How to control Marestail (Horseweed or Conyza Canadensis).

F

Freeborn

Member
I have several larger areas where I have Marestail starting to get pretty thick in my CP2 and would like to try a herbicide to control it. I do have several forbs in my CRP mix so if I try an herbicide it has to have minimal impact to my Mix. I was thinking of Plateau but it doesn’t list Marestail on the label. I can also just mow but was looking for options. Has anybody had success killing Marestail in a CRP mix that includes forbs? If you did, what Herbicide did you use?

The Grasses in my Mix Include:

Big Bluestem
Indian Grass
Slender Wheatgrass
Switch Grass

The Forbs I have include:

Partridge Pea
Purple Prairie Clover
Yellow Coneflower
Blacked Eyed Susan

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks.
 
Can you get spot mowing approved? That would prevent seed production from the marestail.
 
Check out Cimarron® Plus. Not sure of the severity of your problem. Also it would have been better to spry before June. But this may give you an option next year.
 
Can you get spot mowing approved? That would prevent seed production from the marestail.
Click to expand...

I have gotten approval to spot mow but I was hoping for a chemical treatment. I read through the Plateau label and as long as I stay under 4oz per acre my Forbs are fine but it does not list Marestail so its not going to work.

I'll probably just mow but was hoping for an alternative. Has anybody tried a herbicide wick system. I have seen guys talk about them on other sites and you can make one for around $100 bucks. You need to have your weeds taller then your grasses, which mine are or will be very soon, to apply the herbicide to the target weeds. I thought it looked like a good idea if you can time your herbicide application.

Thanks
 
I actually have a wicker for my ATV. Only had one occasion to use it and it worked okay.
 
Thanks for the link to the system. I'll look into it. I see this unit has a canvas applicator rather then a rope wicking system, how did you think it performed?

Thanks.
 
It did okay. The problem was that weed area was not uniform in height across the area and adjusting the bar with the hand crank was a pain. Wish you were close and you could sure use this one.
 
Freeborn, with the diverse mixes like that my experience is that spot mowing is your best most cost effective practice.

Any herbicide like plateau or milestone is usually going to ding one or more of your species or stunt it if nothing else.

I feel that mechanical weed control is best practice for weed control in diverse stands.
 
Thanks UGUIDE,

Thats the conclusion I am coming to. I understand my Grasses will take off in year 3 and out-compete these weeds so I don't want to set them back.

I like the idea of the wick system I just don't know if its practical.

Question, if I mow now, will this stop the weeds from flowering for the year or do I need to mow the weeds again later in the summer? If I need to mow again how many weeks between mowing should I allow?

Group, Thanks for all the good information.
 
Well, I took a drive through the area I was either going to spray or mow and pushed out a group of young pheasants so i decded to do niether. One of the young birds even got off the ground for 10-15 feet, I was impressed.

I was prompted by another member that I talk about my project but provide no pictures so here are a few.

Trees (American Plum and Crab-apple) in tubes planted in Timothy Grass:
photobucket-15143-1340009642964.jpg

Trees and shrubs (nan-King Cherry) in Tree Tubes:
photobucket-14682-1340010026331.jpg

Some prarie grass with sweet clover, where i saw the pheasant chicks:
photobucket-20961-1338471109104.jpg


I have owned the property for 2.5 years and am trying to implement conservation improvements that will increase the properties carrying capacity for willife. My Prairie grasses and tree/shrubs are on their second summer and doing well.

My property includes 55 acres woods and cattail marsh and ag land of which 35 acres is Nesting Cover, 8 Acres is CP25 (Forbes heavy brood mix) being planted this next week and 7 acres is food plots. the property is not big but I am greatly enjoying it.

My general area is 80% ag and 20% woods/Marsh and I'm fortunate to have several very large cattail slews less then a mile from my place that from what I can tell enable the pheasants to winter very well. In the early spring and then again in the fall I always have allot of roosters letting others know they are in the area.

I decided to not mow or spray as my grasses are really doing well becasue of all the rain we have had in minnesota.

Thanks for the advice.
 
Freeborn. I just have to say, refreshing and VERY good stuff you have going.

THANKS!
 
The Marestail is close by but I think the grasses will out-compete it without a problem. I do have allot of sweet clover mixed into my grasses and if we continue to get this much rain I should not have a problem with weeds.

On the other hand, this year was my first year at planting food plots and i need to improve. I planted 1.25 acres of soybeans/corn (50lbs and 7 lbs corn) and sorghum (8 pounds and 7 pounds corn) and I have had poor germination even though we had 3/4 of an inch of rain the night I planted them. I broadcast and disced them in and I must have gotten them to deep as I just don't see anywhere near the seed count I put down.

Its been 3 weeks so i figure I will get what I get but frustrating. I need some better equipment so I can improve my results.

One last thing I need to find is a way to stop deer from browsing my trees. They are nipping of the leaders so if anybody has a method to stop deer that would be appreciated.

Thanks.
 
Freeborn, corn and Soybeans won't do well broadcasted. Corn should be planted at least 2" deep. Soy beans about the same. Trouble is, with shallow plantings corn and Soybean need to be kept moist to continue germination.
Say you plant, get an inch of rain on shallow planted corn, the corn germinates, then a dry spell. shallow ground dries out quickly, young roots aren't developed to get to the deeper moisture.

You can get by with broadcasting if. Steady moisture and mild but not hot and dry windy stuff.
 
I think you are right. I did have good rain for after I planted but it was dry for 10+ days after that.

I need to buy and old planter so i am more consistant with my results. There is nothing worse than putting allot of work into something that does not work out.

Maybe an old John Deere 290 I can pull behind my ATV.
 
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