Johnson grass

[kenny thomas]

I know a lot has been discussed in the past about the good and bad of Johnson grass. I like it in pasture but not in the hay because its not ready at the same time as the other grasses.
For those that have dealt with it, what can be sprayed to kill johnson grass but not the native grasses?
Yes im going to ask my extension agent also.

 

[Lucky]

If possible graze it. Cows will eat it before anything else and kill it out. We have a chance to lease an 80 acre hay meadow (no fences) across the road from our hay barn but the johnson grass is so bad I don't want to deal with it. We ask about spraying it to kill it out and just got the good luck and it's expensive routine.

 

[chaded]

I’m not aware of anything. I think a weed wiper with glyphosate might be best tactic?

 

[kenny thomas]

If possible graze it. Cows will eat it before anything else and kill it out. We have a chance to lease an 80 acre hay meadow (no fences) across the road from our hay barn but the johnson grass is so bad I don't want to deal with it. We ask about spraying it to kill it out and just got the good luck and it's expensive routine.

Grazing is not an option. Leased land with no fence or water.

 

[Brute 23]

I think Pastor get it also.

 

[kenny thomas]

Anyone tried Outrider?

 

[Warren Allison]

I know a lot has been discussed in the past about the good and bad of Johnson grass. I like it in pasture but not in the hay because its not ready at the same time as the other grasses.
For those that have dealt with it, what can be sprayed to kill johnson grass but not the native grasses?
Yes im going to ask my extension agent also.

RoundUp in a wick bar, I keep my Bermuda fields Johnsongrass free with it.

 

[cowman82]

i bale up tons of it. get it by knee high and it makes some really good hay.

 

[kenny thomas]

i bale up tons of it. get it by knee high and it makes some really good hay.

If mine was thick i agree it is good. Mine is a spot here and a spot there. Maybe 1% of the area.

 

[Mrcopier]

Mine spread like a wildfire with all the rain we got in the spring. Had a couple spots about the size of a pickup truck now it have 10fold and choking out my coastal I am also interested in these answers. I have been spraying with a pump sprayer with Eraser max. But it kills everything. And a lot of time using a pump sprayer

 

[Lucky]

RoundUp in a wick bar, I keep my Bermuda fields Johnsongrass free with it.

Years ago we bought a Grassworks Weed Wiper. It would be perfect for Johnson grass. Used it a few years then sold it though.

 

[bird dog]

As Brute tried to say, Pastora work well.

 

[TCRanch]

Buccaneer with a weed wiper. It was overtaking the brome fields and we've almost wiped it out. (literally and figuratively).

 

[kenny thomas]

As Brute tried to say, Pastora work well.

I will check into this one. I have a lot of native grass i want to keep so will have to see what it kills.

 

[simme]

Herbicide selection depends on what the weed is you want to kill AND what the grass is you do NOT want to kill or harm. This is where region comes into play. Herbicides that control johnson grass in bermuda probably also control johnson grass AND fescue in bermuda. Great if you want a bermuda grass field, but not good for a fescue based field.

From UGA - "Pastora (nicosulfuron + metsulfuron) and Impose (imazapic) are ALS-inhibiting herbicides that may only be used in bermudagrass due to injury potential to bahiagrass and tall fescue." "There are no selective herbicides for Johnsongrass control in tall fescue. For control in tall fescue, spot-treat glyphosate in a 5% solution or apply using a wick-bar for control, using at least a 41% glyphosate concentrate to make these treatment solutions."
If the johnson grass is only 1% of the field, and if you don't have access to a weed wiper, I would use a hand sprayer (backpack sprayer or small sprayer in a utility vehicle) and spray that 1% of the field and a little buffer area with roundup. If the native grasses don't fill that 1% back in, then overseed later with fescue, orchardgrass or whatever.

Of course, time to control is when there are only a few spots. That 1% will take over pretty quick if not killed out. It spreads by rhizomes as well as seed. I would think that the spread would be much slower if you never let it go to seed.

https://extension.uga.edu/publicati...l-in-pastures-roadsides-and-noncropland-areas

 

[chaded]

I guess we need to define “native grass.” Pastora seems to be geared towards weed and weedy grass control in bermuda grass. I would definitely check in to it because it sounds like it might smoke a lot of grasses.

 

[kenny thomas]

Looks like im gonna be looking for a weed wiper.

 

[chaded]

It would probably make someone a good fortune if they could come out with an herbicide that just targeted Johnsongrass.

One of the issues with controlling it is if it has ever went to seed, that seed can stay viable in the seed bank for several years.

 

[TCRanch]

https://www.cattletoday.com/threads/weed-wiper.129184/

 

[Allenw]

Looks like im gonna be looking for a weed wiper.

I would try to hit it this fall as it's heading into dormancy. The best kill I ever got on JG was in a drought and it looked almost dead already, wasn't intentional just wanted to empty a sprayer and it was there.