Need some advice

Mattyq2402

5 year old buck +
Had a habitat specialist/forester tour my Ohio property yesterday. Im out west so didnt get to visit with him and my father was having some medical complications so he couldnt walk with the gentleman. He stressed that he was very concerned about invasives. The location where i was planning on dropping a pocket of about 3/4 acre trees so i could open the canopy to get sun down and plant my incoming crabapples has a lot of invasive grass. I dont have the name yet of this particular grass as im waiting on his write up but i did see it when i was hunting this year and its taken over below where all my dead ash trees are and oit powerline.

My plan was to plant the new trees in extension of my current otchard and get some clover on the ground.

How would you guys reccomend tackling this issue? Still plant it? From a tactical standpoint I believe this is the absolute best place for the new trees. My old man can spray ahead of the planting when he drops the timber. I also have tubes for all of the trees that could allow for protection if he has to continue to spray?

Any help is appreciated!
 
I would try to spray areas whether just a circular patch or a long strip several ft wide before planting and plan on a follow up spray session the next yr. I'm not doing a lot of apples but hazelnuts lately and tried just a good weed mat over heavy sod and cages instead of spraying first. Hoping that the weed mat would shade out and kill the competing grass below. But that stuff can be vigorous and finds ways to grow through the slit in the fabric by the trunk or edges and doesn't wanna give up. By definition an invasive grass is probably tenacious and grows fast. Some of the hazelnuts are struggling just after two yrs from planting.

I think a good kill first is better even if you skip weed mats completely. Past work with spraying had some broadleaf weeds growing by the end of yr one but those are less of a problem than grass in my opinion. Sure best to do both spray and mats maybe but if only one I think killing grass dead, dead is over half the battle.
 
First I hope everything is doing OK with your Dad health wise.
As far as the non native grass spray it good early with some type of gly base grass killer as soon as it starts to turn green. Broadcast clover seed over it a few days later then frost overseed clover again early next spring.
Good luck with your crabapples.
 
You'll have to read up on managing whatever the invasive is before you make a plan.

For instance, if the invasive grass is japanese stiltgrass, it is an annual that grows from seed. Spraying once it starts growing in the spring is a temporary fix. More will germinate and mature to seed. For most invasives, getting something useful established to outcompete it would be a good longer term solution but the best way from here to there may vary.
 
My first question is, Is it actually an invasive grass? We have some grasses growing in some relatively open areas of a south facing hillside. They are remnants from our native goat prairie/oak savanna that has mostly disappeared. Do what you will, I'd just make sure that they aren't native before killing them off.
 
Didn't the habitat specialist/forester specifically identify the invasive grass and offer management advice?
 
He did and reccomend gly to take it out. My father couldnt remember the name and we are still waiting on the write up. Im familiar with what hes talking about, it showed up over the last year. Ill update this once i find out the name.
 
Definitely spray with glyphosate before planting. And keep spot spraying as needed.

Adjust the nozzle to spray large droplets to prevent hurting your trees after they are planted.
 
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