GRASS QUESTION

[RICHARDL]

I'm going to get a few head soon, i'm in the process of getting all my fences up and just getting everything ready. ok so what do i do about the grass now. Its usually bermuda. and i keep it cut. but in the winter i leave it alone right now its broomsedge. do i keep mowing it or just leave it alone till spring and keep it mowed? how about burning ? any suggestions till i get cattle
richard

 

[ALACOWMAN]

I'm going to get a few head soon, i'm in the process of getting all my fences up and just getting everything ready. ok so what do i do about the grass now. Its usually bermuda. and i keep it cut. but in the winter i leave it alone right now its broomsedge. do i keep mowing it or just leave it alone till spring and keep it mowed? how about burning ? any suggestions till i get cattle
richard

if you got a pretty good stand. i would burn it a few weeks before green up and take a soil sample for sure you gonna need some lime but burning it will encourage the bermuda and knock back the sedge giving it more of a chance too compete you might want to spray it too this sping. one thing with a good bermuda field is timing when to burn when too fertilize. almost sound like a dam grass farmer dont i ;-)

 

[RICHARDL]

YEA YOU DO, yea i burned a couple of times in the past to get rid of some of it and the bermuda came back strong in a few places AN SOME DIDN'T come back at all. when you say spray, like round-up? so when to burn that is the key. maybe right before spring would be a good time. bushog & burn.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

YEA YOU DO, yea i burned a couple of times in the past to get rid of some of it and the bermuda came back strong in a few places AN SOME DIDN'T come back at all. when you say spray, like round-up? so when to burn that is the key. maybe right before spring would be a good time. bushog & burn.

don't waste money on bushhogging when burning will do the trick some folks spray roundup when its dorment with good results. burn about 2 weeks before green up the blackend soil helps the sun warm it up quicker to

 

[ALACOWMAN]

YEA YOU DO, yea i burned a couple of times in the past to get rid of some of it and the bermuda came back strong in a few places AN SOME DIDN'T come back at all. when you say spray, like round-up? so when to burn that is the key. maybe right before spring would be a good time. bushog & burn.

don't waste money on bushhogging when burning will do the trick some folks spray round up when its dorment burn about 2 weeks before green up the blackend soil helps the sun warm it up quicker

 

[Caustic Burno]

I would soil sample and this spring pour the fertilize to it followed by a good dose of grazon in a couple of weeks.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

I would soil sample and this spring pour the fertilize to it followed by a good dose of grazon in a couple of weeks.

just out of curiosity what blend of fertilizer would you put on it without a soil sample?

 

[Wewild]

just out of curiosity what blend of fertilizer would you put on it without a soil sample?

Chicken litter.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I would soil sample and this spring pour the fertilize to it followed by a good dose of grazon in a couple of weeks.

just out of curiosity what blend of fertilizer would you put on it without a soil sample?

I would more than likely go with triple 21 as I don't like buying sand.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

just out of curiosity what blend of fertilizer would you put on it without a soil sample?

Chicken litter.

that will grow grass on rocks ;-)

 

[ALACOWMAN]

you could disc it too. that helps

 

[Wewild]

you could disc it too that helps

Why? That will cost wear and tear on my equipment plus desiel. It will all soak in in the end.

 

[Jogeephus]

Get a soil test. It will only take a few minutes and can save you money - you're gonna need every penny. Broomsedge is a sign (here) that you need lime. Lime takes a while to work. If your ph is low, then your fertilizer will not work effectively. So get a soil test tomorrow and lime to the soil test as soon as possible.

As for the sedge, I have read some people post that the sedge stores the nutrients in the stem. Don't know this for sure but there are some smart fellows on this board and if this is right, you'd be better off burning now to aid in eliminating the sedge.

 

[Wewild]

Get a soil test. It will only take a few minutes and can save you money - you're gonna need every penny. Broomsedge is a sign (here) that you need lime. Lime takes a while to work. If your ph is low, then your fertilizer will not work effectively.

Very good advice about broomsedge.

 

[dj]

I'd go ahead with the lime now and you could cut down on next years sedge. Soil test. Burn and add other amendments this spring.
Discing(sp) around the bare areas will help fill them in. Unless you want to try a different variety then you could sprig those areas?

 

[BC]

You have received some good advice. A soil test can save you money in that you know what nutrients are needed and in what amounts. Having broomsedge is an indicator that the pH is low and needs lime. How much? Only a soil test will know for sure. What fertilizer should you use? Again what is the base fertility in the soil? Are you cutting for hay or grazing? Most grasses use nutrients in a 3-1-2 or 4-1-3 ratio. You may not need all the phosphorus that would be applied in 21-21-21, BUT then again you might need it. You don't know without a soil test.

 

[Caustic Burno]

You have received some good advice. A soil test can save you money in that you know what nutrients are needed and in what amounts. Having broomsedge is an indicator that the pH is low and needs lime. How much? Only a soil test will know for sure. What fertilizer should you use? Again what is the base fertility in the soil? Are you cutting for hay or grazing? Most grasses use nutrients in a 3-1-2 or 4-1-3 ratio. You may not need all the phosphorus that would be applied in 21-21-21, BUT then again you might need it. You don't know without a soil test.

The problem with buying anything but triple 21 is you are buying sand. A ton of trip 21 is a ton of fertilizer anything else is cut with sand to get the ratio. I just get stuck on paying for sand when you are buying tons of fertilizer each year. I have been playing with liquids the last few years from a company named Miller with pretty good results. Jury is still out.

 

[RICHARDL]

I would of never known all this. amazing what i've learned here. all very good advice. i'll be grazing not cutting hay as of now. So. i guess i need a soil sample first. than should i burn now than lime, than fertilize? or lime first? than burn closer to springthan fertilize there after? So i guess here comes a broadcaster for my the tractor I have burn one area and it seemed to knock back the sedge, don't know it the bermuda just choked it out or not but that work pretty good. But that area was a little lower than the rest. other areas i burnt a few times as i was just tired of bushooging it, and it didn't have much affect.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I would of never known all this. amazing what i've learned here. all very good advice. i'll be grazing not cutting hay as of now. So. i guess i need a soil sample first. than should i burn now than lime, than fertilize? or lime first? than burn closer to springthan fertilize there after? So i guess here comes a broadcaster for my the tractor I have burn one area and it seemed to knock back the sedge, don't know it the bermuda just choked it out or not but that work pretty good. But that area was a little lower than the rest. other areas i burnt a few times as i was just tired of bushooging it, and it didn't have much affect.

Need to get you grass protien tested as well.
Makes a huge difference in stocking rates, I can grow grass butt deep to a tall Indian but it is mostly water and low protien.
Cows have to consume a lot more grass to meet their needs.
Now this is where the problem comes in Bahia is king in the South but is also one of the poorest grasses.
I am going to experiment with five acre. plots of Red River crab grass this spring to get higher yields and better protien.
More grass, more cows.
Common bermuda grows well just low yielding in tonage here resulting in reduced stocking rates.
I have tried Coastal till I am blue in the face, I have to much bottom land and it stays to wet for coastal.

I have two leased hay fields just to show you the difference one is coastal the other bahia. The coastal will yield 6 rolls of hay to the acre versus the bahias 3.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Caustic,

Your sand statements confuse me. Last year I went with 22-10-10 with boron, manganese, copper and zinc added. I watched them mix it right out of the bins. No sand was added to anything. It all went into the hoppers and was weighed and loaded into the spreaders.

You know how much lime we get here. Our lime plants send it out left and right. We have too much lime in the soil.

Now soil tests tell me to go with 95-0-0 and no additives. No minerals - nothing. I just can't do that to the pastures. All you are doing is taking and not giving.