Black Grass

[Will7]

Does two years in grass reduce it . I lost one lot of Timothy hay an arable farmer was doing for me .The blackgrass overgot it

No

 

[db9go]

No

And feeding it to cattle does not kill it all

 

[Bobthebuilder]

Exactly what is starting to occur,with some spring barleys doing particularly well this year.

we have 2 fields of spring barley this year that had black grass in them last year, lightly worked the stubbles to get a chit, sprayed off then sprayed again before ploughing in the spring, both got pre ems on and full spray program but still had to top out the worst patches after it came late so anyone that says spring cropping helps it doesn't or hasn't this year anyway , the worst field is getting put to grass for 3-4 years

 

[64farmer giles]

Ploughing in the spring will bring bg seed to the surface to germinate in the spring crop, we plough early in the autumn for spring crops to get bg to germinate on the ploughing, roundup on the ploughing in spring, shallow cultivation and drill. Not perfect but does reduce the bg by about 80% in the crop

 

[Oat]

we have 2 fields of spring barley this year that had black grass in them last year, lightly worked the stubbles to get a chit, sprayed off then sprayed again before ploughing in the spring, both got pre ems on and full spray program but still had to top out the worst patches after it came late so anyone that says spring cropping helps it doesn't or hasn't this year anyway , the worst field is getting put to grass for 3-4 years

Your problem was that everything you did before ploughing would have little effect on this year's population. You basically have ploughed back up whatever seed you had just before you last ploughed. Obviously some of this seed will have rotted and no longer germinate, but enough percentage or amount was obviously viable enough to cause you a problem.

The good news is that the work you did before ploughing, now means next time you plough, you should have a lower population

 

[tr250]

And feeding it to cattle does not kill it all

No you need to out compete it before cutting first cut ideally cut in may if at that point your still not on top it will go on the be viable seed in silage hay etc

 

[Kevtherev]

What about ploughing twice like they did years ago?
Allow to chit then plough in?

 

[tr250]

No

No

im not sure about Timothy but it is possible to reduce if massively in a 2 year ryegrass ley but no use drilling grass in august and expecting to shut the gate and cut hay in June/July

 

[rob1]

No you need to out compete it before cutting first cut ideally cut in may if at that point your still not on top it will go on the be viable seed in silage hay etc

The perfect timing is to cut it when the seed has set but isnt viable, the plant will then die, too early ie 10th may and it will regrow and very likely set viable seed before second cut, too late 5th june and the seed may well be viable and make matters worse. Then the following crop needs to be DD to stop any new seed coming up, we have had some good results doing this, not 100 clearance but very good, this time we are going to leave it over winter and use spring oats drilled with a good seed rate to see if we can get closer too a clear crop.

Need luck with the first cut weather to be able to cut the haylage in that critical two/three weeks period

 

[tr250]

The perfect timing is to cut it when the seed has set but isnt viable, the plant will then die, too early ie 10th may and it will regrow and very likely set viable seed before second cut, too late 5th june and the seed may well be viable and make matters worse. Then the following crop needs to be DD to stop any new seed coming up, we have had some good results doing this, not 100 clearance but very good, this time we are going to leave it over winter and use spring oats drilled with a good seed rate to see if we can get closer too a clear crop.

Need luck with the first cut weather to be able to cut the haylage in that critical two/three weeks period

Spot on. We graze hard in the spring also hard until first week of April putting n on late march so that the ryegrass grows fast away from bg