Food Plots Rye grass control

[NChunt1]

Got a couple of my plots are being choked out by rye grass. The wheat and clover have Germinated great but so has the rye grass. The plots were burned down with round up before planting so there must be have been plenty in the seed bank just waiting on rain. The only herbicide option I see is Axial XL it's labeled for grass control in wheat but it's pretty pricey. Any recommendations

 

[megalomaniac]

too late this year I think, but you can put down a preemergent next spring like metolaclor (Dual Magnum or equivalent) before you plant summer plots.

If you are banking on the clover alone, you can spray with clethodim now, it should take care of the ryegrass (but will also kill your wheat). You could then come back and overseed with cereal grains 7d after spraying before the next rain. Still time for the cereal grains to regrow.

 

[NChunt1]

I have plenty of clethodim so that might be what I do, there is still plenty of time to get cereals in. So your saying the residual of cleth is about 7 days ?

 

[megalomaniac]

I have plenty of clethodim so that might be what I do, there is still plenty of time to get cereals in. So your saying the residual of cleth is about 7 days ?

Pretty short, 3-7d before replanting from what I've read, but I have never personally tested the residual.

 

[Bucket]

I'd say you'd be good to go ahead and cleth the plot and residual would be gone by the time another good rain comes along to sow wheat again.

 

[Wonderland]

I don't know about young wheat but I've sprayed clethodim on established wheat in March to get rid of rye grass and it didn't hurt the wheat at all. I'm sure newly sprouted wheat will be toast though. Report back if you do spray it because I'm curious in your results and that's how we all learn from trial and error at someone else's expense.

 

[BSK]

I broadcast wheat as late as late October and have a good stand by mid-November.

 

[NChunt1]

So I have two game plans to control the grass next year tell me what you guys think. My first thought is I will spray cleth in the spring when green up happens Hopefully killing all the grass before it starts growing good but sadly killing the wheat to. this will give my clover a lot more room, I can also overseed clover ass needed that way I can spray cleth during the summer as needed for control and if I have a good clover stand by fall I will leave it be. Or my other thought is to do the same with cleth during the summer, once fall planting comes I will burn the fields with round up and add prowl H20 pre to control the grass during the fall. but with prowI I would only be able to plant a monoculture of wheat with hopefully no other grass growing. if I could get a good pure stand of wheat I would be happy

 

[megalomaniac]

I think that is a reasonable plan!