Does anybody have a solution for Johnson grass other than using a herbicide or keeping it cut down for a year or two? I don't wa

[rabbitpolice88]

Does anybody have a solution for Johnson grass other than using a herbicide or keeping it cut down for a year or two? I don't want to use it for cattle hay I just want to get rid of it.

[Beekeeper]

Rabbit,

Grazing johnson grass heavily will kill it. If you can put cattle on the problem pasture, especially in spring and early summer when it starts to grow out you will get rid of it. This works for broom sedge also.

Unless it is a solid stand of Johnson grass and you have fertilized heavily or spread a chicken manure heavily, nitrates shoulds not be an issue with the cattle. With the rain we have had in GA that should be a problem anyway...

[rabbitpolice88]

Thanks Beekeeper! I will have to look into that. It is about a 10 acre field that is nothing but Johnson grass and is firmly established. My boss has wanted to either plant pumpkins and corn in this field or put fescue down for hay.

[Beekeeper]

Rabbit,

If you plant fescue look into MAX Q, it has the non toxic endophyte and is very persistant if established properly. Deer even graze it! It won't cause the fevers related to the alkaloid toxin found in traditional toxic endophyte vareities like KY 31. It is available through Pennington Seed. If you follow Pennington's guidelines for establishment they guarantee the seed. It should be established between September 15 and October 15.

Regardless of converting over to fescue or crop land you will need to kill off the Johnson grass. An effective way is to make two applications of Round Up at 30 day intervals. This will typically kill all the Johnson Grass and severely injure the rhizomes limiting regrowth. The Round Up (glyphosate) has no soil activity and will not persist on site.

[rudyglove27]

Agreed with Beekeeper answer above and A + 1 for you sir!!!