Mowing oats and clover

[LET EM GROW]

So last fall, in September i planted my "Murder Plot" in Whitetail forage oats and Whitetail clover, Its coming up awesome but it also has some mixed weeds/grass growing too. My first question is when should i mow to kill the oats, and let the clover take off? After the oats go to seed, or can i mow just before that and kill them as they turn "stemmy"? Oats are about 5inches tall right now and the clover is close behind...

 

Last option/question, is about the herbicides, slay and arrest herbicide for weed and grass killers, if the mowing doesnt take care of the weeds? i know slay is for broadleaf weeds and arrest is more for grasses, but can they be mixed and sprayed together or do they have to be 2 seperate applications? Id rather not go this route but if i cant control the weeds ill do so.. i have the equipment..

 

Or any other ideas are appreciated, believe it or not its actually my first Clover plot i intend on keeping and maintaining for several years.. instead of rotating brassica to clovers.. 

 

Thanks 

[growalot]

I believe Arrest is no longer allowed to be sold in NYS...in fact I was told selective herbicides were only allowed by Certified state permitted applications. I'd considered going to PA to buy it but if caught using would be in big doodoo. This is from research but also talking to local Agway ppl.

Edited May 10, 2016 by growalot

[Zag]

And mix it with crop oil before spraying.

[LET EM GROW]

I did not know the arrest was illegal here. I do know herbicides you need a license to do on other r people's properties or as a business to be legal. Guess I was just looking for ideas. Just want to make this plot better than the neighbors lol

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[dmandoes]

are you sure that its oats?  i've never had oats make it to spring.  

[landtracdeerhunter]

Deer eat "weeds" also. In fact, studies have shown some contain higher protein levels than legumes. My front lawn is pretty much weed free; my food source acreage, not so much.

[dbHunterNY]

Deer eat "weeds" also. In fact, studies have shown some contain higher protein levels than legumes. My front lawn is pretty much weed free; my food source acreage, not so much.

 

definitely accurate.  deer prefer different weed/browse.  it's not by itself sustaining so they seek out other concentrated food sources.  I definitely have them divert travel patterns to hit spots where I've mowed once early in the year to allow the lower greener preferred weeds to take over versus faster, taller, growing weeds that would otherwise choke them out and not be preferred. 

[LET EM GROW]

Im just looking for a successful clover plot, i mean some weeds are going to always be present, not a big deal. i just dont want them to overrun the plot. Il lmow it come June sometime, drought and weather providing..

 

They are indeed Oats, They are Forage Oats. Winter hardy. I planted in September, If late summer/fall planted they will grow again in spring. To me the deer only prefer them when young and tender only..

[growalot]

I fully understand ...me too!...but now I have to replant every 3 years as a rotation to get anything good...I also plant small plots of clover  and clover mixes...then each spring hand pull the worst weeds and also take the small tank and spot spray......a few of the worst...daisies,creeping jenny,crab and bunch grass, dandelions,Chinese garlic and mustard's..then summer it is deadly night shade. Fall ..forget it it's just too many  so mowing...if rotations are done correctly...I haven't as much work to do...can't stop them. Well a pr-emergant helps with those fall annual weeds.

 

This is a partial DEC link...Arrest max is restricted..Arrest not ...but Clethodim(sp) is restricted which I believe is what arrest is??. My computer can't excess their off site links.

 

http://www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/8876.html

Edited May 11, 2016 by growalot

[LET EM GROW]

What do you spot spray with grow, Round up? or the illegal stuff... Ive got a boom less sprayer with a wand attachment. plus a backpack sprayer. Ill look into those links shortly. thank you. 

[growalot]

Seeing it is illegal or restricted in NYS and I haven't an application certificate, I use Big_N_Tuff  glysophate(sp) to spot spray.

Now today I'd planned on filling the tank and spraying the bigger fields. They have some tuff perennials I need to nix before they flower(daisies) and a few creeping ones. This is where I will be discing for the corn/sorghum and the mixed summer plot....I have lots of time ...seeing we still have 34 degree temps on the horizon. The summer plot needs to have warm soils ..Lab Lab plus mixed with Frost winter peas ,cow peas,Hemp ,sunflowers...to assure some growth a topping of red and wht clover.......Well I get the sprayer out, flat tire...fix flat and the wind picks up to a flag blowing breeze

So I just spent 4 hrs with the deck up knocking down mustard and WW. Mowed the clover plots and the orchard grass plot...dug a boulder out of the garden and eating lunch now...will go spot spray some daisies out of the clover plots  and spray the fence line with the small sprayer when I'm done. Rain due late today for a few days.

I Also loaded the saw to cut down a few trees that line a few plots...and the hand rake to clean the piles of rocks up so I can scoop and remove from the plots before discing...Wish I hadn't done 16 miles yesterday....

[growalot]

Auuuuughhhhh....Wheres the Epsom salts??!

[growalot]

So memory had me searching for you and I found this:

 

 

I bought the book "Ultimate Deer Food Plots' by Ed Spinazzola. He has a section on clover plot maintenance with roundup. I done it to my 2 {four year old} 1/2 acre plots that the weeds had taken over and figured i had nothing to loose. It has hammered the weeds the clover did wilted/browned for a couple of weeks like the book said but it has greened backed up and is doing fine and the new clover that I sowed is starting to sprout in the dead weed spots.
The ratio 2oz roundup to 1 gal of water. This is for established plots that are a couple of years old treat and reseed every other year 1/2 the rate. I bought the book used from amazon its a good read

 

 I also did a search about the grass specific herbicides..Arrest isn't the only one out there restricted :

 

http://www.bonide.com/products/weed-control/view/7458/grass-beater

[LET EM GROW]

Thanks Grow,

 

In the last couple of years, since clover is a very hardy plant. I would spray round up on my plots that had clover in them already, when prepping for fall plantings, I would not mix it to heavy, just barely enough. So that it killed everything else, and really only stunted the clovers for a little while, just so they would come back and thrive again. Ive done it multiple times now. that way i always had multiple choices like a buffet to chose from. lol. but im not gonna try that on this new plot, im trying to keep and maintain lol. 

 

Having had a landscaping business, its nice to have the knowledge of a lot of these things. We learn fast that unless using straight round up in a heavy application, clover will usually survive. Unless treated with a special application for killing only clover but safe on the lawn..