Weed control?

[MN Tigerstripes]

Just get one of those bag attachments for your mower! It might not work perfectly, but at least some of the little suckers would get "vacumed" up.

I don't know anything about goats and how long the "taint" stays in the milk, but what about before they start producing? Or just get a couple of fun goats. Is there even a way to goat proof a fence? LOL

[ChunkyPony84]

To get rid of canadian thistles and coclburs in that big of an area you may have to wipe out the whole thing. The seeds can lay dormant for up to two years. Don't spray right after you mow though you need to mow it before seed stage and then wait to let it regrow otherwise the spray wont kill the plant. Or just spray it at the beginning of the year. Thistles are a pain in the bum to get rid of. This all comes per my husband as we are currently battling them in a hay field.

[Indyhorse]

According to the label on this Pasture Pro, (I've never sprayed a field before, so this will be new to me) they need to be sprayed right as the cockleburs and thistles start to bloom to really take care of them - which I guess means not mowing in the spring, at least not until after they begin to flower. I just want to get this taken care of as quickly as possible, but there's really no quick fix solution. Bleh.

[Vidaloco]

I'm not sure where you live, but I do a pre-emergence spray around mid to late Feb. I don't use anything fancy just 2-4-D weed killer. Then again in April-May before I turn the horses out on it. Check with your local NRCS office for what would be the best chemical and time frame for your area. I'm sure there are better pre-emergence weed killers out there.
Just an FYI, I've tried the dyes you can put in the sprayer to mark where you have sprayed and didn't think they were worth the money. If someone tries to talk you into it, think twice. I find it better with a small sprayer to just have someone help you by standing in the line, or mark it with a brightly colored cloth. I've wasted tons of spray by losing track of where I had been

[Indyhorse]

Originally Posted by Vidaloco    

I'm not sure where you live, but I do a pre-emergence spray around mid to late Feb. I don't use anything fancy just 2-4-D weed killer. Then again in April-May before I turn the horses out on it. Check with your local NRCS office for what would be the best chemical and time frame for your area. I'm sure there are better pre-emergence weed killers out there.
Just an FYI, I've tried the dyes you can put in the sprayer to mark where you have sprayed and didn't think they were worth the money. If someone tries to talk you into it, think twice. I find it better with a small sprayer to just have someone help you by standing in the line, or mark it with a brightly colored cloth. I've wasted tons of spray by losing track of where I had been

The Pasture Pro I have is a modified 2-4-D - modified in that it's supposed to be safe to use around pregnant and lactating mares, and that you can put the horses back to graze on the pasture with no "down time". I will still separate out the three pastures and probably give a week or so between each field just because I am paranoid, my mare is due to foal around March/April and I don't like to take chances.

That's a good thought about having something to mark where I have sprayed, and probably not something that would have occurred to me until I was halfway across a pasture so thanks so much for that tip, I'll skip the dyes but lay out chalk lines or tape or something. Thanks!

[MN Tigerstripes]

My dad always does it in the morning when the dew is still on the grass so he can see the tire tracks... Don't know if the water on the grass interferes with the killer though. We were still pretty infested this spring. This year I just started pulling thistles after every rain.... time consuming, but it seemed like it worked a heck of a lot better.

[PBIMitch]

Hi, I was just hoping I could help by clarifying some things on your questions about Pasture Pro. I happened to stumble across your post and I work for PBI/Gordon. There are no grazing restrictions for horses or cattle, but use your own best judgment when it comes to your animals.

Pasture Pro will work best if you hit the thistles in the bud stage: a calm, 65-80 degree day works best. You can spray in the spring and again in the fall if you still have a problem. For pre-emergent control you will want a product specifically for that purpose: we don't currently make a pre-emergent for pastures but your local extension office can recommend one. The pre-emergent will prevent the dropped cocklebur seeds from sprouting. If you use those two in conjunction plus good mowing and management practices you should be able to get your pasture back to the way it should be.

And of course - read and follow the label directions 100%. Don't think more will be better - our label recommendations are written for best results and sometimes adding more chemical has the opposite effect you want! And if you want to speak to someone in person, call our 1-800-236-5415 number and tell them you have a question about Pasture Pro. We have two gentlemen with years and years of experience that answer tech questions during regular business hours (8-4:30 CST M-F). They will be happy to help.

Hope you don't mind my dropping in - I just want to assure you that I only meant to help answer your questions, not to sell anything!

Thanks, Michele

[Vidaloco]

Thanks for the input Michele

[janxaee]

Get a small herd of goats or sheep! Mine eat everything and have cleared out more brush than the deer! Lol