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Re: *!?#@! CROWN VETCH

Nancy Morey wrote:
> 
> I am planning a 20 acre prairie restoration of land in south
> central Iowa going into CRP.  I have a healthy stand of cool season
> Eurasian grasses that have been established for over ten years.  Because
> the land borders a mid sized river I have a diverse population of
> wildlife.  I have read Steve Packard's chapter on interseeding (Tall
> Grass Restoration Handbook, Island Press) and I feel that I should
> restore using this technique in order to preserve the current wildlife
> habitat.  My problem is that numerous patches of crown vetch have
> invaded the grasslands from nearby roadside plantings.  My questions
> are...with interseeding, will a heathy prairie of native forbes and
> grasses overtake and eventually choke out the crown vetch?  If not, will
> strategic burns or mowing break down the vetch enough so that native
> plants can overtake it?...or, should I spot treat the crown vetch
> patches with Round-Up while the native seedlings are establishing?
> Because of the creeping nature of the vetch roots, I do not think I can
> successfully hand pull the invaders...or, would it be better to totally
> eliminate the vetch by plowing and exposing its roots and disrupt the
> animal communities that are already established?  Does anybody have any
> ideas or options?  What would be the best way to tackle this one??????
> Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  David Morey, Keokuk
> County, Iowa
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Crown vetch is severely injured and sometime killed with very close
mowing.  It make take a couple of good "scalpings" to severely thin it
or kill it.  Of course spot spraying where feasible is a good
alterntive.

Brett Roberts


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