New Plot - Spray this year or next?

[MojoRisin]

I acquired 14 neighboring acres and there is a nice opening, approx. 1/2 acre with a big mature crabapple tree in it. I was to make a kill plot from this area but not until next year. My goal is to get a soil sample this year and amend the PH best I can this year. I will initially plant the plot in buckwheat next June and then the grain combo in the fall for year 1.

My question is this - Does it pay to spray this opening this year with Gly/AMS to get a head start on burning down what is there or should I just wait until next spring? I'm not sure if the grass and weeds would just come back in the spring. I do not plan to till at all.

 

[JFK52]

Spray it now and spray it next spring. The size of a plot will not take that much gly and you can never have weeds that are too dead.

 

[Rit]

What is your planting method? You could always broadcast WR/clover and mow it down this fall and get a head start on the weeds. I didn’t spray at all last year and ended up with this in the spring. I will be broadcasting WR/clover/radish into standing buckwheat in a few weeks. I may also broadcast buckwheat into terminated WR next summer.

 

[yoderjac]

I acquired 14 neighboring acres and there is a nice opening, approx. 1/2 acre with a big mature crabapple tree in it. I was to make a kill plot from this area but not until next year. My goal is to get a soil sample this year and amend the PH best I can this year. I will initially plant the plot in buckwheat next June and then the grain combo in the fall for year 1.

My question is this - Does it pay to spray this opening this year with Gly/AMS to get a head start on burning down what is there or should I just wait until next spring? I'm not sure if the grass and weeds would just come back in the spring. I do not plan to till at all.

I think I'd do the opposite. If you are not going to plant this year, I'd wait until everything dies and bushhog it flat late this year. This will give the vegetation time to decay over the winter. Next spring when weeds first emerge, they will be much more vulnerable to glyphosate than they are now.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Semisane]

What you spray now won't make seeds this year.

 

[yoderjac]

What you spray now won't make seeds this year.

True, but if this field has not been planted for years, the seed bank is full of weed seeds. Whatever portion of the seeds that are in the germination layer will germinate next spring. It doesn't matter if they were formed this fall or in years gone bye. Either way, unless planting something like WR this fall, I wouldn't waste the time and money because he will need to spray in the spring anyway. You want to spray near the time of planting. With minimal (top inch or less) or no-tillage, one doesn't bring as many weeds seeds into the germination layer as with normal tillage. If tilling, I'd do that a couple weeks before spraying and planting. This gives any weed seeds you do bring into the germination layer time to germinate. Gly won't hurt seed so you want as much weed seed to germinate as possible when you spray. I actually prefer to spray last after I've planted.

Buckwheat is very competitive. It will outcompete most weeds if planted properly. It can germinate at soil temps as low as 45 degrees but under 65 degrees the crops tend to be weak and lethargic compared to buckwheat planted later with warmer soils. The optimal soil temp for Buckwheat is 80 degrees but you need to balance your planting schedule with other factors like rain availability and when you plan to plant your fall crop.

Keep in mind that we never eliminate weeds and shouldn't try. Instead, what we do with herbicides is disadvantage plants we don't want and advantage plants we do want. It is hard to advantage plants we do want if we don't plant. It can be done with certain herbicides but with few exceptions, not gly. If the OP had said that he had a specific problematic weed that needed addressed with 24D or some other specific herbicide, it may be advantageous to spray in the fall depending on the situation. I just don't see it with Gly.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Semisane]

Good point about the seed bank Jack. I kinda' figured that because Mojo said he does not plan to till at all it would be worthwhile to start eliminating the surface seed bank.

 

[yoderjac]

Good point about the seed bank Jack. I kinda' figured that because Mojo said he does not plan to till at all it would be worthwhile to start eliminating the surface seed bank.

I understand your logic. Certainly mowing before problematic weeds go to seed this year wouldn't hurt. I'm just cautious and judicious when it comes to herbicides.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I would spray it, and plant winter rye and clover like said above. The wr will keep most weeds at bey, and the clover will bank some N for next springs plot. Plus they will both give the deer some food late this fall, and early in the spring.

 

[MojoRisin]

Thanks everyone. I will not be tilling. This would be T&M. I really don't want to plant this year because we won't be hunting this area this year. I don't have the access I want to this land parcel yet. I need a trail cut from my existing land to this area this winter. Right now, I'd need to use the main road and don't want to do that. I want the deer to use my plots on my existing land.

I am not opposed to spraying this year and again next spring. I have lots of Gly and AMS. I will plant buckwheat in June after the soils warm. It will be broadcast and then I will cultipack it. I will do a fall planting of clover and WR. As noted, I do plan to amend the PH best I can this year.

 

[Tap]

What weeds are you dealing with?
Knowing that will help to answer any questions about spray timing and herbicide choices.