Six Weeks Fescue

[tsellars]

Any advice/best practices on eradicating six weeks fescue? It has started taking over a section of a pasture, located in north central Arkansas. Attached a couple of pictures for reference.

 

[sstterry]

https://wric.ucdavis.edu/information/natural areas/wr_V/Vulpia.pdf

It is going to be tough to deal with without killing other grasses.

 

[BFE]

We used to have a lot of it in crop fields, made working ground a booger. No problem in no till. Maybe treflan early, its a preemergent only, shouldn't hurt established plants.

 

[tsellars]

@BFE that makes sense with my deal, lightly disked last fall to broadcast some clover and this mess came up. On the treflan when you say early are you meaning early after reseeding or early in the year?

 

[tsellars]

https://wric.ucdavis.edu/information/natural areas/wr_V/Vulpia.pdf

It is going to be tough to deal with without killing other grasses.

Was afraid it was going to be a pain, thanks for the article. @sstterry

 

[snoopdog]

Curious as to why?

 

[BFE]

Early in the year is what I meant, but since you would have to put the treflan on before the weed is up, so it would have to be early after reseeding. It's too late to do anything about it now, it's already went to seed here so I'm sure it has there as well. Looks like you got some clover in there under your SWF, I'd probably just bushhog at this point and hope your clover and I'm assuming tall fescue comes in and crowds out your problem this summer and fall.

 

[tsellars]

Early in the year is what I meant, but since you would have to put the treflan on before the weed is up, so it would have to be early after reseeding. It's too late to do anything about it now, it's already went to seed here so I'm sure it has there as well. Looks like you got some clover in there under your SWF, I'd probably just bushhog at this point and hope your clover and I'm assuming tall fescue comes in and crowds out your problem this summer and fall.

Thanks, I was hogging when I took those pics. Trying to plan a little for the future and weighing my options.

 

[tsellars]

Curious as to why?

Cows don't seem to graze it after it gets to a certain height and don't think it has much nutritional value. Thinking I can have a better pasture than what I currently have going, but grass is always greener on the other side.

 

[BFE]

Curious as to why?

When it heads, it's kind of like bearded wheat but worse the seeds are very prickly. They stick in your socks and are an aggravation. Iwouldn't want to eat them either.

 

[snoopdog]

Cows don't seem to graze it after it gets to a certain height and don't think it has much nutritional value. Thinking I can have a better pasture than what I currently have going, but grass is always greener on the other side.

The nutritional value will surprise you, but yes you have to manage it/ clip/ graze shorter. If it weren't for fescue, and we're not that far apart, this country would just be a rockpile.