Wild Ones 2002 Archive

COMMENT #8: CONTROLLING COOL SEASON GRASSES

I may have at least a partial answer to a recurring problem for many prairie builders.
I have been having trouble with cool season grasses such as bluegrass, timothy, quake
and, especially, reed canary grass. This May, I attached a terry cloth towel to a
board of the same length and attached a string loop from the ends to pull it with.
Using a long tray (I used a wall paper soaking tray), I dipped the towel in Roundup,
let it drip into the tray and then dragged it over the taller grasses without touching
the prairie forbs or minute warm-season grass shoots below. Timing is everything here.
You have to do this when the grasses you want to knock back are 6-12" tall and well above
the rest of the plants. I treated in mid-May this year. My 1"X6"X 2' board was the same
length as the towel and about right in weight, but you should check your setup with out
Roundup to make sure it is not so heavy so as to press the grasses down to the forbs
underneath.

I didn't get rid of everything, but my warm-season plants were able to get a jump on
the weedy grasses and may just win out. I also got rid of some sweet clover and alfalfa
that was standing too tall for it's own good.

-- Bill of Oshkosh, WI