# which comes first herbicide or bush hog



## dunn1970 (Aug 5, 2008)

Which one should you do first herbicide or bush hog?


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## d-a (Aug 5, 2008)

With a little more information we could help you better. Are you going to plant the spot?

d-a


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## bull0ne (Aug 5, 2008)

I would rather spray the undisturbed ground cover and leave it alone until it's time to harrow & plant the fall plot.

The dead plants left standing also help to shade the ground. This practice goes a long way in preventing further germination by undesireable weeds and grasses.


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## dunn1970 (Aug 5, 2008)

yes I was planning on planting fall plots the middle of september


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## CAL (Aug 5, 2008)

There are many ways to do this and not sure which is best.That being said I would mower the standing down and give it about a week to put out new growth and then spray it.I think this would give more spray coverage and a better kill.When it was time to plant and good moisture,scatter the fert.,scatter your seed and harrow them in.Good luck with your plots!


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## d-a (Aug 5, 2008)

If you had time, you could bush hog it and then do the poor mans herbicide. Plow it several times over the course of 2-3 months. 

d-a


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## DoeMaster (Aug 6, 2008)

*Re: What Comes First*

We always mow first and then spray with round-up.  After about two weeks everything will die and turn brown.  We then harrow or till the entire plot area real good.  Afterwards, we spread our fertilizer, lime, and seed and lightly drag or till it under.  Our plots always turn out great using this method.


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## Auchumpkee Creek Assassin (Aug 6, 2008)

i would spray and kill the foliage then bushhog ,and then ya can cut it in with the harrows. but spraying is $$$$$


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## gadeerwoman (Aug 6, 2008)

Depends on how tall the existing vegetation is. If it's over 8-10 inches tall, I'd mow, wait about a week, then spray. Mowing will encourage rapid new growth and the herbicide will get a better kill.


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## DoeMaster (Aug 6, 2008)

*Re: $$$$$$$*



Auchumpkee Creek Assassin said:


> i would spray and kill the foliage then bushhog ,and then ya can cut it in with the harrows. but spraying is $$$$$



I agree.  Spraying Round-Up isn't cheap. However, if you don't do it....the grass and weeds will grow back and ruin your food plot.  We buy the 2 1/2 gallon concentrate and mix it with about 20 gallons of water.  It takes about 1 quart of concentrated Round-Up mixed with 20 gallons of water.  That's about the cheapest way I've found to do it.


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## hevishot (Aug 6, 2008)

if you use alot of round-up, price the 30 gallon barrels of it...you will save a ton of money.


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## gadeerwoman (Aug 6, 2008)

Not spraying is right up there with no using fertilizer on food plots. Yes, both are are cheaper to not to do, but you'll get a much better food plot if you do. Folks complain it's the fault of the seed when they don't get good results when all too often it's the way they prepared and skimped on herbicide, lime and fertilizer.


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## gadeerwoman (Aug 6, 2008)

As long as it's glysophate, it'll work. If it advises to add a surfactant on the label I'd definitely add that. You get a more effective kill. Lots of generic 41% concentrates of glysophate out there now. I use KillzAll.


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## Ace1313 (Aug 6, 2008)

Sometimes new weed growth is good for deer during this time of drought in the Piedmont.  My deer love the new tender weeds I have  photos of them coming out couple of hours later munching down. I will spray in a couple of weeds above two weeks before I plant but I mowed last weekend.


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## Eyeluv2hunt (Aug 6, 2008)

gadeerwoman said:


> As long as it's glysophate, it'll work. If it advises to add a surfactant on the label I'd definitely add that. You get a more effective kill. Lots of generic 41% concentrates of glysophate out there now. I use KillzAll.



I am not sure what you or anyone else is paying, but I do know that when I priced the Roundup Pro it was triple the price as GlyStar Pro (both are 41%). I get the 2.5 gal jugs from Agri-Supply in Tifton for $49.99/ea (or at least I did last year when I bought 2 of them). How much is the Killzall?

Just checked Agrisupply and it is now $99.99 for the 2.5 gal.....WOW what a difference a year makes!!!


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## leroy (Aug 6, 2008)

Anyone have any farmer friends I get mine at about 1/2 of the price because they buy such large quanities. Just take a gallon jug and he fills it up for me last i got was $20.


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## Confederate_Jay (Aug 7, 2008)

$60 for 1 gallon of Glysophate at Tractor supply


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## gadeerwoman (Aug 7, 2008)

I got 5 gal KillzAll last year at Coopers. I think it ran @ $45-48 per 2 1/2 gallons at that time. I got enough to last me thru this year. UAP had generic for about $58 for the same amount at that time. Coopers was the cheapest price around at the time.


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## jimmystriton (Aug 8, 2008)

I have had the best luck during the heat of the day if you an stand it mow/bushog the plot then spray. The fresh cut grasses will desire moisture and the moisture they are getting is your round up....It really seems to work well. takes about a week then it is easy to plow....just my .02


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## Mako22 (Aug 8, 2008)

Stupid question here but for small plots could you just lay out some black land scaping plastic for a couple of weeks and kill the grass that way? I don't have a clue what I am talking about, just wondering, it would be reusable.


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## gadeerwoman (Aug 11, 2008)

Black plastic will work but usually the stuff comes right back as you don't get a good root kill. Roundup will get the roots in the same amount of time.


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## dajudge43 (Aug 11, 2008)

*bushhog or roundup*

another tip,  after you mix the spray, add about two ounces of liquid soap, this breaks the surface tension and helps the spray stick to the plants, also right after a rain is a good time to spray as the plants are growing and they take the spray to the roots


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## jimbo4116 (Aug 11, 2008)

DoeMaster said:


> I agree.  Spraying Round-Up isn't cheap. However, if you don't do it....the grass and weeds will grow back and ruin your food plot.  We buy the 2 1/2 gallon concentrate and mix it with about 20 gallons of water.  It takes about 1 quart of concentrated Round-Up mixed with 20 gallons of water.  That's about the cheapest way I've found to do it.



The spray rate for 41% glyphosate is 16 to 20 oz. per acre.  The amount of water you use depends on how you calibrate your sprayer to the speed of you vehicle.

If you have a spray rig for a four wheeler you can do this by taping cups under the spray nozzles. With just water in the sprayer, travel a known distance, figure the sq footage covered allowing for the full spray pattern width,  Measure the water in the cups.

Figure the ounces sprayed per sq foot.  Convert to ounces and amount of water needed to cover and acre.  Then add the desired rate of glypo to the water. 

Sounds like a lot of trouble but can save you a good bit of money by not overspraying chemicals.


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