Reclaim Coastal Field

[Soggy Bottom]

The property I have my cows on has a 12 acre field that was a coastal hay field 10-20 years ago. It has not been grazed or managed in 10 years. You can see some coastal still in the field but it is mostly Johnson grass, native grasses, and weeds. I would like to over time re-establish the coastal stand in it. I plan to start by grazing it this spring and weed spraying the field heavy. Also plan on renovating it a couple times a years. Is there anything else I can do to help the coastal come back to where it once was? Thanks for the help.

 

[Brute 23]

Graze it now hard, disk it under in Feb, spray the weeds in the spring, fert the poop out of it. Try to keep the cows off as much as possible to let the runners spread. Cut hay off it or turn the cows in for very light grazing later in the year. The cows should take care of the JG.

 

[Rafter S]

Are you wanting this field for grazing, or hay? Brute is right about cows keeping the Johnsongrass down, but if you plan to cut hay off of it renovating it will make the Johnsongrass thicker. On the other hand, Johnsongrass makes good hay if it's cut before it gets too old. It all depends on what you plan to do with it.

 

[Soggy Bottom]

Thanks for the info. For now I would like to graze it. Might look into getting my neighbor to cut it down the road if I can get it back in good shape.

 

[Rafter S]

Since you're going to graze it I'd spray for weeds and not worry about the Johnsongrass, and probably not the native grass either.

 

[ga.prime]

The property I have my cows on has a 12 acre field that was a coastal hay field 10-20 years ago. It has not been grazed or managed in 10 years. You can see some coastal still in the field but it is mostly Johnson grass, native grasses, and weeds. I would like to over time re-establish the coastal stand in it. I plan to start by grazing it this spring and weed spraying the field heavy. Also plan on renovating it a couple times a years. Is there anything else I can do to help the coastal come back to where it once was? Thanks for the help.

If the coastal was there once, it still is there. You just don't see it under the competing grasses and weeds. Coastal does not go away. Weed spray it with 32 oz/acre glyphosate and you'll see what I'm talking about. Everything else will wither and the coastal will green up and start taking off.

 

[Soggy Bottom]

The gly wont kill off the coastal as well? If I go this route should I wait until spring time?

 

[ga.prime]

The gly wont kill off the coastal as well? If I go this route should I wait until spring time?

A quart to the acre of glyphosate will cause temporary minor yellowing in coastal at the most. You'd need to put 3 or 4 quarts per acre just to get started on a plan for killing coastal. Yes, wait till spring. Don't know about yours, but my coastal is already frost killed for the most part.

 

[BC]

It takes 5 qts/acre of glyphosate to kill coastal, so 1 qt/acre will just ding it and get the stuff you want to kill.

 

[Soggy Bottom]

Thanks for the responses. My plan is now to spray gly early this spring when things start greening up. Than I'll fertilize and renovate it. Ill weed spray later in the summer as needed and graze it.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

The gly wont kill off the coastal as well? If I go this route should I wait until spring time?

Spray it while it's still dormant,don't wait till green up,,,first warm day...burning the field right before green up is good for it to,kills bugs deseases and weed seeds...

 

[callmefence]

It takes 5 qts/acre of glyphosate to kill coastal, so 1 qt/acre will just ding it and get the stuff you want to kill.

The gly wont kill off the coastal as well? If I go this route should I wait until spring time?

A quart to the acre of glyphosate will cause temporary minor yellowing in coastal at the most. You'd need to put 3 or 4 quarts per acre just to get started on a plan for killing coastal. Yes, wait till spring. Don't know about yours, but my coastal is already frost killed for the most part.

Is this just for coastal? Or can it be used for other Bermudas as well.

 

[ga.prime]

Don't know about other bermudas, fence. Coastal's the only one I deal with. Maybe BC or somebody else knows.