Bowsite.com

Another Weed question

I have had this weed invade my food plot two years running now. Anyone know what it is?

I thought I had it killed this spring. When i planted this years seed I killed and tilled. I think my tilling is bringing this weed seed back up. Next year I plan on killing and planting w/o tilling. My soil is soft enough so I will just roll the new seed in.

Thanks in advance if you know what this is.

Bill

smartweed

Smartweed but not certain what species. Where are you located and your food plot must be low ground or possibly a wetland area.

I'm in NE Crawford Co, WI. This is on top of a wooded ridge, not low ground at all. There is a bit of a slope so it drains very well too.

My woods are adjacent to a 200 acre AG field and my soil samples come out good on my PH levels, just needed a bit of fertilizer this year.

I just looked it up and yep, Smartweed. THANK YOU!

This stuff spreads quick. It is well named too, ha. I mowed it early at about 8-10" to about 6". Darn if the stuff did not seem to then stay short and spread all through my plot... UGH, that is 2 years running now with this weed taking over in AUg/Sept.

Years ago I planted a Brassica, turnip mix. It was when I rotated to a clover that this junk started. I think the large leaves of the Brassica and turnips kept the weeds shaded out in the past. Not sure the why of it all but it sure is a bugger to get rid of and the clover is not competing well with it..

Thanks! Bill

I have it in my clover, sprayed with butrac and I still have it. Any ideas to kill it beyond roundup and rotating into RR beans would be appreciated.

Michael, i know i killed it once with a Generic Round up brush killer so it was a strong solution. I think you gotta kill it and plant something fast growing to crowd it out. Also, I'm sure my tilling brought more seeds up. I think its either that or the fact that this stuff is in close vicinity of my plot and reestablished by surrounding plants. Seems clover gets beat out by this weed. Next year I'm killing and seeding with no tilling. I will try that Brassica, turnip mix to crowd out the weeds.

The deer seem to eat the clover and smartweed equally in one of my plots. I look at smartweed as being similar to honeysuckle. While I didn't plant it it is beneficial to the deer. I leave it alone because it is doing what the foodplot is supposed to do.

elk, if I saw the deer eat this I would absolutely agree but I'm not seeing that. I read on line when I looked it up that deer would eat it. That sure would be nice.

On another note, I have a new plot on the east side of my property that I planted a chicory mix from GRO (Nutritionist)and early I had some weeds but I mowed them down twice to about 8". Now that Chicory has flourished. The deer love it, I have a trail cam up and it's cool watching the deer eat those big chicory leaves. Anyhow, the chicory is now grown so it crowded out all those competitive weeds. That plot is a 100% success so not all is bad with my plots. I really enjoy planting food plots.

Bill

Deer love chicory, no doubt. Keep it mowed so it doesn't bolter.

Register here to reply to this topic