stockpile well. I like to broadcast wheat on it. Fills that spring slump.

"It also doesn't stockpile well." Would you care to expand on that comment? Do you mean as a summer/fall baled hay crop? Your experience or coffee shop talk? Any whys offered? Does it roll well? Can you cut it closer than 4" unlike SS or JG clippings this time of the year? Asking as I am thinking about adding it to one of my hay patches.... Trying to get away from having to buy seed every year for the SS crop.

 

[Bigfoot]

My fescue has has largely been replaced by crabgrass. Partially from over grazing, and partially due to a few droughts/dry spells. Seems like when the drought breaks, the crabgrass out performs the fescue. My place is largely a crabgrass operation. Only down side I see, is how late in the spring it comes. I guess the stars lined up perfectly this year, and it was really really late. It also doesn't stockpile well. I like to broadcast wheat on it. Fills that spring slump.

"It also doesn't stockpile well." Would you care to expand on that comment? Do you mean as a summer/fall baled hay crop? Your experience or coffee shop talk? Any whys offered? Does it roll well? Can you cut it closer than 4" unlike SS or JG clippings this time of the year? Asking as I am thinking about adding it to one of my hay patches.... Trying to get away from having to buy seed every year for the SS crop.

Gladly......Fescue stockpiles (left standing in the field for winter grazing) extremely well. My cattle really dont care crabgrass, much after the first frost. It makes a nice hay roll for ne, and keeps great outside (equal to fescue, but way better SS). I both cut and graze mine very short. It seems to go to seed well even short...............Mine isn't a seeded variety. It's volunteer. I have planted crabgrass. It either died, or was indiscernible from my native.

 

[Texasmark]

My fescue has has largely been replaced by crabgrass. Partially from over grazing, and partially due to a few droughts/dry spells. Seems like when the drought breaks, the crabgrass out performs the fescue. My place is largely a crabgrass operation. Only down side I see, is how late in the spring it comes. I guess the stars lined up perfectly this year, and it was really really late. It also doesn't stockpile well. I like to broadcast wheat on it. Fills that spring slump.

"It also doesn't stockpile well." Would you care to expand on that comment? Do you mean as a summer/fall baled hay crop? Your experience or coffee shop talk? Any whys offered? Does it roll well? Can you cut it closer than 4" unlike SS or JG clippings this time of the year? Asking as I am thinking about adding it to one of my hay patches.... Trying to get away from having to buy seed every year for the SS crop.

Gladly......Fescue stockpiles (left standing in the field for winter grazing) extremely well. My cattle really dont care crabgrass, much after the first frost. It makes a nice hay roll for ne, and keeps great outside (equal to fescue, but way better SS). I both cut and graze mine very short. It seems to go to seed well even short...............Mine isn't a seeded variety. It's volunteer. I have planted crabgrass. It either died, or was indiscernible from my native.

Thanks!

Mine is volunteer also. Just enerted the arena a few years ago. It has been getting my attention the last couple of years, but really got my attention when I did what I said above and all of a sunned boom....heavy growth of CG in a hot summer month.

Wonder how it gets started volunteer if not from seed? Had to be seed from somewhere. My experimenting with attempting to overseed my hay patches with perennial grasses requires a large investment in seed if one wants immediate, comprehensive results. I have 2 seasons here and come 1 June the water usually turns off and the thermometer pegs. Have to have something that likes it hot and dry. SS does that but it's an annual investment and I'd rather put that money into plant food, not plants every year. I'm getting Johnson grass established but at $175 a 50# bag and 50#/AC for what I said above.....kinda pricy. Fast forward the JG will do the trick but in the mean time........

 

[Bigfoot]

"It also doesn't stockpile well." Would you care to expand on that comment? Do you mean as a summer/fall baled hay crop? Your experience or coffee shop talk? Any whys offered? Does it roll well? Can you cut it closer than 4" unlike SS or JG clippings this time of the year? Asking as I am thinking about adding it to one of my hay patches.... Trying to get away from having to buy seed every year for the SS crop.

Gladly......Fescue stockpiles (left standing in the field for winter grazing) extremely well. My cattle really dont care crabgrass, much after the first frost. It makes a nice hay roll for ne, and keeps great outside (equal to fescue, but way better SS). I both cut and graze mine very short. It seems to go to seed well even short...............Mine isn't a seeded variety. It's volunteer. I have planted crabgrass. It either died, or was indiscernible from my native.

Thanks!

Mine is volunteer also. Just enerted the arena a few years ago. It has been getting my attention the last couple of years, but really got my attention when I did what I said above and all of a sunned boom....heavy growth of CG in a hot summer month.

Wonder how it gets started volunteer if not from seed? Had to be seed from somewhere. My experimenting with attempting to overseed my hay patches with perennial grasses requires a large investment in seed if one wants immediate, comprehensive results. I have 2 seasons here and come 1 June the water usually turns off and the thermometer pegs. Have to have something that likes it hot and dry. SS does that but it's an annual investment and I'd rather put that money into plant food, not plants every year. I'm getting Johnson grass established but at $175 a 50# bag and 50#/AC for what I said above.....kinda pricy. Fast forward the JG will do the trick but in the mean time........

How it establishes amazes me. I have bulldozed wooded areas, and didn't get around to seeding anything. Next thing you know, a stand of crabgrass appears.