needing pasture advise

[copperhead46]

I have a wonderful Bermuda grass pasture/hay meadow. I pulled the cows off of it in May and baled round bales in July. I have kept the cows off of it so that I could get a second cut, now I can't get the baler in until the middle of Sept. I'm afraid that the grass won't be able to grow back in time for winter. Also, I have an abundance of "bull nettle", I've been spot spraying them but I just can't get them all. What I'm thinking about doing is turning the cows in and just keep spraying the nettle and try a pre-emergence next spring. The grass is soooo high, I hate to not get it cut, but I sure don't want to stress the Bermuda either. I'm in N/E Oklahoma and it's hot and drying out fast, with no rain in sight.
Any thoughts one the best way to manage my pasture ??

[Grumpy old man]

any chance of running a cross pasture electric wire and moving them frequently ?

[Allen W]

Bull nettles are perennials I believe spraying them when they begin blooming is supposed to be the most effective time to spray them.

[copperhead46]

Originally Posted by Grumpy old man

any chance of running a cross pasture electric wire and moving them frequently ?

It's not practical, I only have one water source and it's up by the gate, but I am thinking on how to do that.

I am spraying the nettles right now, they are blooming, but I seem to be killing some of my grass in the process. I'm using 2 4 D and it says it can be sprayed on grass so maybe I'm mixing it too strong.

[ramiller5675]

From what I know, you don't want to spray at too high of a rate of 2,4-D or it will just burn down the above ground growth, not be absorbed into the roots, and you won't kill the weed.

I've had better results by broadcast spraying, then waiting for about 5 weeks before it is baled so it has time to kill the weeds.

Or, clip or bale the field, wait for the weeds to start to recover and grow, then broadcast spray the field.

Depending on if you need the hay, you could wait to bale it in Sept. (bermuda should be able to recover enough to survive the winter, cut it a little higher if you are really worried about it), then spray it for weeds so it will be cleaner next spring.

Or, spray it now and then graze it over the winter.

Or, wait to spray it next spring.

[copperhead46]

I think I'm going to turn the cows in and graze it. I have enough hay for the winter. Would a pre emergence work on it in the spring ?? I will get the last of it sprayed in the next few days, but wonder about next spring.
I'm just afraid to cut it the middle of Sept, I have to have the cows back on it by then, so it couldn't rest and recover. this stuff makes me crazy, I never know if I'm doing the right thing, no one will give me a weather, crystal ball !!
thanks for the input, think I'll go with the spray and graze thing for the fall and try to get my pasture back where it should be.

[Allen W]

Bull nettles are a perennial and come back from a tuber every year. A preemerge is to stop sprouting seeds from growing. Try some weed master it is a 24D dicamba mix on the bull nettles, the dicamba is systematic and will go through the plants into the roots better then the 24D alone. Spot spraying is tricky with hand held equipment trying to get enough and not to much or to little.

[FarmerDavid]

Originally Posted by copperhead46

I think I'm going to turn the cows in and graze it. I have enough hay for the winter. Would a pre emergence work on it in the spring ?? I will get the last of it sprayed in the next few days, but wonder about next spring.
I'm just afraid to cut it the middle of Sept, I have to have the cows back on it by then, so it couldn't rest and recover. this stuff makes me crazy, I never know if I'm doing the right thing, no one will give me a weather, crystal ball !!
thanks for the input, think I'll go with the spray and graze thing for the fall and try to get my pasture back where it should be.

Things like this are what drive me crazy about not having my own baler. I can't justify the cost but it doesn't always work how I'd like.

[genebo]

ForeFront is one of the two best treatments for nettles. It is expensive and kills all broadleaf grass, so it is usually used as a spot spray. It's a little late to be very effective this year. As already told, it's most effective just before or during bloom.

See if radial pattern could serve you for rotational grazing. You run two lines, one from each side of your water. You move the back wire in front of the front wire, then open a path through or around the back wire and reclose it behind them.

This works with a single water supply and gives the grass behind them the maximum time to re-grow.

Since your bermuda is going dormant as soon as it turns cool and won't grow again until warm weather comes, why not overseed with a cool weather grass behind the rotational grazing wire? You might get some good growth out of it after the bermuda has quit.

For what it's worth, my cattle don't like to eat hay that came off of a field that was being grazed. The manure smell lingers in the hay and seems to spoil their appetite. They will eat anything else, first.

The only way you can justify the cost of baling equipment for small acreage is to buy really old, cheap equipment. That's what I did. I spend as much time fixing as I do haying. Thank goodness my labor isn't worth anything.

[ramiller5675]

Originally Posted by Allen W

Bull nettles are a perennial and come back from a tuber every year. A preemerge is to stop sprouting seeds from growing. Try some weed master it is a 24D dicamba mix on the bull nettles, the dicamba is systematic and will go through the plants into the roots better then the 24D alone. Spot spraying is tricky with hand held equipment trying to get enough and not to much or to little.

Weedmaster is what I've used and have gotten good results, the dicamba has a residual for about 4 weeks after you spray, which will help you kill tougher weeds.

Spray in the spring after the weeds start to grow, use a good surfactant (like ChemSurf 90), and wait at least 37 days before you cut it for hay (to give it enough time to get down to the roots).