Problems with wildflower plots in my NWSG field

[FarmerCharlie]

Over the years I have mostly gotten control of such things as dogfennel, sedges, etc in my NWSG fields--or at least so I thought. This year I decided to add some wildflower plots. I sprayed glyphosate on those small areas a couple of times last year and planted wildflowers in the spring followed by cultipacking. I used mostly imazapic-tolerant wildflowers plus milkweed in a few areas. Things were looking pretty nice until I noticed a lot of the dreaded dogfennel plus sedges in most of the plots. I don't see much of either of them except in the wildflower areas. But I did observe a fair amount of the sedge in the areas close to the wildflower beds. I am guessing that may result from the watering I did to try to give the new seeds a better chance. Here are images of the problem in two different beds, milkweed, and coneflower I think
.

I am wondering if anyone has suggestions on something that might reduce the dogfennel and sedge without wiping out the wildflowers. Imazipic apparently helps with some of the sedges, but I don't think it will help with the dogfennel. Any suggestions? Or maybe I should just give up for this year and come up with a better plan next year.
Thanks,
Charlie

 

[Sligh1]

Over the years I have mostly gotten control of such things as dogfennel, sedges, etc in my NWSG fields--or at least so I thought. This year I decided to add some wildflower plots. I sprayed glyphosate on those small areas a couple of times last year and planted wildflowers in the spring followed by cultipacking. I used mostly imazapic-tolerant wildflowers plus milkweed in a few areas. Things were looking pretty nice until I noticed a lot of the dreaded dogfennel plus sedges in most of the plots. I don't see much of either of them except in the wildflower areas. But I did observe a fair amount of the sedge in the areas close to the wildflower beds. I am guessing that may result from the watering I did to try to give the new seeds a better chance. Here are images of the problem in two different beds, milkweed, and coneflower I think
.View attachment 125674 View attachment 125675

I am wondering if anyone has suggestions on something that might reduce the dogfennel and sedge without wiping out the wildflowers. Imazipic apparently helps with some of the sedges, but I don't think it will help with the dogfennel. Any suggestions? Or maybe I should just give up for this year and come up with a better plan next year.
Thanks,
Charlie

Wow Charlie!!! That’s a complex & very good question. UNIQUE to the core and I love it!!!! Love this planting!!!!

K- sedges u could look at a herbicide called Sedge Hammer. U need to find generic & read label. Might be possible. How bad is sedge? Doesn’t look bad in pics. A little sedge doesn’t bug me. “Bad”?!?????? Imazapic is fantastic as a pre & post if u want to utilize.
I try to keep existing if it’s even like 50-60% of what I want. Usually spray or a clip to help most situations. Interseeding more is almost always ok if bit thin.

On dogfennel - I’ve never had it. Maybe clip???? It’s a perennial aster. Again- how bad is it??? Your pics have nothing that concerns me.

 

[FarmerCharlie]

The sedge is worse in some areas than the images I included. I use Sedgehammer for sedge in my centipede lawn, but I have read that it should not be used on flowers and desirable broadleaf plants. That led me to think imazapic is my only option, and that it probably will not help much with the dogfennel. I have used 2,4-D and triclopyr to control the dogfennel. I thought that was working pretty well, but there must still be a lot of seeds that came to life when I disturbed the soil to plant the wildflowers. I think I will just use Imazapic and hope for the best. And be thankful that you haven't had a problem with dogfennel. It's pretty nasty stuff.