Serious weed help needed.

[Steiny77]

I'm in the midwest which is very different from Montana, but here I would mow it short, spray to kill everything, till the entire thing, let weeds start resprouting then spray to kill again, then drill in my preferred seed. If you don't get much rain, the full tillage thing might put you out of business for quite some time.

First thing I'd probably do in your case is talk to a couple local ranchers, or the fertilizer / seed / chemical guy at the local Co-Op.
Hard to beat local advice and expertise.

 

[Jamen]

Buckhorn Plantain is a cool season weed so it is best controlled during cooler seasons, recommended application times are fall and spring. Since you’re selling hay that rules out using Highnoon herbicide. You will need a persistent spray program for a couple of years, twice yearly. It is also very likely you will never eliminate plantain, just supress it. 2,4-D ester formulations with a tank mix of dicamba twice a year for two years tamed my plantain problems but it is still present. The rate of 2,4-D ester recommended is very high, 3-4 pints/A. Ester formulations are more effective for weed control but also have a greater risk of volatility drift which makes it more important to apply when temperatures are low which matches spring and fall applications. The addition of Dicamba will also be important. Persistence is key, you won’t kill it with one application. If plantain has been allowed to seed you’ll have a longer term spray program since the seeds are persistent for your lifetime. Having a healthy stand of grass is also very important, competition with weeds is as or more important than a spray program. Grass pastures do need renovation periodically both from a yield and weed control point of view.

I miss spoke on Highnoon. Corteva has been changing labels on their products. You can use Duracor the same product as Highnoon but at the bottom there is wordage to that allows off farm sale of hay in certain states, Montana being one of them. "1. Added EPA-accepted supplemental label text from R460-001 to end of booklet: For Use on Grass Harvested for Hay Intended for Distribution or Sale Off the Farm or Ranch / For Use on Grass Harvested for Silage, Haylage, Baleage, or Green Chop Intended for Use on the Farm or Ranch for AL, AR, AZ, CO, FL, GA, ID, KS, KY, LA, MO, MS, MT, ND, NE, NV, NM, OK, SD, TN, TX, UT, WY"

I would mention the composting procedures to your buyer.

 

[pabearhunter]

I bought a gal of Gordons hard to kill brush. Best I have found but a little pricey at tractor supply.

 

[mtmuley]

Thanks guys for all the help. I will call our local extension agent also. I think I am in for a battle as there is a lot of it and it has seeded in multiple years. My fault for not noticing when it wasn't as prevalent. Again, thanks. mtmuley

 

[mtmuley]

Saw the title and thought you were gonna start smoking the devils lettuce @mtmuley.

Ha. I missed this. Yeah I've smoked it. Like 3 times. Laughed, ate a bunch of junk food and fell asleep. All 3 times. mtmuley

 

[Straight Arrow]

Ha. I missed this. Yeah I've smoked it. Like 3 times. Laughed, ate a bunch of junk food and fell asleep. All 3 times. mtmuley

Party animal!

I have been applying MILESTONE to spotted knapweed for many years and find it effective. Sadly it's not just a battle with noxious weeds, it's a war for years and years continuously to keep it at bay.

 

[Phaseolus]

Well you're not going to find that online. Seek out your county extension agronomist so they can most likely tell you 24D is the easy solution and safe on grass

Unless you find someone on here who worked for Ag Experiment Station for 35 years.

 

[Jamen]

There is a solution out there for you!! I have had the privilege to work with some new chemicals in my years for companies to see how they work or do not work. The science behind them is crazy and way above my pay grade. Currently working with one that is technically "alive" so that is different lol i have not grown any extra limbs yet.

 

[jmcd]

It’s nasty shit. Multiple apps of curtail m should do it

 

[kiwi hunter]

Sell the stuff to rabbit pet owners

 

[Jamen]

It’s nasty shit. Multiple apps of curtail m should do it

They do not make curtail anymore so if you see it on the shelf i would stock up. I am hoping a company will pick up the label and make it.

 

[jmcd]

They do not make curtail anymore so if you see it on the shelf i would stock up. I am hoping a company will pick up the label and make it.

didn’t know that…. I just used a bunch last year on some houndstongue and Canada thistle. Should be able to find another clopyrid formulation with same active.