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I found this looking for weed control information. I haven't read it but surely it would be of some help.
SARE
Anybody know of a good place to find pictures of weeds for Oklahoma. I have a pasture that has been ignored for several years and needs some weed control. I need to identify what is what. I have a neighbor who can stand out in the pasture and identify everything she sees. Hate to bother her everytime I don't know what is what.
<font color="blue"> I have a neighbor who can stand out in the pasture and identify everything she sees. Hate to bother her everytime I don't know what is what. </font color>
Bother her. She probably won't mind - most folks like to help others out, especially when they have a chance to show off what they know. But the best advice you'll get is from a long time local that knows the "lay of the land" and probably also knows the best ways to deal with problems.
But for generic advice, usually the best way to deal with weeds and such is to keep them mowed, preferably before they go to seed.
I would hope that Chris is right but around here a lot of people tend to hold educaton and technology in low esteem. It seems that if plowing with a bent stick worked for great grandpaw, grandpaw, and dad then why mess with success, plow with a bent stick. Approaches to weed control vary from spunk water at midnight to selective herbicides but brush hogging whether or not it helps seems to be a favored practice.
You probably don't actually need to ID each species. A good broadleaf herbicide while things are growing will get most of them (2-4-D or...) If there is access by stock then Grazon is a decent alternative. I use Remedy but it isn't cheap.
After having consulted with the Noble Foundation and university extension agents I have decided the most effective control measure on my eastern 1/2 is fire. To that end I have excluded stock from that acreage and with the August rains helping am building up a fair stock of fuel. If I get enough fuel grown up I should be able to burn next spring and kill out a lot of weeds, brush, and cedars. I'm not as interested in wholesale burning on my western acreage and will probably go for pre-emergent spray to stop many weeds next spring on that 80 acres.
For small areas, frequent mowing can be a good strategy, at least for tall weeds that can't make seed when kept short. Mowing isn't a complete answer as sometimes it just changes the weed population dynamics and allows short weeds to have a better chance. Also, when you figure costs of tractor hours, equipment wear, and your time, mowing large areas just might not be the best choice, even when it works.
[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
Thanks Pat and Chris,
I was kinda thinking the same thing that specific identification is not really necessary. I have read some literature that says mowing is not the way to get rid of the weeds. I think that might help if you mowed every week or two like a lawn but nobody mows the pasture that often. I guess goats would be an option that would mow that often and more. The literature does list the best time of year to spray various plants and chemicals for the best results and that had me thinking about trying to identify things.
Thanks again.
In response to the weed question you raised...
You could try here