Establishing Native Habitat and need to mow at 10-inches high to control invasives

[ajtxwi]

Technical problem - converting old pasture / cropland to native habitat / pollinator. Question for the hive... we recently mowed, sprayed (Glyphosate), then seeded and now... have a problem. Canada Goldenrod is taking over and shading out the new native planting! DNR biologist is suggesting that we mow at about 10-inches high to control goldenrod and allow native planting to get established. Anyone have experience with finding a mower that can be set that high? I have an ATV and regular Cub Cadet mower, but no tractor or brush hog (yet). Looking for a cost effective solution. D/R has something I can pull behind the ATV, but max height is about 7.5-inches.

 

[Kooch]

Did you ask the guy if 7.5” would work instead?


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[ajtxwi]

Did you ask the guy if 7.5” would work instead?


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too funny... overlooked the obvious and did not ask! Will ask!

 

[SwampCat]

I am in the exact place in my pollinator planting - but I have johnson grass entirely covering the field. I also have a bush hog - so should be no problem.

You could also maybe use something like this - several options

 

[omicron1792]

Technical problem - converting old pasture / cropland to native habitat / pollinator. Question for the hive... we recently mowed, sprayed (Glyphosate), then seeded and now... have a problem. Canada Goldenrod is taking over and shading out the new native planting! DNR biologist is suggesting that we mow at about 10-inches high to control goldenrod and allow native planting to get established. Anyone have experience with finding a mower that can be set that high? I have an ATV and regular Cub Cadet mower, but no tractor or brush hog (yet). Looking for a cost effective solution. D/R has something I can pull behind the ATV, but max height is about 7.5-inches.

Spray with imazapic at 2-4oz/acre.

 

[omicron1792]

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2022-09/IncreasingForbDiversity.pdf

Those mowing restrictions weren’t super accurate.

 

[ajtxwi]

I am in the exact place in my pollinator planting - but I have johnson grass entirely covering the field. I also have a bush hog - so should be no problem.

You could also maybe use something like this - several options

View attachment 53596

excellent! this might be a viable option. I like this.

 

[ajtxwi]

Spray with imazapic at 2-4oz/acre.

I'll look into this product... just don't want kill the 30-plus pollinator / grass mix that we just seeded in over the winter.

 

[ajtxwi]

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2022-09/IncreasingForbDiversity.pdf

Those mowing restrictions weren’t super accurate.

I am liking these instructions better as they are suggesting 6 to 8-inches! Nice to have a few competing opinions along the way.

 

[omicron1792]

I'll look into this product... just don't want kill the 30-plus pollinator / grass mix that we just seeded in over the winter.

Yeah. Wouldn’t tell you something that would kill your stuff. Ha.

 

[SwampCat]

excellent! this might be a viable option. I like this.

If you use a wick, you get better results if you wick it one way on day one and come back later and wick it the other way after it stands back up. At least for johnson grass. Goldenrod may be a little easier with a wick

 

[Kooch]

too funny... overlooked the obvious and did not ask! Will ask!

It's a lot easier to think of this kind of thing on this side of keyboard than in the moment.

 

[TreeDaddy]

I am in the exact place in my pollinator planting - but I have johnson grass entirely covering the field. I also have a bush hog - so should be no problem.

You could also maybe use something like this - several options

View attachment 53596

I bet I could East Texas engineer a rig like that^^^^^^

bill

 

[ajtxwi]

Yeah. Wouldn’t tell you something that would kill your stuff. Ha.

Apologies if I sounded like I did not trust your recommendation... just don't know enough about herbicides but learning every day! I really appreciate you introducing me to this product.

 

[ajtxwi]

I bet I could East Texas engineer a rig like that^^^^^^

bill

When I saw the collection of PVC piping, I thought the same thing! But for about $400, I might try it... attempting to avoid buying the big tractor right now and seeing what kind of simple options are out there.

 

[SwampCat]

I bet I could East Texas engineer a rig like that^^^^^^

bill

I am sure I could SW Arkansas engineer that rig, too. Probably end up costing me twice as much to make it myself

 

[T-Max]

You could always “pimp my ride” and raise the mower!

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[ajtxwi]

You could always “pimp my ride” and raise the mower!

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You joke, but I had actually been thinking about getting different wheels or putting a lift kit on the mower to see if I could raise it up. Odd that typical mowers come with deck height adjustments from the 1 to 4 inch range... I typically only use the 3.5 to 4 inch range and rarely go below 3-inches.