False Barley

[Annelies]

Hello, I live in Belgium and we have some problems with false barley on our fields. We tried each year to pull it out, but it came back the next year, in larger numbers. Our sheep don't eat it.
Last year, we reseed our fields, with the thought that everything will be removed. But it became worse.

Does anyone has the same problem? Has anyone some tips because we are totally distraught.

 

[Annelies]

Here is an example of the barley

 

[Northeastfarmer]

We haven’t the sheep grazed it off before it went to head?

 

[Annelies]

The sheep grazed from march on those fields, and the barley came out begin June.

 

[Farmer Roy]

Looks like what we call “barley grass”.

grazing management
grazing management
grazing management

eat it down before it goes to seed & let other plants out compete it

 

[ollie989898]

I've always called that wall barley, not entirely sure that is the accepted name for it though. It's a peculiar grass weed that you see on rough land and waste land sometimes. I should think you would be able to deal with it in another crop if you are able to rotate the fields in question, otherwise you are left with trying to get the other species in your field to outcompete it.

 

[Farmer Roy]

I've always called that wall barley, not entirely sure that is the accepted name for it though. It's a peculiar grass weed that you see on rough land and waste land sometimes. I should think you would be able to deal with it in another crop if you are able to rotate the fields in question, otherwise you are left with trying to get the other species in your field to outcompete it.

yeah, easy enough to deal with in an arable situation in rotation with broadleaf or legume crops, but I got the impression this was in a pasture situation ?
In which case, planned, time controlled, high density mob grazing is probably your best bet to achieve the desired results

 

[ollie989898]

yeah, easy enough to deal with in an arable situation in rotation with broadleaf or legume crops, but I got the impression this was in a pasture situation ?
In which case, planned, time controlled, high density mob grazing is probably your best bet to achieve the desired results

I got the impression it was pasture land too but what everyone around the world calls pasture land is open to interpretation. I've never seen wall barley anywhere except eeking out a living in peculiar places alongside fields or in margins or next to roads and the like. I assumed it wouldn't have a hope in hell of being an issue in a typical grassland scenario of the sort I am accustomed to but I get the feeling the situation is different entirely for the OP.

 

[Exfarmer]

I would think regular topping will help

 

[Pan mixer]

I have had a huge problem with that, reseeds become reinfested particularly with sheep carting the seed from elsewhere.

I cracked it by growing wheat for a few years and then returning it to grass and changing to easicare sheep who don't cart so much seed about in their fleece.

Mowing doesn't really help as after the first twice it sets seed just below topper height even if this is virtually on the ground.

Cattle are better at eating it. than sheep.

 

[AndrewM]

It's an annual, so you need to find a way to stop it setting seed for a few years to reduce the seed bank. Can you introduce growing a few fields of brassicas for the sheep? Glyphosate off your worst field, direct drill turnips or sweeds or something, then use herbicide to control grass weed. Then reesed in a few years time

 

[vantage]

I've always called that wall barley, not entirely sure that is the accepted name for it though. It's a peculiar grass weed that you see on rough land and waste land sometimes. I should think you would be able to deal with it in another crop if you are able to rotate the fields in question, otherwise you are left with trying to get the other species in your field to outcompete it.

Didn’t there used to be some behind Frank Park at Seale Hayne? Never seen any since!

 

[ollie989898]

Didn’t there used to be some behind Frank Park at Seale Hayne? Never seen any since!

The bulk of the residents when I was there were female. I was one of the few males on the premises and rarely had much cause to look out of the window!

 

[vantage]

The bulk of the residents when I was there were female. I was one of the few males on the premises and rarely had much cause to look out of the window!

Different generation!
When I was there, fully occupied by male students.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Grows on the common ground in East Sussex . Just heading now

 

[Vader]

I have had a huge problem with that, reseeds become reinfested particularly with sheep carting the seed from elsewhere.

I cracked it by growing wheat for a few years and then returning it to grass and changing to easicare sheep who don't cart so much seed about in their fleece.

Mowing doesn't really help as after the first twice it sets seed just below topper height even if this is virtually on the ground.

Cattle are better at eating it. than sheep.

We have it bad in done if our grass fields and they grazed by cattle.
Ours don't seem to like it.
Will leave it even if we leave them to strip the grass right down.

 

[willy]

We call it barley grass, mainly in old grass let's and where creep feeders have been. I think Norton does it but timing is critical