Weed Control

By GrowingDeer,

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Question
Grant,

I love that you are very open about your faith.  I also love the show and the information you give to all of us to help out wildlife.  I planted Eagle Seed Wildlife Managers Mix this year and it seems to be doing pretty good.  I have some rabbit problems but my big problem is weeds, mostly some type of grass.  I would like to know what you would recommend for killing the weeds/grass?  I’ve seen on the videos that you have had a little bit of the same problem.  I went to my Tractor Supply store but they were not too much help because the associate that knows what to do was not in.  I know they sell regular Round Up, a store brand weed killer and Biologic Round Up Ready weed killer.

I live in Central Pennsylvania and also would like to know what would be a good crop for late season planting?  Most of the ag crops are harvested by mid November.  I do not know if there would be a 90 day corn to plant or if I should go with winter wheat, oats, turnips or some sort of mixture?  I do have a 1/2 acre of clover and chicory but is does not look like it’s getting enough nutrition.  Can I mow it down and put a type of fertilizer and more lime on it as long as there is enough moisture in the ground and rain in the forecast?  Would 0-20-20 be a good fertilizer for the clover?

Thank you for all your help and keep up the great work at The Proving Grounds.

Chad

 

Chad,

Thanks for the kind words!  Eagle Seed’s Wildlife Manager Mix is Round-up Ready.  I use any brand of glyphosate that includes a surfactant and then mix in ammonia sulfate.  This is an easy method to control grass and other weed competition in Round-up Ready crops.  Remember to calibrate the sprayer!

If the Wildlife Manager’s Mix appears to be producing a good yield of beans, I’d leave them standing.  If they produce 30 bushels per acre that equals 1,800 pounds per acre of extremely high quality food!  Few forage crops will produce that quantity and almost never that quality of forage during the cool growing season.  In addition, if the soybeans have already started producing pods, there is very little risk that a good yield will not occur.  Freshly established crops are always subject to droughts, early frosts, etc.

There are 75 day + varieties of corn.  However, I’m not familiar with anyone planting them that late in the northern states.  At that latitude, I’d rather plant a wheat/clover blend at least 45 days before the average first frost date.  I always recommend and practice applying enough fertilizer based on a soil analysis to ensure the crop can express its full potential.

I recommend collecting a soil sample from your existing clover/chicory plot and having it analyzed at a quality soil lab and adding the nutrients they suggest for maximum yield.  It’s much less expensive to insure clover has ample nutrient to thrive than it is to re-establish.  In addition, properly fertilized clover will be more productive and more attractive to deer!

Growing Deer together,

Grant