Worst food plot weeds

[BSK]

So what weeds do you endlessly battle in your food plots? Here's my Top 10 list, in descending order of difficulty:

Foxtail, Johnsongrass, Fescue, Broomsedge, Nutsedge, Crabgrass, Annual Lespedeza, Beefsteak Plant, Horseweed, and fireweed.

 

[PickettSFHunter]

Beefsteak plant, nutsedge, and jap stiltgrass when I disk. That really the only 3 I have any issues with.

 

[woodsman87]

I don't really have a top ten because I probably don't manage my foodplots as well as some of yall. but Crabgrass is bad, Johnsongrass, Fescue, Orchid grass, sage grass(in the acidic areas) Puarilla mint(spelling?). Nimblewill, that Japanese nitwill(spelling) canada and bull thistles, lambsquaters, pigweed, pretty much everything imaginable.
I guess the one that gets on my nerves the most is the perilla mint(spelling.)

And before I knew what this mint stuff was, I let it grow and mature. I bushoggd it down in the late fall, seeds everywhere. Probably one of the biggest mistakes ever, but let me tell you a positive that was out of it. There where doves everywhere in this mint stuff eating the seeds. It may not be a big plus, but I thought it was cool. IT wasn't worth it though.

 

[woodsman87]

I actually thought that having johnsongrass and crabgrass would be good. I see deer eat crabgrass all the time. (I think that is what they eat.) I thought Johnson grass would be good for them too, its kinda like a wild millet.
Tell me if I am wrong.

 

[BSK]

I actually thought that having johnsongrass and crabgrass would be good. I see deer eat crabgrass all the time. (I think that is what they eat.) I thought Johnson grass would be good for them too, its kinda like a wild millet.
Tell me if I am wrong.

Deer very rarely eat grasses of any kind (with the exception of highly hybridized agricultural "grasses" like corn and grains). Deer do not have the digestive bacteria necessary to digest grasses.

 

[BSK]

Beefsteak plant, nutsedge, and jap stiltgrass when I disk. That really the only 3 I have any issues with.

Do you not have issues with grasses?

The grasses are far more of a pest than any broadleaf weed in my plots. But I'm also beginning to realize much of my grass problem is due to bad timing in grass control. I'm hoping a couple of years of regular grass-specific herbicide applications across the spring and summer might greatly reduce my grass problems in the future.

 

[woodsman87]

I actually thought that having johnsongrass and crabgrass would be good. I see deer eat crabgrass all the time. (I think that is what they eat.) I thought Johnson grass would be good for them too, its kinda like a wild millet.
Tell me if I am wrong.

Deer very rarely eat grasses of any kind (with the exception of highly hybridized agricultural "grasses" like corn and grains). Deer do not have the digestive bacteria necessary to digest grasses.

Did not know that. Thanks. I guess they are eating clover or something. I am no deer biologist, and I thought if cows loved crabgrass then the deer would too.

 

[woodsman87]

One of the main reasons I don't manage my food plots is becuase I don't really know what selective herbicides to use. I plant several different things into one foodplot. If I had more land to work with, I would make differnt plots different. Im talking I mix up rape, wheat, oats, austrian peas, different clovers. I am scared to put a pre-emerge on it because i am afraid it may backfire some how.
I also do not have a seed drill, so I always disc and I know that hurts with the weeds.
But, I do the best that I know how to do and thats all I can do at this point.

 

[PickettSFHunter]

Beefsteak plant, nutsedge, and jap stiltgrass when I disk. That really the only 3 I have any issues with.

Do you not have issues with grasses?

The grasses are far more of a pest than any broadleaf weed in my plots. But I'm also beginning to realize much of my grass problem is due to bad timing in grass control. I'm hoping a couple of years of regular grass-specific herbicide applications across the spring and summer might greatly reduce my grass problems in the future.

Nope, not really of any meausurable level, except jap stiltgrass. There are no grasses for a long way around me though except for some NWSG that I maintain, just woods. Anytime Ive ever seen a small patch of fescue start coming in where a bird or something has dropped seed, I just nuke it. Probably has been 2 or 3 years since Ive even seen any fescue though. I see alot of pictures on here where folks dont keep their plots maintained through the Summer. They just wait til Fall, so there is weed seed everywhere. It is rare I ever let any weed go to seed or even bloom.

 

[BSK]

I actually thought that having johnsongrass and crabgrass would be good. I see deer eat crabgrass all the time. (I think that is what they eat.) I thought Johnson grass would be good for them too, its kinda like a wild millet.
Tell me if I am wrong.

Deer very rarely eat grasses of any kind (with the exception of highly hybridized agricultural "grasses" like corn and grains). Deer do not have the digestive bacteria necessary to digest grasses.

Did not know that. Thanks. I guess they are eating clover or something. I am no deer biologist, and I thought if cows loved crabgrass then the deer would too.

The environment of a deer's stomach is very different than the environment of a cow's stomach. A cow's stomach will grow and maintain the bacteria needed to break down grasses. A deer's stomach will not support these bacteria. When you see a deer out feeding in a pasture, they are not eating the grasses (on purpose), but are attempting to pick between the grass blades to reach broadleaf plants, such as clovers and other wild legumes and forbs.

 

[woodsman87]

I actually thought that having johnsongrass and crabgrass would be good. I see deer eat crabgrass all the time. (I think that is what they eat.) I thought Johnson grass would be good for them too, its kinda like a wild millet.
Tell me if I am wrong.

Deer very rarely eat grasses of any kind (with the exception of highly hybridized agricultural "grasses" like corn and grains). Deer do not have the digestive bacteria necessary to digest grasses.

Did not know that. Thanks. I guess they are eating clover or something. I am no deer biologist, and I thought if cows loved crabgrass then the deer would too.

The environment of a deer's stomach is very different than the environment of a cow's stomach. A cow's stomach will grow and maintain the bacteria needed to break down grasses. A deer's stomach will not support these bacteria. When you see a deer out feeding in a pasture, they are not eating the grasses (on purpose), but are attempting to pick between the grass blades to reach broadleaf plants, such as clovers and other wild legumes and forbs.

You said that lespedeza is also a problem. I am not in the know, but I have heard good things about this too. But that maybe for only cows, or to use as a crop to put nitrogen back in the soil for grasses.

 

[BSK]

There are no grasses for a long way around me though except for some NWSG that I maintain, just woods.

That's probably the big difference. All of my largest plots are part of power-line right-of-ways, that have been in mixed grasses, forbs and young hardwood saplings for 50+ years before I started working the soil. I've probably got more than half a century's worth of grass seed in the soil.

 

[BSK]

You said that lespedeza is also a problem. I am not in the know, but I have heard good things about this too. But that maybe for only cows, or to use as a crop to put nitrogen back in the soil for grasses.

Many different types of lespedeza exist, from the Annual lespedezas (Kummerowia family) to the perennial varieties of lespedeza (Lespedeza family), such as the very common sericea lespedeza to the woody bicolor lespedeza. Deer rarely touch sericea lespedeza, but they will browse woody bicolor lespedeza. Deer rarely utilize the Annual lespedezas, but other animals, especially birds, will eat the seeds.

 

[woodsman87]

You said that lespedeza is also a problem. I am not in the know, but I have heard good things about this too. But that maybe for only cows, or to use as a crop to put nitrogen back in the soil for grasses.

Many different types of lespedeza exist, from the Annual lespedezas (Kummerowia family) to the perennial varieties of lespedeza (Lespedeza family), such as the very common sericea lespedeza to the woody bicolor lespedeza. Deer rarely touch sericea lespedeza, but they will browse woody bicolor lespedeza. Deer rarely utilize the Annual lespedezas, but other animals, especially birds, will eat the seeds.

I guess thats why you hear quail and turkey people say they like certian lespedezas. All I know about lespedezas is killing them in peoples yards back when I was in turf management.

Yall ever use vetch for anything? It comes up wild on place, but I hear of people planting it as well.

 

[BSK]

I used to plant crown vetch quite a bit, especially in newly established food plots in poor soil, or to provide plant cover in log-loading decks.

 

[AT Hiker]

Do any of you not have a problem with perilla mint? I know this is more of a common grazing weed but I have seen this starting to make an appearance elsewhere as well.

 

[PickettSFHunter]

Do any of you not have a problem with perilla mint? I know this is more of a common grazing weed but I have seen this starting to make an appearance elsewhere as well.

Thats what we are calling beefsteak plant. Perilla frutescens

 

[woodsman87]

Do any of you not have a problem with perilla mint? I know this is more of a common grazing weed but I have seen this starting to make an appearance elsewhere as well.

Same thing as beefsteak. It is my number one. Its hideous looking, good for nothing, and spreads like wildfire.

 

[Football Hunter]

There are no grasses for a long way around me though except for some NWSG that I maintain, just woods.

That's probably the big difference. All of my largest plots are part of power-line right-of-ways, that have been in mixed grasses, forbs and young hardwood saplings for 50+ years before I started working the soil. I've probably got more than half a century's worth of grass seed in the soil.

I Have acres and acres of grassy fields to my north,it never ends with the grasses for me,but this year I just didn't get out and spray soon enough.

 

[Football Hunter]

Do any of you not have a problem with perilla mint? I know this is more of a common grazing weed but I have seen this starting to make an appearance elsewhere as well.

Yep,and it SUCKS! Why cant my fields get overrun with poke weed ????