I'm a Johnson Grass Farmer

[Alan L.]

I\'m a Johnson Grass Farmer

I was going to do it right this time. I sprayed roundup on the 3 acres. Twice. Bought a tiller and tilled it up after everything was dead. Waited 3 weeks and tilled it again. No sign of vegetation of any kind, so I planted common bermuda.

That was about May 1st. We haven't had much rain, but I now have the best patch of johnson grass I have ever seen. The grass is 2 feet tall and covers about 1/3 to 1/2 of the 3 acres in patches. There is also some bermuda and some other kind of grass coming in low, mostly where the johnson grass is not.

On one hand, the johnson grass is shading the little bermuda so a lot of it can't get any sun. But if I brush hog the johnson grass, it will be laying on top of the bermuda.

What to do. What to do??

 

[MF1455v]

Re: I\'m a Johnson Grass Farmer

Alan, I have used MSMA (monosodium methylarsonate). It's a crab grass killer I bought at the home center. Got it to rid Dallisgrass from my Bermuda. I don't recal it saying it would kill Johnson grass but I have had good luck with it doing so. Mixed according to the instructions it does not effect Bermuda. It might be cost prohibitive on as much Johnson grass as you have. Just my 2 cents worth.

James

 

[Bird]

Re: I\'m a Johnson Grass Farmer

Alan, I'll probably never forget fighting Johnson Grass when I was a kid. We cut it with a yo-yo, chopped on it with hoes, and even tried digging the roots out. In later life, I read somewhere that Johnson Grass roots have been found as deep as 30', but don't know whether that is true or not. But I did finally learn that it's easy to kill out if you simply keep it mowed short. Of course, that means frequent mowing for one or two seasons.

 

[Alan L.]

Re: I\'m a Johnson Grass Farmer

I have used MSMA before for Dallis grass, but it seems like it contains arsenic, and given the large quantity of it that would be required I have been afraid to use it, as we have a water well nearby.

I have been struggling with the decision of mowing like Bird says, or leaving it til the bermuda gets bigger. Right now it is shading the ground in large areas, which must surely be detrimental to the development of the little bermuda grass plants trying to come up. On the other hand, if I brushhog it, there willl be large amounts of cut grass laying on top of the bermuda.

I think I will give the bermuda one more week and then brush hog it. Hopefully if I get a good stand and keep it mowed the bermuda will eventually choke it out.

In the 4 acres or so that I planted last year, the johnson grass is not near as bad as it was, and the bermuda is doing well.

For future reference, I wonder if it would be a good idea to get the johnson grass going real good and the spray roundup on it, and wait til the following early summer to plant the bermuda? Because in the spring when I was spraying the rooundup, the johnson grass was not up yet.

 

[arthr31]

Re: I\'m a Johnson Grass Farmer

hey guys, what is johnson grass? is it similar/like crab? Any pictures of this johnson grass??? Thanks.

 

[froggy]

Re: I\'m a Johnson Grass Farmer

This is from the Extension Service:

"If you want to eliminate the Johnson Grass and not the pasture grass get a wick applicator (some are large enough to go on the back of a tractor and some are as small as a stick mop with a small rope on it) and use the concentration recommended for wick application of a glyphosate herbicide (Roundup). It will kill what the wick touches and nothing else. The bigger the Johnson grass the better. Talk with your local farm supply store about the availability of the wick applicator which soaks up and rubs on rather than spraying on. It is more efficient and effective. READ AND FOLLOW LABEL INSTRUCTIONS because NO WAY will you think you're doing any good until the Johnson grass dies several weeks later!"

 

[froggy]

Re: I\'m a Johnson Grass Farmer

Here is a picture:

 

[froggy]

Re: I\'m a Johnson Grass Farmer

Here is another good resource about controlling Johnson Grass:

Natural Prairies Association of Texs

 

[Alan L.]

Re: I\'m a Johnson Grass Farmer

Johnson grass grows tall and fast. Its very course, sorta like corn stalks or Sudan grass. Real hard to kill. I'll try to get a picture of part of my field before I cut it down.

I'm gonna check into that wick/roundup solution. I probably shoulda done that 2 weeks ago.

 

[hobbyfarm]

Re: I\'m a Johnson Grass Farmer

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( hey guys, what is johnson grass? is it similar/like crab? Any pictures of this johnson grass??? Thanks. )</font>

How 'bout we export you some up there?? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif