One of my pastures is being taken over by a weed!

[SMF11]

I have 6 horses on 11 acres, and I just noticed that a LOT of the field is covered in a weed I’ve since learned is called “bedstraw.” 11 acres in this climate should be more than enough grass for 6 horses, and I’m finding that most of the grass is overgrazed because there isn’t enough of it!

Here’s a link to a Cornell sheet about bedstraw: http://ccechenango99.squarespace.com/storage/ag/Bedstraw%20Management%20Factsheet.pdf

Cornell says to mow at least once a year, and I’ve been mowing 2 - 3 times a year. Does anybody have any experience with this weed? Any other recommendations? I’m having the field mowed this week, and thinking I’ll need to mow every other week next summer, which will get pricey as it costs $200 every time it gets mowed (I pay someone).

Anyway – any and all advice about how to eliminate bedstraw would be appreciated!

[fjordmom]

That bulletin makes it pretty clear. You need intensive grazing of the weed; maybe partition pasture into smaller areas with step-in posts and electric wire; good fertility management that will encourage a strong stand of desirable grasses, mowing, and the possible use of herbicide if you have not been able to control the weed with the other practices.

Some other advice: be cognizant of soil moisture conditions when you mow and how short you mow. That can effect soil compaction and root growth, which will, of course, have an impact on grass regrowth.

You might also want to consider over-seeding your pasture with appropriate grasses to get a thicker stand that will compete with the weeds. Some county extension/soil conservation offices offer no till seeders for rent. In northern climates (as yours) fall seedings can be more effective than spring (cool temps and adequate/more consistent rain favor root growth.) Choose cool season grass varieties, plant in September and keep horses off until the stand is well established (could be well into next summer). This will take partioning your pasture or maybe creating a small pasture you are willing to sacrifice for the long-term good. Supplement with hay and then reseed the sacrifice once the other pasture is strong and usable. NO it’s not a quick fix, but it is a more effective one.

If you are in an agriculturally oriented county, your extension agent might be able to offer you more tailored and specific advice.

Now just a moment on my soap box (for all the potential boarders who don’t understand why I don’t offer dirt cheap pasture board and the masses that are so far removed from hands-on agriculture today.) Lots of people are under the impression that pasture is cheap, easy-care forage that cost next to nothing. In reality that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Good pasture takes good management, inputs (which are not always cheap), knowledge, time, and effort just like any other crop production. OK getting down off the soap box.

If you give your pasture as much proper management as you give your horses, you can have a very nice stand. Work at it, learn how (yes, you are asking some of the right questions and doing part of it right already) and you will succeed.

[SMF11]

Thanks for such a comprehensive answer! (And, given that I offer pasture board at a relatively high price, I’m with you on that soapbox! And agree that paying attention to the pastures, rotating, knowing when to mow, when and with what to fertilize etc is an art).

Having said that, do you know if horses eat the stuff? They seem not to touch it at all. The keeping them in a small area won’t work with that particular field as the horses need access to the run in and water, neither of which can be moved.

I think I’ll call the extension office, and also crop production services and see what each has to say. But failing a magic bullet, I think it will be a lot of mowing over the next couple of years. My other fields, which are smaller, are mowed more frequently and are in great shape. This one was mowed less just due to the time involved (6 - 7 hours to mow the whole field). But that’s changing.

[Underthebridge]

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/274025/#b
Are you talking about this stuff that sticks to you and it is hard to remove, the little seeds stick the worst?

[SMF11]

Yes, that’s it! I didn’t know it sticks to you – it doesn’t in my experience. I’ve never actually noticed the seeds.

How do I get rid of it?!?!

[Underthebridge]

90% of mine have been in fence lines and places where I can spray with Round up, the rest I pulled until I can get to it, we have about 100 different weeds so seed control for me have been #1 up until here shortly where I think it will be much better.
I have a guess a hay man I know would cut very short and then spray round up, he says this works for him, I have not tried Remedy since I had no reason to in between my trees,
I personally don’t think you can get rid of it by mowing, it grows real well in my thick Saint Augustine, and there is where I pulled it for now.
I can’t see horses eating it, cows and goats probably. You need to touch it and see how sticky it is.
Either way you need to mow to keep it from getting worse.

[Underthebridge]

http://www2.sluh.org/bioweb/nh/plant.php?id=5
where the name came from.

http://onpasture.com/2013/03/19/bedstraw/

Seems to be healthy and good for hysteria, think I will try some:D

[fjordmom]

Having said that, do you know if horses eat the stuff? They seem not to touch it at all.

I don’t know if horses eat bedstraw I don’t have any experience with it in my pasture. I just had it in a past herb garden, where it didn’t get too terribly invasive. It was planted in the shade (also my original was just one plant so I kept it in check in a bordered raised bed and occasionally hand pulled what was getting out of hand.

Also “bedstraw” is the common name of several plants in the genus Galium. The genus includes Lady’s bedstraw and cleavers that are used as medicinal herbs and woodruff that is used to make May wine; as well as others. I have grown all 3 and don’t recall them having seeds that stick. All are spreading plants that did proliferate from underground roots.

Here are a couple of quick links, but I’m sure you can find plenty more if you google some of the common names. It may help you ID which species you have. My guest is management/eradication would be the same for all. This first link looks most useful and on the mark for those of us with pasture for grazing (also notes that livestock don’t seem to eat the particular species they discuss.)

http://umaine.edu/publications/2278e/

http://www.luontoportti.com/suomi/en/kukkakasvit/ladys-bedstraw

http://www.nwitimes.com/niche/get-healthy/healthy-living/herbal-healer-what-is-lady-s-bedstraw/article_fab57eca-3e4b-5497-81fe-a902b1a1ef2d.html

Perhaps different from what you have, but some management info. Be careful of some of the herbicides mentioned in this bulletin, some will take out all green growing plants (glyphosate/Roundup). Others may also kill some of your desired forage (get local extension advice before spraying, many of these materials will require a license to do so anyhow.)

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74154.html

Good luck, it will be an ongoing work in progress.

[khall]

Can you have the pasture sprayed for weeds? Will a broadleaf weedkiller work on this weed? I usually have my pastures sprayed for weeds at least once a year.

[JSwan]

If you’ve got an infestation, you’re going to have to spray to get rid of it.

You’ll also want to do a soil test. Bedstraw thrives in acidic soils; so it can act as an indicator species. A bit of it here and there can be managed through mowing and a spritz of 2,4D. An infestation or a lot of means your soil needs to be amended in order for cool and warm season grasses to thrive. Mowing and herbicide isn’t going to fix a soil problem.

Bedstraw pushes out desirable species (pasture grasses).

This is a good time of year to do a soil test. Your soil probably needs lime.

If you don’t soil test and amend the soil - the bedstraw and other undesirable species will just keep returning. Mowing isn’t going to fix the problem.

[Calvincrowe]

No, in my experience horses do not eat bedstraw weed. Nothing does. Here, our variety sticks to everything-- the leaves and seeds. It is invasive and pushes other plants out by smothering them. Roundup works well on it. Good luck, let us know how you make out. We are planning on having our two big pastures sprayed professionally to start over. The weeds are overwhelming our grasses, despite aggressive mowing, dragging, fertilizing and overseeding. Sigh. Our damn neighbors do nothing to their land, so we get all their weed seed. Thanks.

[SMF11]

Glad I’m not alone!

I believe I have “smooth” bedstraw, which is why mine doesn’t stick to me.

I’ve done quite a bit of research now, and 1) horses and cows DON’T eat it (despite some ag extension saying to stock the pastures heavily), 2) just fertilizing makes it grow better 3) mowing alone will not control it (darn!!).

From what I can gather right now, JSwan is right – I need to soil test, probably amend with lime, mow and use a broadleaf herbicide. And then mow a few times next year. Not sure when to apply the herbicide, but have a call in to Crop Production Services to find out.

So far, this is the best info I’ve found – and it contradicts some of the other info out there:
http://umaine.edu/publications/2278e/

I had no idea it could smother a field like this.

Thanks to all of you for your help and moral support!

[SouthernYankee]

[QUOTE=SMF11;7718533]
So far, this is the best info I’ve found – and it contradicts some of the other info out there:
http://umaine.edu/publications/2278e/[/QUOTE]

If i’m not mistaken by looking at that link you should be able to have CPS spray the field with Crossbow and see good results. Crossbow isn’t typically too expensive, approx $45-60/gal. And shouldn’t have any grazing restrictions.

[subk]

[QUOTE=SouthernYankee;7718742]
Crossbow isn’t typically too expensive, approx $45-60/gal. And shouldn’t have any grazing restrictions.[/QUOTE]
Crossbow is a combination of 2,4-D and triclopyr. If you use it know that the triclopyr is a class of herbicide that has a halflife a 12-18 months (unlike the 2,4-D) so you can’t you use any compost resulting from horses who graze on it on tender plants. However if you use the resulting compost back on the same field you might get a little extra weed killing from it!

[SMF11]

Thanks SouthernYankee and subk, that’s good to know. The field is 11 acres so I do not pick it and the manure is not composted. I’m not a big chemical user, but this weed is unbelievable . . . in a few short years it’s gone from a few patches to taking over maybe 30% of the field, which is way too much!

I found a few patches on another field (literally 10 plants in 3 acres) and I hand pulled them out. I can see I’m going to become the crazy bedstraw-hating lady . . . .