smutgrass roundup grazing restrictions

[TXMike]

The smutgrass in of my pastures is getting out of control. Its been misidentified for a while. A neighbor told me it was a type of switchgrass and he used to have it in his pasture but he got rid of it by mowing. well I happened to have another friend over and he identified it as smut grass and as soon as I looked it up it looks exactly like what I have and mowing doesn't seem to have any effect on it. I looked into the velpar and it is pretty expensive. The friend that identified it used it and said it only got about half of his and hell try it again next year. I don't think that's gonna be very cost effective. plus it says 60 days I gotta move the cows off.

I like the spot spray with glyphosate idea. how strong would I need to mix it and can I leave the cows on the pasture while I spray it? I am gonna wait till spring but its still green in the bottom portion of the crown so I might try a couple test spot sprays and see if it gets it before spring.

theres also a couple areas where its thick its gonna leave some bare ground. I thought about buying some seed to fill in these spots faster. which would fill in faster Bermuda or Bahia? the pasture is already a mix of the 2 but more Bahia than Bermuda.

 

[Jogeephus]

Both bahia and bermuda should fill in without seeding.

I have some in a pasture and I plan on wicking it with Velpar L mixed at a 50/50 rate.

 

[JMJ Farms]

I've got one pasture that's eat up with it. Spot spraying is gonna take a while. Thought about a wick but I don't have one and really don't want to buy one. Velpar is deadly to oak trees so if I use it then it will be in a pump up sprayer via spot spraying. Roundup is a good option. Mix a little Nitrogen with it and it will work even better.

 

[Farmgirl]

Mike,

You are not that far from us. We are in Magnolia. I hate smutgrass!! We mix a 2% Roundup solution. It kills it dead. Back in the summer had a farmhand spray for us. Had the 3 point sprayer on the tractor. Just went back and forth through the pasture covering every inch. Used the hand spray wand. Worked good. Was lots faster than a pump up sprayer. You can leave cows on pasture where you spray. Check the label on Velpar. The 60 day restriction has been reduced. Don't remember what it is. Studies show that mowing smutgrass just scatters it.

Good luck! Did I say, I hate smutgrass!!

 

[TXMike]

Does anyone spray it this late in the year? I'm in the Gulf Coast so it really hasn't got cold yet here. My jigs Bermuda is still green, it doesn't seem to be actively growing though. I've got a couple different sprayers I can use to spray it. I'd like to get a weed wick roller but it seems like once I get a handle on it it would just sit.

I've also got a couple giant oak trees I'd hate to risk killing with velpar.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Jogeephus]

As long as its green Roundup should work. We spray privet in the winter and vassey grass in the winter. I looked at some smutgrass the other day and there was plenty of green I thought.

 

[Farmgirl]

Mike,

Rule of thumb with Velpar is at least 100 feet from oak trees and down hill. I believe that may be stated in the label.

Good luck,
Farmgirl

 

[TXMike]

Ok so let me make sure my math is right. If there's a 128 ounces in a gallon than I would mix 2.5 ounces of round up per gallon of water for a 2% mix?

My smut grass is still sort of green so hopefully it'll knock it out. Do you think if I got over 50% coverage on each plant it would knock it out? I'm going to try and minimize over spray to surrounding good grass.

I plan on trying to get my wand to spray a very small cone and try and get it all directly into the thick center crown of the plant.


All my oak trees are on a downhill side of my pasture so it's for sure a no go with the velpar.

 

[Farmgirl]

As for the 2% mix, I have a chart that I refer to. Let me check it.

 

[Farmgirl]

Mike,

Google, FSA2080. It will bring you to an 8 page document. At the top of the 4th page there is a chart for the mixing ratios.
That will answer your question about the 2% mix.

Good luck,
Farmgirl

 

[ragweed]

I used velpar lv with great results. Use it before August.apply ad much water as possible, within 2 weeks of rain prefer right ahead,1/2 gallon per acre, no grazing restrictions.