Ridding bahia

[Dusty Britches]

I have a lot of bahia and it is taking over my coastal. I'd like to treat 25% of my pastures at a time.

What is the best way to get rid of it and what time of year should I do it?

 

[MikeC]

I have a lot of bahia and it is taking over my coastal. I'd like to treat 25% of my pastures at a time.

What is the best way to get rid of it and what time of year should I do it?

I use Ally in the spring before the bahia heads out at 2 1/2 ozs. per acre. Some of my neighbors use it about a week after a hay cutting.

Have heard Cimmaron works too.

 

[Conagher]

I've heard spraying with roundup immediately after cutting the coastal pasture will knock out the bahia and not hurt the coastal. I've never been brave enough to try it myself. I have had some luck with Cimmaron (generic ally).

 

[milesvb]

I've heard spraying with roundup immediately after cutting the coastal pasture will knock out the bahia and not hurt the coastal. I've never been brave enough to try it myself. I have had some luck with Cimmaron (generic ally).

I was under the impression that glyphosate (roundup) indiscriminately killed everything.

I heard that applying a certain fertilizer formulation (dependant upon a soil test) would suppress the bahia and encourage the bermuda. If anyone can find this study please let me know.

It seems that bahia can thrive in acidic soils that allow it to outcompete bermuda. I've started a liming regimen to get the soil Ph around 6.5 in some of our pastures. Time will tell what effect, if any, it will have on the bahia/bermuda mix. It certainly won't hurt anything.

 

[BC]

I've heard spraying with roundup immediately after cutting the coastal pasture will knock out the bahia and not hurt the coastal. I've never been brave enough to try it myself. I have had some luck with Cimmaron (generic ally).

I was under the impression that glyphosate (roundup) indiscriminately killed everything.

I heard that applying a certain fertilizer formulation (dependant upon a soil test) would suppress the bahia and encourage the bermuda. If anyone can find this study please let me know.

Glyphosate (Round-up, Eraser, etc) is indiscriminate, BUT it takes 5 qts. / acre to kill bermuda. THe producers who are using glyphosate are applying 1 pt. (1/10 the rate to kill bermuda) right after a hay harvest.

Ally or Cimmarron (DuPont's new name for it) works well at 3/10 oz per acre when the bahia is actively growing. You may have to trat two years in a row as there is enough seed to come back for several years.

 

[txag]

i agree with MikeC. apply Ally (Cimmaron) early spring before the bahia seeds out. we like to put it out with our liquid fertilizer.

 

[milesvb]

I've heard spraying with roundup immediately after cutting the coastal pasture will knock out the bahia and not hurt the coastal. I've never been brave enough to try it myself. I have had some luck with Cimmaron (generic ally).

I was under the impression that glyphosate (roundup) indiscriminately killed everything.

I heard that applying a certain fertilizer formulation (dependant upon a soil test) would suppress the bahia and encourage the bermuda. If anyone can find this study please let me know.

Glyphosate (Round-up, Eraser, etc) is indiscriminate, BUT it takes 5 qts. / acre to kill bermuda. THe producers who are using glyphosate are applying 1 pt. (1/10 the rate to kill bermuda) right after a hay harvest.

Ally or Cimmarron (DuPont's new name for it) works well at 3/10 oz per acre when the bahia is actively growing. You may have to trat two years in a row as there is enough seed to come back for several years.

With such a light application is it just suppressing or keeping the bahia in check or is it actually killing it out? Is there a website showing various application rates per species?

Maybe Monsanto will come up with a "Roundup Ready" bermuda strain. ;-)

 

[milesvb]

I found this link but it shows the same rate for both bermuda and bahia. It's probably in there somewhere and I overlooked it. Adobe acrobat bugs my eyes out :shock: for some reason.

 

[Dusty Britches]

Is it worth the money to get rid of bahia? Isn't Cimmeron expensive? And, can I tank mix it with Grazon?

 

[txag]

Is it worth the money to get rid of bahia?

to us, it's worth the money to not have bahia, especially in the hay fields.

if you have it in the pastures around the fields or have custom balers cutting your hay, it may be a battle that you can't win. even with the pastures bahia-free and cutting & baling your own, it's still a continuing battle.

Isn't Cimmeron expensive?

around $20/ounce

And, can I tank mix it with Grazon?

yes

depending on the amount of bahia, another option is to spot spray with Roundup (or generic equivalent). this is a good (cheaper) solution once you have it under control.

 

[txag]

this was a post you made on another thread:

I've always been told that Dallis grass has 2 spindles, Bahia has 3 and goose grass has 4-5.

Either way, Cimmeron or Ally will kill all of those without killing bermuda.

i would venture a guess that bahia is really what you're having a problem with, but you might want to make sure first. bahia almost always has 2 spindles & looks like a perfect "V" or occasionally has 3 to look like "\l/". all three originate from the same spot. dallis grass will have multiple spindles & they originate from different points along the stem.

Cimarron (Ally) will not control dallis but will control bahia.

 

[Dusty Britches]

By your description, I'd say you are right - it is bahia.

Thanks, TxAg.

 

[BC]

The V shaped seed head on bahia is its signal that it is winning.

 

[flaboy]

I have a lot of bahia and it is taking over my coastal. I'd like to treat 25% of my pastures at a time.

What is the best way to get rid of it and what time of year should I do it?

So how are you getting your stands of coastal started? Years ago we planted three fields in coastal. We were cutting shares for a large operation then and we cut and baled it green. Several family members got out there and hand sprigged it and then we disked it in. After many, many years the Bahia has taken over but down here that is not always a bad thing. I am going to do a test field with Tifton9 next spring and see how it does. Just wondering how you guys are planting coastal these days and how you get it.

 

[Dusty Britches]

flaboy -

when I bought the place it had coastal. most people in the area sprig it, but i've heard of a new method call top cuttings. they cut the tops and bale in small squares. you toss it out and cover the bare ground with it.

 

[flaboy]

flaboy -

when I bought the place it had coastal. most people in the area sprig it, but i've heard of a new method call top cuttings. they cut the tops and bale in small squares. you toss it out and cover the bare ground with it.

K, thought I had read where there is some planter you can use to sprig these days. We did it the old fashion way. Still think I will do Tifton9 in at least one pasture just to say I did. Thanks

 

[Arnold Ziffle]

flaboy, I don't know of many folks in my area that are putting in the traditional Coastal anymore. Tifton 85 is popular but it seems like more people are putting in a bermuda variety named Jiggs. The "poor boy" method is to let Jiggs in a hay field get pretty tall and growthy, so that you have long tops with several nodes. Cut it and bale it right away. Keep it from drying out as much as possible, wet it if you have to. The same day, or the next day if need be, throw the tops by hand and spread it out all over your well prepared ground (helps to have a lot of kids, or some "foreign exchange students", to do this!) then disc it in and roll it. You want to do this when you have a very well prepared "seedbed" and good moisture and of course it really helps to get a good rain soon thereafter. The idea is to get the nodes on the green tops covered with moist soil and in time roots will sprout from the nodes. This can be done spring through fall in our area. Of course, if it is bone dry you're wasting time and money doing this.

 

[certherfbeef]

throw the tops by hand and spread it out all over your well prepared ground (helps to have a lot of kids, or some "foreign exchange students", to do this!)

Sounds like you are speaking from experience there AZ!!

Were you one of the kids, or the whip hold'n slave driver :?:

 

[Arnold Ziffle]

Well Cert, I'm happy to say that my last experience as a "worker bee" planting bermuda was many years ago as a kid, planting roots/sprigs by hand during the winter or very early spring. Also planted sugar cane one year. The job didn't pay a cash wage, but the boss man did give me free room & board for about 18 years, so it was worth the effort. Sure wouldn't want to have to plant sprigs by hand for a living these days.

 

[Campground Cattle]

Is it worth the money to get rid of bahia? Isn't Cimmeron expensive? And, can I tank mix it with Grazon?

Why are you fighting it so hard, poor mans coastal in East Texas, survives better, takes over, cow's rolling fat. None of this seems to be a problem in my area where the majority of ranchers have bahia.