Establishing Tifton 85?

[gabby]

I need to convert a 20 acre bahia pasture to hay.

Is Tifton 85 the best choice for sandy loam soil at the northern edge of the coastal plain in Georgia? Coastal does well here but I want to use the "latest and greatest" variety.

I was thinking about roto-tilling soon to chop up the sod, then killing it with herbicides after it grows back, then harrowing it and sprigging it.

Any suggestions??
Thanks!
gabby

 

[novatech]

I need to convert a 20 acre bahia pasture to hay.

Is Tifton 85 the best choice for sandy loam soil at the northern edge of the coastal plain in Georgia? Coastal does well here but I want to use the "latest and greatest" variety.

I was thinking about roto-tilling soon to chop up the sod, then killing it with herbicides after it grows back, then harrowing it and sprigging it.

Any suggestions??
Thanks!
gabby

Bahia is tough to get rid of. You might think about "round up" befor you till. After the tif. has come up about 4 in. use a pre-emergant. Double check me on this with your county agent.

 

[Earl Thigpen]

10-4 on what Nova said. Bahia is really tough to get rid of - been tryin' for a long time and finaly gave up. Got a 35 acre field that is almost all Bahia now. It has pretty much crowded out any of the coastal that was in there.

I think Bahia might make a pretty good pasture crop for grazing but IMO it doesn't belong in the hay barn. It's tough to cut and tough to bale, at least with my baler. My baler doesn't handle "fines" too well and when the bahia drys out there's nothing left but "fines".

Good luck and please keep me posted on gettin' rid of it.

 

[gabby]

10-4 on what Nova said. Bahia is really tough to get rid of - been tryin' for a long time and finaly gave up. Got a 35 acre field that is almost all Bahia now. It has pretty much crowded out any of the coastal that was in there.

I think Bahia might make a pretty good pasture crop for grazing but IMO it doesn't belong in the hay barn. It's tough to cut and tough to bale, at least with my baler. My baler doesn't handle "fines" too well and when the bahia drys out there's nothing left but "fines".

Good luck and please keep me posted on gettin' rid of it.

I've had good results with Ally (it has a new name now) for selectively killing bahia in my coastal fields. I'm thinking it might take out all the bahia in this 20 acres before I sprig it.

There is also a good amount of common bermuda mixed with the bahia so I guess it will have to be Roundupped to kill it? I'd like to use one herbicide for both but I've heard that Roundup is not so good on Bahia?

 

[sricks]

Wait for the Bahai to green out and then hit it with a non-selective herbicide such as round up. Give it two to three weeks to get a good kill and then prep for planting.

Yearly treatments of Dupont Ally (Metasulphuron generic chemical name) will keep the bahai under control thereafter.

Scott

 

[alabama]

10-4 on what Nova said. Bahia is really tough to get rid of - been tryin' for a long time and finaly gave up. Got a 35 acre field that is almost all Bahia now. It has pretty much crowded out any of the coastal that was in there.

I think Bahia might make a pretty good pasture crop for grazing but IMO it doesn't belong in the hay barn. It's tough to cut and tough to bale, at least with my baler. My baler doesn't handle "fines" too well and when the bahia drys out there's nothing left but "fines".

Good luck and please keep me posted on gettin' rid of it.

Bahia is easer to kill with round-up than brumuda. If you use a rate that will kill the common brumuda it will get the bahia too. I would spray before I tilled. Just waut another month so that the grass is growing well and hit it with Round-up and a strong dose. Wait two weeks and till it up so you can sprig coastel brumuda. Make sure the PH is right and youhave plenty of N P and K.
then follow up next year with Ally to stop and new bahia and broad leaves.

 

[floridahay]

The new name for Ally is Cimmaron. I think they changed it some to get around the patent rights or something. It is still made by Dupont. Is you Bahia Pensacola or Argentine? The Cimmaron will do a good job on the Pensacola but does not kill the Argentine. I spray it on my Coastal hay field and have controlled the Pensacola but the Argentine has taken over a lot of it now.

 

[gabby]

My county agent recommends the Russell variety for this area, says it establishes easier and is comparable in forage quality. Anybody familiar with it?

I'm still convinced Tifton 85 ain't no slouch either. A farmer near here put in 70 acres last year and got a late cutting of 200 big rolls.

 

[jonbquick.com]

I had the same problem. Texas A & M recommended Cimarron Plus. They said to wait for the grass to grow to a height of 6" then spray with the Cimarron Plus. Wait a week before allowing cattle to graze. (Give the Bahia time to absorb the Cimarron) after 30 days disk and plant the Tifton 85. If necessary reapply in 45 days.

Good luck!

I need to convert a 20 acre bahia pasture to hay.

Is Tifton 85 the best choice for sandy loam soil at the northern edge of the coastal plain in Georgia? Coastal does well here but I want to use the "latest and greatest" variety.

I was thinking about roto-tilling soon to chop up the sod, then killing it with herbicides after it grows back, then harrowing it and sprigging it.

Any suggestions??
Thanks!
gabby