Foxtail

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If you have a good competitive stand of say fescue, red clover, ledino clover and orchard grass - foxtail does not seem to take over. But if the soil is poorer, it can takeover later in the summer. I have some poorer ground in some areas and the grasses and legumes don't seem to come in strong enough to out compete the foxtail. Late in the summer like about now, that foxtail dominates. I just mow it because I don't want to start over.
 
Graze it. Cows will eat it while the heads are green. Or mowing before it goes to seed. Which variety are you seeing?
 
Around here, it's just a weird year for foxtail. Not sure of the variety we're seeing, but it's less than 1' tall. But it's EVERYWHERE. My hay fields, all the neighbors hay fields, pastures, my yard, school yards, it's everywhere you look. And not a little bit, but it's a sea of fuzzy seed heads all around.
 
M.Magis":2wjpclhz said:
Around here, it's just a weird year for foxtail. Not sure of the variety we're seeing, but it's less than 1' tall. But it's EVERYWHERE. My hay fields, all the neighbors hay fields, pastures, my yard, school yards, it's everywhere you look. And not a little bit, but it's a sea of fuzzy seed heads all around.

Same identical conditions here!!!
 
Bright Raven":9npexmgb said:
M.Magis":9npexmgb said:
Around here, it's just a weird year for foxtail. Not sure of the variety we're seeing, but it's less than 1' tall. But it's EVERYWHERE. My hay fields, all the neighbors hay fields, pastures, my yard, school yards, it's everywhere you look. And not a little bit, but it's a sea of fuzzy seed heads all around.

Same identical conditions here!!!

I bet it's the extra moist year we have had.
 
We had lots of it this year in the hay fields. I just baled it.
cHiiGLy.jpg


We have it every year but not near the amount we do right now.
 
kentuckyguy":2j584v4x said:
We had lots of it this year in the hay fields. I just baled it.
cHiiGLy.jpg


We have it every year but not near the amount we do right now.

That's a nice stand...looks like you are runnlng a drum mower like my hay cutter. I didn't go nuts with nutrients so I don't know it's full potential...looks like you are seeing it in your fields. Great. What I had was unsatisfactory for hay and grazing. Like others said, keep some stiff competition and it will behave. Never was enough of a nuisance to worry about deliberate eradication.....makes good ground cover (on it's own) if you aren't using the field and don't want any erosion.
 
Yes we use a drum mower. Definitely one of the best purchases we have ever made. It's by far the most reliable piece of equipment we own.

That part of the field was the thickest with foxtail but it's not normally than thick. Must be the rain forest like weather we have had this summer.

Anyone else notice how good the foxtail smells when it's cut? Every time I hit that part of the field the smell wa very strong.
 
......I've started the spray down and renovation route......on a paddock by paddock basis....after controlling the broadleafs, the foxtail has come on extra strong. I've got a winter cover crop just drilled in Friday waiting on rain, then next spring/summer I anticipate more burn down 2x I hope
 
Many a cow have been wintered on foxtail hay in this part of the world. Like all hay, timing is important, best to cut when you first start seeing heads.
 
M.Magis":1ysal8t4 said:
Around here, it's just a weird year for foxtail. Not sure of the variety we're seeing, but it's less than 1' tall. But it's EVERYWHERE. My hay fields, all the neighbors hay fields, pastures, my yard, school yards, it's everywhere you look. And not a little bit, but it's a sea of fuzzy seed heads all around.
Same thing here
 
bball":3sq4v6gi said:
Bright Raven":3sq4v6gi said:
M.Magis":3sq4v6gi said:
Around here, it's just a weird year for foxtail. Not sure of the variety we're seeing, but it's less than 1' tall. But it's EVERYWHERE. My hay fields, all the neighbors hay fields, pastures, my yard, school yards, it's everywhere you look. And not a little bit, but it's a sea of fuzzy seed heads all around.

Same identical conditions here!!!

I bet it's the extra moist year we have had.
We had a very hot, dry summer.
 

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