So What's New?

[MikeC]

Can you graze weed problems away?

Drovers

One way to reduce weeds in a pasture is to graze hard enough so cattle will eat them, since there is nothing else to eat, says Bruce Anderson, professor of agronomy at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. But while many weeds can provide satisfactory protein and energy for cattle when eaten, controlling weeds with heavy grazing pressure might not be healthy for the pasture.

“Every pasture has millions of weed seeds in the soil and the potential to become weedy,” he says. “Since some pastures stay relatively clean while other pastures become weedy, other factors undoubtedly influence the weed population.” Simply grazing or controlling weeds by spraying or cutting does little to prevent weeds from coming back again unless these other factors are changed to better support desirable plants.

 

[tytower]

"Simply grazing or controlling weeds by spraying or cutting does little to prevent weeds from coming back again unless these other factors are changed to better support desirable plants."

Now thats interesting. He is saying spraying will not kill the roots ,yes?
Or some seed is still there.? Not sure what he means.

I have found that overgrazing in my wet area mulches the grass into the mud and the worms break it down immediately and it shoots straight back up with amazing vigour.

Any area denuded of grass for any reason allows weed seeds present to germinate and weeds do proliferate in my bare patches. So keeping the grass long is touted as the way to get rid of weeds.

I am trying the intensive way above first to try to get more humus back into my soil . Then I will try to keep the grass cover up.