herbicide application

[Darron]

This will be my first year using herbicides on my food plots. In years past, I would just till the plots and plant the seeds thinking that tilling would kill most of the weeds. It works ok, but I found a backpack sprayer for cheap brand new and decided what the ****, if I am going to do it might as well do it weed free.

Now after saying that, what is the correct process for spraying in prep for fall hunting plots? I'm in Ohio and I usually plant my fall hunting plots around the end of July, first week of August. My buddy has the equipment, so I try not to aggervate him too much although he likes playing farmer. Here is what I was thinking........

1) Mow the plots with bush hog around middle of July

2) Spray plots after mowing

3) Wait about 2 weeks and till plots around the last of July, first of August

4) Plant

Would this work? I am trying to keep from spraying twice. Should I wait about 2 weeks after tilling and spray? So it would be.......

1) Mow

2) Till

3) wait about 2 weeks after tilling and spray

4) wait another week and plant

Any input? Remember these are fall plots, not perennials, so the weeds will not have as much time to grow. In Ohio August and September are still pretty warm with the cooler air coming in October.

[PotashRLS]

I am going to throw a monkey wrench in here for ya...........

My fall plots I keep worked up all summer. This keeps the weeds tilled under for just the price of fuel. Unfortunately herbicides only kill what is growing, unless it is a pre-emergent. Then nothing will grow. Once you kill the weeds, tilling the ground just replants millions of more weed seed. It is still important to kill weeds, but there are more ways to skin a cat per say. It depends largely on what type of seed you are planting too. Usually with the small brassica seeds for the fall planting, working up the plot, waiting for a slight green-up, spraying it, and then pressing the seed in with a cultipacker without new tillage works well too.

[wtnhunt]

I am going to throw a monkey wrench in here for ya...........

My fall plots I keep worked up all summer. This keeps the weeds tilled under for just the price of fuel. Unfortunately herbicides only kill what is growing, unless it is a pre-emergent. Then nothing will grow. Once you kill the weeds, tilling the ground just replants millions of more weed seed. It is still important to kill weeds, but there are more ways to skin a cat per say. It depends largely on what type of seed you are planting too. Usually with the small brassica seeds for the fall planting, working up the plot, waiting for a slight green-up, spraying it, and then pressing the seed in with a cultipacker without new tillage works well too.

Agree for the most part with Tracy here. You will be replanting the seeds with tilling in what you have mowed even with one spraying. Really honestly it might be in your better interest to disc or till a month or two prior to your spraying, with it being a fall planting you have plenty of time.

Usually I will go with two applications of spraying glyphosate unless for some reason(like the uncooperative weather) I cannot. Where you are in Ohio with cooler weather you can probably get away with one spraying though.

I disced the plot where my daughters 4-h seed blend will go a couple times starting back in March, this was an existing annual plot that had some weeds and grass in it late in the season. We are just now getting some growth of invasive plants that I don't want in her plot. I plan to spray this weekend, will probably re disc it mid week after it starts to brown up if I can and see if in another week if there is anymore new growth, if there is I will spray again, then a final working of the ground after it browns and then we will plant her seed.

[Darron]

OK.......

So from both replies, you guys recommend spraying after tilling. That makes since to me because if I spray before I till, it will basically be a waste since I will be bringing up more weed seed. I will be planting brassicas and cereal grains, so if I want to have the seed in the ground by the first of August, I need to have the plots mowed/tilled by the middle of July, let them sit for 2-3 weeks, spray, wait a week and plant.

I have oats in my plots right now, which I will use as a plow down/soil builder. The oats are actually cutting down on the weeds tremendously compared to previous years.

[dogdoc]

I never spray my fall annuals anymore. Two tillings and that does the trick. I get a few weeds but they are warm season weeds and the first freeze kills them. Now if I'm planting a perennial in the fall then I will spray--usually twice during the summer to get a very clean seed bed.

[Darron]

I never spray my fall annuals anymore. Two tillings and that does the trick. I get a few weeds but they are warm season weeds and the first freeze kills them. Now if I'm planting a perennial in the fall then I will spray--usually twice during the summer to get a very clean seed bed.

Docdog,

If i had my own equipment I would have no problem tilling twice and not using round-up, but my buddy helps me with my plots and he has plots as well so I try and not take too much of his time. He basically does everything for me, bushhog, till and cultipack. If I can save him some time I will. I can spray on my own and broadcast seed on my own so that is why I went ahead and bought a sprayer. I got a $70 sprayer for $35. I looked at the local store today and I can buy concentrate round up for $25 and it will make 24 gallons. My sprayer holds 4 gallons, so that's 6 fill ups. I am hoping I can do around 2 acres with 24 gallons.

[Tominator]

Till, wait 2 weeks after a rain, spray the seedlings, plant a day or two later.

[dogdoc]

Till, wait 2 weeks after a rain, spray the seedlings, plant a day or two later.

agree!