I need some advice on how to go about killing cheatgrass. I know I can go the Round-Up route, but I don't want to kill other grasses. I am mowing the crap down and watering the heck out of affected areas with minimal success. Anybody have a secret? mtmuley
Killing Cheatgrass
- Thread starter mtmuley
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You will need to put down some Plateau herbicide at a rate of 8 oz./acre in the fall before it greens up. It will serve as a pre-emergent and will keep it from germinating for 3-4 years. It is selective to c-4 plants, so you dont need to worry about killing your desirable grasses. It wont kill cheatgrass that is already green. For that you need JOurney, but it has Roundup mixed in and will kill your other grasses.
woodruffhunter
Long Time Member
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How established is your lawn?
I would get a sprayer and carefully hit the tops of the
cheatgrass with round up. Then, as another poster said, weed and feed. I would guess that the grass (not cheat grass) would
soon thicken enough that it would no longer be an issue.
I would get a sprayer and carefully hit the tops of the
cheatgrass with round up. Then, as another poster said, weed and feed. I would guess that the grass (not cheat grass) would
soon thicken enough that it would no longer be an issue.
cheatgrass is an annual grass, meaning it comes up each year from seed. The Plateau is a pre-emergent. So you want to put it on in the fall before the seed germinates. Just broadcast it on the area, even if it is bare soil. It will stay in the top few inches of the soil and kill cheatgrass seed as it attempts to germinate. It will kill seed as it attempts to germinate for 3-5 years depending on rate, conditions, etc. If you mowed the seed heads off this year before they developed, dont worry about killing the plant now because it is toast anyhow. You want to kill the seeds before they come up. Plateau will not impact your other perennial grass seeds ( grass plants that live year after year ). Plateau is miraculous stuff and works well to control annual grasses such as cheatgrass. Cheatgrass produces a TON of seeds that can be viable for many years, so you really need to control them before they come up. Once you get a good established sod-forming lawn that is regularly watered, it should out-compete cheatgrass under a watered scenario.
To obtain Plateau, you will probably need to work with your County weed department. Put it down at 8 oz./acre and it ought to carry over for at least 3 years.
To obtain Plateau, you will probably need to work with your County weed department. Put it down at 8 oz./acre and it ought to carry over for at least 3 years.
completesportsman
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I have no idea what cheatgrass is but where I live we spray 2,4-D a selective herbicide that kills all broadleaf weeds and won't hurt grass, that might work for you.
2,4-D is probably the main ingredient in weed & feed.
2,4-D is probably the main ingredient in weed & feed.
C
ClorideRUS
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If you live west of the Mississippi.... Move!!!!!
RUS
RUS
Thanks guys. bonepiler, the cheatgrass I want to kill is intermixed in my grass hay. It seems to sprout a new isolated patch from time to time. I have it in the lawn area also. Should I try to treat individual areas, or my whole acreage? I'm going to contact my Extension Offfice about Plateau. mtmuley
BeanMan
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LAST EDITED ON Jun-15-09 AT 09:01PM (MST)[p]
Edit, While I was writing Mtmuley came up with some of the info that was missing. MTmuley, A good bet will be to reseed any bare areas with grasses, keep them wet to begin with and healthy, they should out compete cheatgrass under those conditions. I'm going to guess that the spots with cheat are in high spots where your water doesn't commonly reach and are dry enough that hay won't do well. I'm excited after reading the Plateau label, I've not used it yet.
MtMuley,
We need a little more information. Is this in a lawn or in a pasture? Irrigation available? Often the best defence against cheatgrass and it's twin downey brome is to out compete it with other grasses. Give me some more information and I'll see what I can come up with.
Weed and feed is a very expensive way to apply fertilizer and 2,4-D to your lawn. 2,4-D will kill or suppress cheat grass if you apply it just after it has emerged. It will also kill most immature grasses.
Bonepile, I justed looked through a Plateau label, very cool chemistry. I'm going to have to get some and try to get the windmill grass out of my Blue Grama
Bean
Edit, While I was writing Mtmuley came up with some of the info that was missing. MTmuley, A good bet will be to reseed any bare areas with grasses, keep them wet to begin with and healthy, they should out compete cheatgrass under those conditions. I'm going to guess that the spots with cheat are in high spots where your water doesn't commonly reach and are dry enough that hay won't do well. I'm excited after reading the Plateau label, I've not used it yet.
MtMuley,
We need a little more information. Is this in a lawn or in a pasture? Irrigation available? Often the best defence against cheatgrass and it's twin downey brome is to out compete it with other grasses. Give me some more information and I'll see what I can come up with.
Weed and feed is a very expensive way to apply fertilizer and 2,4-D to your lawn. 2,4-D will kill or suppress cheat grass if you apply it just after it has emerged. It will also kill most immature grasses.
Bonepile, I justed looked through a Plateau label, very cool chemistry. I'm going to have to get some and try to get the windmill grass out of my Blue Grama
Bean
I would treat all I could afford. Plateau is not cheap. So I would try just spot treating your patches and keep after it as they pop up. If you treat more, it will also help control some of the annual mustards, etc. that can be a problem. Eventually you will control a lot of it. THe best defense against weeds is a strong offense. Well established areas will help keep it out, but you often have to treat before you can achieve that.
