Eric - More on Discing and Spraying

kenmack

kenmack

Active member
I was discing today and realized the best sequence for discing and spraying. Previously, we discussed the merits of each and I was stuck in the dilemma of spraying and discing resulting in more weeds and a vicious cycle.

Here is what I settled on today:

Mow first - this makes weeds small such that they don't block the spray, and if you wait to spray a week after mowing, the resulting new growth will be vulnerable to the glyphosate.

Spray second - This kills all the mature weeds that are hard to kill by discing alone. Wait for the die off.

Disc third - This starts to prepare your soil and chops the dead weeds. It also promotes germination of weed seed. Wait about a week for this to happen and for the new weed sprouts to show.

Disc again - This buries and kills the newly sprouted weeds and further prepares the soil. Wait and repeat discing either when you plant or, if you have the time and fuel, cycle the discing/waiting again or again to kill more weed seeds.

Plant seed - This can be done the same day as the last discing. You can also fertilize now and cover it when you cover your seed.

Lastly - if you have weeds before your seed sprouts, you can spray again. You have to time it right so that you don't spray your crop. You are targeting the remaining weeds left after doing all the above and the weed seeds that were ready to germinate such that they will sprout and emerge before your seed can absorb moisture, germinate, sprout and emerge. Since you will not disturb the soil after planting, few weed should grow after the above.
 
Ken

That is pretty much the sequence I plan on using next year. If you recall I mowed, disced, and then sprayed. Problem was we were in a bad drought so the weed seed were not germinating and the weeds that survived the discing were not actively growing. The drought lasted right up until the time I needed to plant so after I planted we got hit with regular rain and the weeds took off. I ended up doing a post emergent treatment with Banvel and that got some of the weeds but I have a weedy food plot.

One thing I learned was to do more research with herbicides when spraying something you are not familiar with. I needed to kill some water primrose and alligator weed in a swamp clearing. I used Polaris (Imazapyr) herbicide as recommended by the co-op herbicide expert. He said glyphosate (Roundup) was not legel for wetlands. So I sprayed the Polaris and it COMPLETELY WIPED OUT the invasives I wanted to get rid off. So about month later I disc, fertilize, and broadcast jap millet. We get a rain the next day and within three days everything is sprouting right according to plan. I go back down there after two weeks and nearly all the sprouts were stalled, yellow, or dying. Mark Schupp and I talked it over and came to the conclusion I either put too much nitrogen or there was a herbicide problem. Well I used 100 lbs/acre nitrogen which millet should thrive in so it had to be the herbicide. Sure enough after some google research I learned imazapyr resides in the soil for quite some time and it was killing my jap millet. That food plot is a total bust for this year. I went on the advice of someone who knows their stuff but ended up with the wrong product. Maybe his fault, or maybe mine, but the lesson there was not only read the label but look up the herbicide to learn all about it before you start spraying.

Another thing I have definitely learned is putting food plots on land that has sat fallow for years is really tough on equipment. I cleared 4 acres today with my bush hog. This will give me two more acres that flood during the winter along with the 8 acres I've planted. The field was chest high in weeds with a lot of tress. I ended up bending the stump jumber on my cutter, damaged the tractor steering gear box, and to top it off got a flat front tire. This comes on the heels of bending a driveshaft when a limb pushed the hydraulic control lever up and caused the cutter housing to lift into the driveshaft.

This year was basically a learning year. I'm confident next year will be better and on and on. In fact I bought a cultipacker at auction and know it will really help get my seedbed prepared beyond the disking I did this year.

Eric
 
If everything in life would tear up like farm equipment, we'd have no money and no stuff. I just replaced a big bolt on the disc and now have to replace a bearing. I already bought the bearings as I've already replaced two and bought enough to replace them all. I keep a short stack of 18" discs on hand. I broke a cutter blade earlier this year but had spares from other sets I've replaced.
whaat.gif

 
Eric,
Don,t give up yet. If you have already fertilized wait until the weather cools a bit and plant some winter wheat or oats. The deer will eat it just fine . I do this in southern ohio, The deer will feed on it fall and spring,after it goes to seed the turkey,quail and doves will work on it until you work it up for the next fall planting.
Bill.
 
He said glyphosate (Roundup) was not legel for wetlands
Click to expand...


WRONG! It is legal for wetlands when used according to EPA standards. That is what we use to treat Phragmites.
glyphosate is foliar active, which makes it much better for wetlands use vs. Imazapyr, which as you found out is soil active as well and mildly persistent.
 
He said glyphosate (Roundup) was not legel for wetlands
Click to expand...


WRONG! It is legal for wetlands when used according to EPA standards. That is what we use to treat Phragmites.
glyphosate is foliar active, which makes it much better for wetlands use vs. Imazapyr, which as you found out is soil active as well and mildly persistent.
Click to expand...


That was my thought too. In my limited understnading "Round up" is not labeled for aquatic use, but there are formulations like "Rodeo" that are.
 
He said glyphosate (Roundup) was not legel for wetlands
Click to expand...


WRONG! It is legal for wetlands when used according to EPA standards. That is what we use to treat Phragmites.
glyphosate is foliar active, which makes it much better for wetlands use vs. Imazapyr, which as you found out is soil active as well and mildly persistent.
Click to expand...


That was my thought too. In my limited understnading "Round up" is not labeled for aquatic use, but there are formulations like "Rodeo" that are.
Click to expand...


Exactly! I am not sure which formulation we use, but its definately glyphosate.
We also add a surfactant (orange oil). I like to use a dye to see where it is applied but our crews hate dye, it stains the tanks and will not come out of clothing.
 
Eric,

Your plans have been adjusted for this year. Hopefully, this will make weed control easier on the upcoming years.

And, as you have learned there is reason the land clearing equipment is so ruggedly built. Tractors designed for row-crops have weak points that are not protected. Clear a few more acres and you will be ready to do some shade-tree tractor repair on the side!

Tom
 
Bill, good advice bu I'm working on food plots for ducks.

Carl, next time I'm asking you beofre spraying. That Imazapyr was extremely effectice at killing weeds, but like we've said it hangs around a long time in the soil.

Tom, I hear you. Most of the time it's not what I can see that causes damage, but what I can't see. Like maybe a 16' piece of 1" rebar. Ever heard a bush hog go over on of those? Or how about a block of waste concrete? When you stop and think about it doesn't seem the economics are there for letting a field grow up, unless you specifically want to let mother nature go her own way. Heavy equipment (bull dozers, mulchers, etc.) cost more to operate than standard farming equipment. Cutting a field on a schedule, like once every other year, with standard equipment like a rotary cutter, must be cheaper than letting it go for ten years and then having to bring in big machinery. Seems like a case of more often costs less than less often.

Eric
 
Eric,
Alabama has private lands biologists that work for the state wildlife agency. I am one for TN. We go on site with landowners/managers and assist them with technical and planning issues, free of charge. They should be a good resource for future herbicide recommendations. We have used imazapyr for site prep to kill bermudagrass before, and have to wait until the next year to plant.
 
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