2 replies to this topic

[kimber55]

We have taken over hay production on farm we live on...just attempted to cut and bale so called orchardgrass field and a lot of downy brome is in it. Can anyone tell me about this stuff? bales basically fell apart. I am assuming this is not suitable hay for horses or cows. Correct?
How to get rid of it if no till and no burn????

[Rodney R]

No-till an no-burn..... can you spray? I don't think it's labeled, but I have heard of guys using prowl in fall on that stuff. I have mowed it with some success - I mow the plants off just after the head comes out. But in orchardgrass I doubt you'd have enough if any re-growth to make it possible. We have all of our trouble in timothy. One year it'll be just a few scattered plants, and the next year it'll be a bunch all over. Downey Brome germinates and emerges in fall, over winters, and then becomes trouble in spring. Gotta do something to break up it's growth cycle.

Rodney

[hayray]

Look up the label for Sencor herbicide, it is labeled to control downy brome in mixed grass legume stands. Some us early season applicaiton of glyphosate, and gramoxone but timing and window of opportunity are very limited and injuries to orchardgrass will occur.