KSHUNTER
PMA Member
I have a couple semi open spots on my farm, a few larger cedar trees, but mainly just fescue. The farm used to be pastured and fescue is pretty thick everywhere, and the fescue has formed that wonderful thick low growth mat that has no wildlife value and suppresses most other growth.
These areas have to many downed trees/rocks/stumps that makes used a native grass grill impossible. I would like a little input on how maybe best to start improving these open areas on my farm that deer do not utilize at all and is just wasted area.
My current train of thought is that as soon as possible while the fescue is completely dormant and brown is to burn all these areas. this would remove all dead vegetation and get the ground opened up to sunlight and allow spray ground contact. Then I would wait until late March or early April until the fescue is actively growing and spray with roundup, roundup/panoramic or roundup/atrazine. I have a 40' boomless sprayer and a portable gps, I may not be perfect on my coverage with all the obstacles, but I think I will be pretty close. My thinking is that this would severely set back the fescue and hopefully suppress it enough to allow the natural seed bank to take off. There is some native already growing, so I was hoping I could get by with out seeding.
Thoughts and opinions are very much appreciated on the easiest way to transform these areas. I do not necessarily need more pure native stands/I would be content with weeds and brush, anything is better than this dang fescue! I'm very open to any other ideas, especially on chemical selections, timing, and methods of conversion.
These areas have to many downed trees/rocks/stumps that makes used a native grass grill impossible. I would like a little input on how maybe best to start improving these open areas on my farm that deer do not utilize at all and is just wasted area.
My current train of thought is that as soon as possible while the fescue is completely dormant and brown is to burn all these areas. this would remove all dead vegetation and get the ground opened up to sunlight and allow spray ground contact. Then I would wait until late March or early April until the fescue is actively growing and spray with roundup, roundup/panoramic or roundup/atrazine. I have a 40' boomless sprayer and a portable gps, I may not be perfect on my coverage with all the obstacles, but I think I will be pretty close. My thinking is that this would severely set back the fescue and hopefully suppress it enough to allow the natural seed bank to take off. There is some native already growing, so I was hoping I could get by with out seeding.
Thoughts and opinions are very much appreciated on the easiest way to transform these areas. I do not necessarily need more pure native stands/I would be content with weeds and brush, anything is better than this dang fescue! I'm very open to any other ideas, especially on chemical selections, timing, and methods of conversion.