Weeds? Disk? What to plant? When to plant?
I'm trying to establish a permanent hay field for
beef cattle that will not need to be planted each year.
I've read many of the posts here on the dirtdoctor. I
have 28 acres total, 10 for this hay field and about 15
for grazing pasture. I'm in Princeton, black land muck,
off Sister Grove Creek.
What I've been doing, planting haygrazer each
spring and fertilizing with chemicals. In the fall I've
occasionally planted a mixture of oats, wheat, and rye
with success. I've not used any herbicides for the six
years I've lived here. I do have weeds in this hay
field, mostly bull nettle. The current state of the
pasture is hay stubble with bull nettle weeds.
From what I've read, I should be able to get rid of
the bull nettle by spraying them with 10-20% vinegar.
Should I do it now? Wait till spring?
What should I plant? I've had good crops of rye,
wheat, oats and hay grazer. In a corral I've had
volunteer fescue do well. I've attempted to plant
Turner Seeds' Bluestem Mix on a 3 acre plot but with
limited results.
When should I fertilize? I'm planning to use liquid
molasses.
My plan until you guys tell me, "NO NO, don't do that"
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Spray the weeds this weekend with vinegar. Disk and
plant rye and "some legume/clover" next weekend. Put
out molasses the next weekend.
Looking forward to your advice.
Russ