Question for you cattlemen and pasture grass

[OkieJoe72]

Here’s my situation. I have a small pasture around 20 acres that is currently 99.9% Johnson Grass. I have been working on a plan to get rid of it and replace it with either a Midland Bermuda mix or a prairie grass such as Buffalograss. I’ve been leaning towards the Bermuda option, but I know that Bermuda is somewhat frowned upon by ODWC.

https://www.wildlifedepartment.com/outdoorok/ooj/bermudagrass-not-so-wildlife-friendly-grass
So I had a thought of possibly doing a combination of both Bermuda and prairie grass. I would think that one of them will eventually overtake the other, but would it possibly work to do a mixture of both seeds?

I’m looking for input on what you guys have done in regards to seeding a new pasture. What was successful? Also, do you guys think Bermuda is playing that big of a part in the decline of wildlife habitat?

 

[dennishoddy]

I took on the task of ridding 40 acres of Johnson grass several years back. It had been on that field for over 10 years.
First was the big spring burn. About two weeks later, they sprouted so had a COOP spray rig come in and kill it.
Waited a few weeks and planted corn. Turned into a complete disaster with the Johnson grass taking over once more.
Consulted OSU finding my issue was going to be latent seeds in the soil from past years when it headed out and dropped seeds year after year. Heavy tillage was the long term solution so it took the rest of that summer and the next, pulling a chisel with peanut sweeps to pop the Johnson grass rhizomes out of the ground to dry every three weeks or so which also stirred around the latent seeds that germinated.
Turned into a clean 45 bushel wheat field the next summer.
You really don’t want Bermuda grass if you’re interested in wildlife. Bermuda offers no food source, and no loafing areas to give overhead protection from predators. Not really that good for cattle either. Your best choice would be the native grass that would offer everything bermuda doesn’t.
Getting rid of that Johnson grass permanently is going to be your biggest challenge.
Edit: think about putting in sand plum patches. It takes a few years for the seedlings to mature and fill in but they are great cover for birds and deer love the fruits.

 

[retrieverman]

I took on the task of ridding 40 acres of Johnson grass several years back. It had been on that field for over 10 years.
First was the big spring burn. About two weeks later, they sprouted so had a COOP spray rig come in and kill it.
Waited a few weeks and planted corn. Turned into a complete disaster with the Johnson grass taking over once more.
Consulted OSU finding my issue was going to be latent seeds in the soil from past years when it headed out and dropped seeds year after year. Heavy tillage was the long term solution so it took the rest of that summer and the next, pulling a chisel with peanut sweeps to pop the Johnson grass rhizomes out of the ground to dry every three weeks or so which also stirred around the latent seeds that germinated.
Turned into a clean 45 bushel wheat field the next summer.
You really don’t want Bermuda grass if you’re interested in wildlife. Bermuda offers no food source, and no loafing areas to give overhead protection from predators. Not really that good for cattle either. Your best choice would be the native grass that would offer everything bermuda doesn’t.
Getting rid of that Johnson grass permanently is going to be your biggest challenge.
Edit: think about putting in sand plum patches. It takes a few years for the seedlings to mature and fill in but they are great cover for birds and deer love the fruits.

Funny you mention sand plums, because I’ve got 15 acres+/- of sand plums around my house and am thinking about trying to get rid of them.

 

[dennishoddy]

Funny you mention sand plums, because I’ve got 15 acres+/- of sand plums around my house and am thinking about trying to get rid of them.

They have their place. Around a home isn’t one of them.

 

[retrieverman]

They have their place. Around a home isn’t one of them.

I agree. They were well established when I bought the place, and I’ve just left them alone. I should’ve mowed them when I had the skid steer up there last year. I mowed a bunch down on the river place, and now Johnson grass has taken over.

 

[Snattlerake]

Loves me some sand plum jelly. They are hard to come by now because I have moved into the city.

 

[Gunbuffer]

You have a long time to figure out what to plant in its stead. Dennis is spot on those rhizomes are the key.
Get rid of those as fast as you can because spouts from those are way more resistant to chems than ones from seed.
Personally I’d reseed with the big four native tall grasses; little blue big blue Indian grass and switchgrass

 

[dennishoddy]

You have a long time to figure out what to plant in its stead. Dennis is spot on those rhizomes are the key.
Get rid of those as fast as you can because spouts from those are way more resistant to chems than ones from seed.
Personally I’d reseed with the big four native tall grasses; little blue big blue Indian grass and switchgrass

Yep, when you just disk a field with rhizomes and cut them it makes two shoots. They have to be popped out of the ground to dry and die. Bermuda has rhizomes as well in the root system.
Took a lot of farm auctions before finding the Grand Hamie chisel with the peanut sweeps.

 

[RickN]

On a side note, you plant sand plums in ways to funnel any attackers into kill zones.

 

[PanhandleGlocker]

On a side note, you plant sand plums in ways to funnel any attackers into kill zones.

Strange advice from somebody that uses a sword for home defense.