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Re: weeds

Stephen Louis Winter wrote:
> 
> On Fri, 25 Jun 1999, MJ Hatfield wrote:
> 
> > I'd like to ask you folks who are working with restoration and
> > reconstruction of prairie to list the weeds in order of nastiness, and
> > explain why. And perhpas list your method of preferred control. Feel
> > free to add to the list.
> 
>         I'll share with you what I spend most of my time worrying about on
> three restorations and one remnant in southeast Nebraska.
> 
> remnant:
>         Smooth brome and kentucky bluegrass are well established
> throughout, but I am comfortable with the control that has been acheived
> through spring burning and fall/winter/spring grazing. Red clover is very
> abundant, and I am unsure if I need to worry about it, or what could be
> done to control it.  I suspect the clover may benefit somewhat from the
> grazing/soil disturbance of the livestock.  If it were grazed through the
> growing season the clover might be negatively impacted.  I have been
> spending considerable time the last few years cutting and spot spraying
> rough-leaved dogwood and smooth sumac, and good results are evident.  I
> have been pleased with the spraying results - the shrub canopy apparently
> intercepts the majority of the spray because there appears to be good
> diversity of high quality forbs remaining in the areas that have been
> sprayed.  There is also a small patch of St. Johnswort that will get
> sprayed next time I at this site with a sprayer.
> 
> restoration #1:
>         Roundup was used to prepare a smooth brome/tall fescue/alfalfa
> field for planting to warm season grasses.  Locally collected forb seed
> has been added at various times after the initial grass planting. All
> three of the original species have since re-established their presence, in
> some places they are dominant. The fescue is especially troubling because
> it appears to be displacing the native grasses.  I intend to spray the entire
> field in early spring to control the grasses.  I may end up spot spraying
> the alfalfa, but I'm curious to see if it might fade out of the picture as
> the stand develops.  This site isn't grazed because I'm trying to learn
> how it will develop without grazing.
> 
> restoration #2:
>         An agricultural field was planted to native grasses and a
> commercial forb mix.  An ancient grass drill was used, and seed was not
> distributed evenly throughout the site.  In areas where seed was not
> placed, kentucky bluegrass has established a sod, and I imagine it is
> preventing the subsequent establishment of most other species in these
> areas.  Fire hasn't been much help with these spots because they
> typically don't burn.  They don't accumulate very much litter and
> they were very green every time I have burned the field.  Smooth brome is
> also spreading from an adjacent fencerow.  This stand was grazed heavily a
> couple of springs, and it was obvious that the brome was well
> controlled.  I suspect the grazing probably helped the kentucky bluegrass,
> because it would have reduce litter accumulations, and may have actually
> stimulated its spread.  Again, I intend to spray the entire field in early
> spring to control these two grass species.  A hilltop at this site has
> always had an infestation of musk thistle.  Every June I pull the heads
> off and pop the plants out of the ground with a tile spade. The heads then
> get incinereted.  The first couple of years were much worse than
> subsequent years, and I think it has steadily lessened in severity, but
> the persistance of the seed bank at this location is impressive.
> 
> restoration #3
>         A brome field that is undergoing succession as native species
> (mostly forbs) from the adjacent remnant invade. Fall/winter/spring
> grazing has definately reduced the vitality of the brome sod, resulting in
> a greater abundance of numerous forbs.  This site has also had a few
> spring burns, but I don't think the burning alone has had as much of an
> impact as the grazing. The native grasses are responding slowly, except
> tall dropseed which is very abundant. I like this site because the process
> of succession is very evident to me there. I may try various interseeding
> techniques with native grasses to speed things up.  The grazing has
> probably contributed to a good cover of white clover throughout most of
> this site, but I'm not worried about it. I imagine it will fade out as
> taller species establish themselves.
> 
> All of these sites have numerous other non-native species but I don't
> worry about them.  Blissfull ignorance perhaps, but they don't impress me
> as being detrimentally abundant or susceptible to the control methods I
> employ. Does anyone have any thoughts about abundant red clover? Any
> opinions on whether it is actually a threat or is it just an annoyance?
> Any ideas on how to control it?
> 
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Couple of comments that you may find useful.  Heavy grazing of smooth 
bromegrass does weaken the plant.  To do the most damage to this
species, grazing would need to be intense in the spring and the fall
when this species is actively growing and thus providing the cattle
something to eat.  Smooth bromegrass essentially goes dormant in the hot
summer months when the native warm season species are at their peak
growth periods.  heavy grazing of the WSG would weaken them.

Bluegrass and white clover tolerate heavy grazing so they aren't
suppressed that much and when grazed will not produce enough fuel to
support a good burn.  Try spot spraying the bluegrass.  The white clover
if grazed intensively will be suppressed slightly but not enough to kill
it.  This may however allow the native grasses to establish and they
will benefit from the nitrogen fixed by the clover.

Red clover and alfalfa will not likely persist as they are not long
lived especially the red clover.  In Illinois we generally have more
humidity and red clover seldom lasts over two years because of fungal
diseases.  I suspect the the disease pressure is not as great in Neb.
thus allowing it to persist longer than it would here.  If possible
attempt to use manage with grazing or spot mowing to suppress seedhead
formation.  Both of these legumes although not desired may be beneficial
as they decline because they will provide nitrogen to the desired
grasses.

The fescue can be a bug-a-boo.  It is drought tolerant and not very
palatable to cattle due to the presence of the endophyte fungus that it
"shacks-up" with.  Try spot spraying this beast with glyphosate
specially in the fall withing 30-45 prior to frost.


Brett Roberts
Illinois State Conservation Agronomist
USDA-NRCS

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