|
|
grass
Apr 15, 2015 17:26:10 GMT
Post by diamondgirl on Apr 15, 2015 17:26:10 GMT
I got my grass seed on the ground, right before it snowed, but we only got 3 to 4 inches, so it didn't really get put to bed nicely. Still, after watering daily, for about 2 weeks, I do have some grass plants coming up. I also have a thick mat of weeds coming up along with it. I am thinking I want to use a weed and feed product, and just put it on with the spreader.
I just saw my new grass yesterday, so how long do I wait before putting down the weed and feed? How long do I need to keep the horses off of it after I weed and feed?
I think it is a little less than half covered by the grass I got to come up last year, and I really hope I can get the new grass to fill in the blank spots this year.
I have e-mailed the Scotts company, but they really deal with lawns, so I wanted to ask here too. |
|
|
|
grass
Apr 15, 2015 18:27:38 GMT
Post by horselady on Apr 15, 2015 18:27:38 GMT
I found if i put hay sleg down or just bedding hay either over the see or perhaps even now before you weed and seed it will help to seed the bare spots. especially if you are growing for pasture for the horses. i left the hay on for weeks and than mowed over it to cut the grass the first time after it went to seed. than put the horses out in it. if you put them out too soon the roots will not have matured and they will pull it out of the ground. i am no expert on lawns or pasture but i prefer not using any time of chemical where the horses are going to eat.
|
|
mingiz
Junior Member
Los Lunas, NM
Posts: 3,320 
|
grass
Apr 15, 2015 18:48:19 GMT
Post by mingiz on Apr 15, 2015 18:48:19 GMT
Agree. You have to let it get established before the horses get it. If at all possible leave it until you absolutely have to use it. Weed & feed is a good product. Never used a weed and seed. Good luck!!
|
|
hugs
Junior Member
Posts: 2,647
|
Post by hugs on Apr 19, 2015 0:11:35 GMT
If it were me, I'd forgo the fertilizer and just go with the broadleaf herbicide. I mean why fertilize weeds? If the weeds are evenly dispersed then you can spot spray them. I spec prairie restorations where there are a mix of grasses and forbs (flowering broadleaves) and though it takes about 3 years to get rid of weeds the treatment is to clip/mow as soon as the veg gets about 8 inches tall throughout the growing season. The weeds you don't want usually come in sooner and set seed sooner than the grass you do want so by clipping you prevent them from setting seed. Even bull thistle populations are very much reduced after three years. Now like I said that's for prairie restorations so I don't know if you want that for your lawn, but it's an idea.
|
|
|
|
grass
Apr 19, 2015 1:43:09 GMT
Post by horselover4life on Apr 19, 2015 1:43:09 GMT
Ummmm...if you have any seeds that have not germinated yet, applying a "weed killer" will kill any grass seed left...
New shoots and tender plants don't do well with weed & feed I find.
The weed part is a plant killer.... do not use this till the grass is very established!
Feed, yes.
Fertilize using a general 10-10-10 fertilizer product.
Once your grass is growing well, solidly filling in and of length to really mow it {yes, you really should mow it before putting anyone out to graze on it}, then I would in the fall apply a weed & feed product, not before.
We had rototilled our ugly lawn, seeded it with quality seed and fertilized it...it looked wonderful.
My neighbor did much the same but used a weed & feed product...he had a mud hole. He killed the grass seeds ability to germinate.
Do be careful what you do and when.
With where we now live the pasture grasses actually came back and grew, filled in and starved out the weeds with little help from us.
I have found that just putting down a pelleted lime helped our grass to perk up, green up and kick start the growth time.
We have some oak trees nearby so the ground can become somewhat acidic and the lime helps balance the soil ph...once that better balances the grass thrives.
jmo......
|
|
|
|
grass
Apr 19, 2015 13:01:28 GMT
Post by diamondgirl on Apr 19, 2015 13:01:28 GMT
I am just so tired of everything being covered with weeds. I am almost ready to risk everything, just to get rid of them.
weeds 2012 
weeds 2013 
weeds hiding an old barn 2014 
I had much of this place mowed when I bought it Sept 2012. I got sick the next spring, and everything was lost to the weeds again. I was finally able to hand clear the south pasture enough in the fall of 2013 to put down some grass seed. I spent all last summer keeping the weeds mowed so the grass seed I had planted could grow. I reseeded that area really early this spring, to try and fill in the bare spots that the weeds had choked out last year.
I am ready to call out an all out war on these weeds. |
|
hugs
Junior Member
Posts: 2,647
|
Post by hugs on Apr 19, 2015 13:15:45 GMT
Just so folks know, there are herbicides which act specifically on monocots (grasses, sedges, etc.) and those that work on dicots (leafy spurge, dandelions, buckthorn, etc.). There are herbicides which are not toxic to fish and other aquatics and those that are. As in all chemicals, read the label. Contact local soil water conservation districts, university extension or NRCS, their job is to know these things and many have experience with them with hints and tips.
Controlling some weeds is more of a challenge than others because some are not only pioneer species, the first to come on to a disturbed site, but grow so quickly that they can out compete all other species. But like in all things, continued patient practices over seasons and on goingly will prove successful. But if you are surrounded by weeds (also known as simply plants you don't want) then you'll have the battle for forever, or you can chose them and manage them for those areas and make peace with what is so you can spend your time and trouble on a winning battle.
|
|
|
|
grass
Apr 19, 2015 15:34:49 GMT
Post by diamondgirl on Apr 19, 2015 15:34:49 GMT
This has been such a battle. I asked the CO-OP if they could spray for weeds. They can't spray here because my land isn't wide enough for the sprayer. I asked a couple farmers, who do their own spraying, and got the same answer. We don't have an extension agent any more, to get out here, to ID my weeds. I contacted a local landscaping company, but I couldn't afford them.
The county uses 2.4.D and some other chemicals that are so toxic, I can't even get them. They mix them up, put them into their truck sprayer, then drive down my road spraying their chemical cocktail, in a huge arch, that covers the ditches and splashes up onto my land. They don't give any warning so I can make sure my horses are as far away from the fall out as I can get them. The farmers I have talked to use 2.4.D as well.
Here is a picture of what the pasture looked like last year. It was probably 1/3 grass, and 2/3s weeds. I had to mow it every week to keep the weeds from growing to over 6 feet tall. 
Here is what I have this year. The weeds are only just now getting started. They are what is starting to grow in the bare spots. The acres of lush green beyond the fence is wheat. The sort of yellow stuff behind the trees is the farmers weeds. He lets them grow for pheasant cover. Much of my land is surrounded by his pheasant cover. AKA weeds. 
A closer look at the bare spots. 
I do have some baby grass, but I also have tons more weeds growing in those bare spots then grass. 
I just want to get this part to where I don't have to mow this area every week, so I can work on the next spot. I still have an entire barn laying on the ground, to remove. I would love to get that done this year. I wish I could afford to hire some help, but the people who will work for what I can afford to pay, don't really want to work. They just want me to pay them while they smoke. As you can see, with all my dry weeds, it could be really dangerous to have a smoker around here. |
|
hugs
Junior Member
Posts: 2,647
|
Post by hugs on Apr 19, 2015 17:43:01 GMT
I'll help ID your weeds; won't be a fast process because I do that for myself. I'll PM my email
|
|
|
|
Post by horselover4life on Apr 19, 2015 23:22:55 GMT
Glad you could offer some real insight  ......
I know there are different "weed killers" for different weeds, but thought that applying it to young seeds of any kind would kill the germination process...
Good to learn something helpful, especially for diamond!!
I would be tempted to turn the entire field under and have a "sacrifice lot" till the new seed comes in.
Or....
Wonder if you actually had a "controlled burn-off" if it would help the situation...
...would it help???
|
|
hugs
Junior Member
Posts: 2,647
|
Post by hugs on Apr 20, 2015 0:00:09 GMT
Wouldn't it be great if I could make house-calls like I can here in Anoka County?
*sigh*
There is no once-and-done treatment for weeds. Think of it, year after year they're setting seed. That seed can lay dormant for years. So that top several inches of soil is what we call a "seed bank". Even if you kill off the entire population now, you've got an entire population waiting for its chance. And if you've tilled it up, then you're burying seed, which means it can keep and then be dug up again and germinate.
Are you feeling helpless yet?
Patience and year after year doing the right thing will allow what you want to take over IF what you want is appropriate for the site.
Find the species that are native; they'll be adapted to the climate, soil and won't need fertilizers.
YEAR 1: Plow up the weeds, then plow again when the new batch that germinates is about 8 inches but before they flower and keep doing that for the first growing season, you oughta get through a pretty good share of that seed bank killed off.
FALL: Plant annual rye about 100 lbs per acre.
YEAR 2: Plow in the rye or roll and crimp (depends on what machinery you have available) plant your native grass mix. You will see weeds come up here and there. Do your weed control before they flower and set seed. If it's patchy you can spot spray but also clip at least 3 times per year or when the plants (especially weeds if they grow faster) are about 8 inches.
YEAR 3: Interseed your desired mix to fill in bare spots. Keep clipping to 8 inches.
YEAR 4: Spot spray herbicide, clip
YEAR 5: If you can do a prescribed burn in that area HIRE PROFESSIONALS. Yeah, it's expensive but it's worse if the fire gets away from you. If you can't do a burn then that's fine, we do the best we can.
It takes about 5 years to fully establish a grass planting or prairie mix.
Now that's the ideal scenario; the keys are not letting the weeds go to seed and planting rye which not only crowds out the weeds but also builds the soil organic matter which is critical to healthy crop plants.
|
|
|
|
grass
Apr 20, 2015 14:25:51 GMT
Post by diamondgirl on Apr 20, 2015 14:25:51 GMT
My problem is I don't have a tractor, or a tiller. I do have a lawn tractor and a harrow. My weeds have been established for 17 years, so they have built to a pretty big seed bank. Unfortunatly my professional advisors are a few of my local farmer friends. They usually just scratch their heads and tell me "well those ones are really hard to get rid of", or "naaa, you can't ever get rid of those." Well I think I can at least get this somewhat under control, because I do have less weeds, than when I started. I will wait as long as I can, then go over the pasture, with the grass, with weed and feed. As far as the weeds coming up through the old barn, and trash that has been left here over the years, I will just use 2.4.D or round-up on that. Maybe if I work really hard I can have some of it ready for some grass seed next spring. If not, there is alyays the next year. As the weather has gotten warmer I have noticed a few very small patches of buffalo grass have made it back to the surface out there, in my pasture. Immagine, a grass so hardy, it can lay dormant under weeds, for 17 years, and still try to make a come back. All I can do is keep trying. , if you think I should wait longer on the weed and feed, and just keep mowing I will. I was just trying to get out of a little work. |
|
hugs
Junior Member
Posts: 2,647
|
Post by hugs on Apr 21, 2015 0:37:43 GMT
They sell 2,4-D? Yikes.
|
|
|
|
grass
Apr 23, 2015 22:27:29 GMT
Post by diamondgirl on Apr 23, 2015 22:27:29 GMT
Yup. They even sell it at Walmart. That is all my farmer friends have recommended. |
|
......