Pasture Weed Control
Now is the time to spray your pasture for warm season weeds.
Nashville, Ark. – During this strange time of our lives due to Covid -19, we may not be thinking about the benefits of proper weed control for pastures. Properly applied weed control is one of the most cost-effective management practices available to pasture farmers. Many weed control practices are cheap when compared to other pasture improvement methods.
Will weed and brush control always produce more grass? Not always. There must be a population of desirable plants present to take advantage of the reduced weed competition. If a pasture has 20 to 30 percent bermudagrass cover and a dense stand of broadleaf weeds, spraying with a broadleaf herbicide may help the bermudagrass spread. However, with bermudagrass, fertilization and follow-up weed control must be part of the program.
Will weed and brush control increase profit? Some weed and brush control treatments can be expensive. Consider the cost of the initial treatments, the life of the treatment and the cost of maintenance treatments to avoid losing what was gained by the initial application. Research the projected forage response and the financial outlay involved. Weed control is not always motivated by potential profit. Farmers may spray weeds simply because it makes their fields look better.
Warm season weeds are beginning to germinate and grow so now is the time to spray. We have a Forage Herbicide Quick Reference Guide that is a great tool for farmers to have handy. The guide can be found at http://www.uaex.uada.edu/publications/pdf/MP557.pdf.
For more information, you can visit www.uaex.uada.edu, or send an email to skroll@uada.edu. Howard County Extension office is still working and is there for all the residents in Howard County during this time.
By Samantha Kroll
County Extension Agent - Agriculture
The Cooperative Extension Service
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Media Contact: Samantha Kroll
County Extension Agent - Agriculture
U of A Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
421 N. Main Nashville AR 71852
(870) 845-7517
skroll@uada.edu
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