Horse nettle
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TN Cattle Man
Well-known member
From UT Extension:
Management in Pastures and Hay Fields
As is the case with most other weeds, prevention is an important component of an overall management plan. In the case of horsenet-tle, feeding infested hay is the one of the primary ways the weed is introduced into a field. If possible, buy clean hay of known ori-gin. Monitor areas around hay rings for development of problems and, if possible, spot treat these areas before the weed spreads to the rest of the pasture. Also, because horsenettle seed can pass intact through an animal's gastrointestinal tract, avoid immediate movement of cattle from heavily infested pastures to uninfested ones if at all possible. Clipping will slow the growth of the plant and, over time, deplete carbohydrate reserves in the roots and rhizomes and stimulate the growth of new, more palatable grass; how-ever, clipping will not control horsenettle.
Timely application of a herbicide is usually required for effective control. Several herbicides such as 2,4-D, Banvel/Oracle (dicamba), and Rangestar/Weedmaster (2,4-D + dicamba) will give various degrees of weed top kill but they do little to the roots and rhizomes. Currently, the University of Tennessee recommends Milestone (aminopyralid) or ForeFront (aminopyralid + 2,4-D), or Grazon P+D (picloram + 2,4-D) in approved counties. Grazon P+D is a restricted-use herbicide. University of Tennessee research has shown that the optimum time for application of these herbicides is at the flowering stage, prior to formation of berries. Be sure to thoroughly read the herbicide label prior to application. Also, consult the Pasture and Forage section of Publication 1580, Weed Con-trol Manual for Tennessee, for application rates and instructions, precautions and other useful information. A copy can be obtained at your local UT Extension office.
References
Management in Pastures and Hay Fields
As is the case with most other weeds, prevention is an important component of an overall management plan. In the case of horsenet-tle, feeding infested hay is the one of the primary ways the weed is introduced into a field. If possible, buy clean hay of known ori-gin. Monitor areas around hay rings for development of problems and, if possible, spot treat these areas before the weed spreads to the rest of the pasture. Also, because horsenettle seed can pass intact through an animal's gastrointestinal tract, avoid immediate movement of cattle from heavily infested pastures to uninfested ones if at all possible. Clipping will slow the growth of the plant and, over time, deplete carbohydrate reserves in the roots and rhizomes and stimulate the growth of new, more palatable grass; how-ever, clipping will not control horsenettle.
Timely application of a herbicide is usually required for effective control. Several herbicides such as 2,4-D, Banvel/Oracle (dicamba), and Rangestar/Weedmaster (2,4-D + dicamba) will give various degrees of weed top kill but they do little to the roots and rhizomes. Currently, the University of Tennessee recommends Milestone (aminopyralid) or ForeFront (aminopyralid + 2,4-D), or Grazon P+D (picloram + 2,4-D) in approved counties. Grazon P+D is a restricted-use herbicide. University of Tennessee research has shown that the optimum time for application of these herbicides is at the flowering stage, prior to formation of berries. Be sure to thoroughly read the herbicide label prior to application. Also, consult the Pasture and Forage section of Publication 1580, Weed Con-trol Manual for Tennessee, for application rates and instructions, precautions and other useful information. A copy can be obtained at your local UT Extension office.
References
When we had much of it I sprayed with Grazon and that took care of it. But you need to get it by the time it is strting to flower, if it's already flowering it will kill the plant but the seeds will be there for next year
A.J.
Well-known member
We've had pretty good luck with Forefront on horse nettle, but our clover took a pretty good hit from it too.
ga.prime
Well-known member
I've had equal success with Remedy and Surmount killing horsenettles. Surmount costs less.
greybeard
Well-known member
Got some here just now flowering-where I fed round bales last winter, so I guess it came in with some hay I bought out of Trinity river bottoms. Never had it before so I appreciate the info TnCattle Man. Not much of it growing , so I'm just going to hit it this week spot spraying Remedy & diesel from a backpack sprayer as soon as I move some cows around.
ga.prime
Well-known member
Shaz, if you use Remedy or Surmount I suggest you use water with a minimum amount of surfactant and not diesel.
ga.prime
Well-known member
It's good that you don't use diesel. I didn't think you did but I said that because somebody said they were going to spray Remedy+diesel on horsenettles and subsequent readers of that post might have gotten the notion that diesel was a good thing to use instead of water. Two other reasons diesel should not be used (in addition to what dun said) are (1) Diesel kills grass. Neither Surmount nor Remedy + water + surfactant will kill grass if used at the recommended dosage. (2) Diesel costs a lot more than water.shaz":1rg6196i said:
BC
Well-known member
Surmount at 1 1/2 pts per acre with surfactant. Need to use 18 to 20 gal of water per acre. Need to get the weed wet.
The only time diesel works well is in controlling greenbriar. Had good luck with 25% Remedy, 75% diesel on fence rows to get that hard to control plant.
The only time diesel works well is in controlling greenbriar. Had good luck with 25% Remedy, 75% diesel on fence rows to get that hard to control plant.
greybeard
Well-known member
Nettle has a woody stem here, and I use diesel as a penetrant. I don't have much luck with any water based basal applications and as others have said, when the leaves fall off, foilage application does nothing towards killing the root. Spot spraying (to me) means spraying just the target plant individually--not spraying the grass around it and that's what I do. No grass in this nettle area anyway--just old hay from where the hay rings were last winter.
jsm
Well-known member
I have used Grazon P+D @ 1qt per acre with great success. It is a perennial that seeds itself out, so it might take a couple of years to get it all.
