On my small lease (40) acres, I have small food plots (2) about 1/2 acre each. I have a field about 2-3 acres but it is grass, I think its Bahai and I have tried to disc this up and plant parts of it but the grass just comes back and it is hard to disc. I thought about the possibility of keeping it mowed down to build up thatch and try the throw and mow method. Any advice?

I'd try coming in around the first couple weeks of September and nuking it with some glyphosate. Give it a couple weeks to brown up....broadcast your fall mix into the dead grass and then mow. I like a base mix of cereal rye and crimson clover. You can get more diverse from there if you wish. Depending on the conditions of the field, you may want to do a midsummer mowing of the grass just to keep it more manageable. Post up a pic if you get a chance.

Scratch crimson clover seed off the list of things to buy this fall����.

After this rain "if it even happens" I'm going to disk and cultipack the rest of my farm. I'll get it good and level and plant grain sorghum and sunn hemp on 5 acres each. That is on my rockiest poorest ground so I'm going to use these 2 as my base thatch layer for establishing those 2-5 acre fields into dedicated clover fields from this fall on. I hate disking them cause of terraces and rocks. We shall see how this endeavor turns out in due time.

We want to throw and mow in some plots that have a good bit of Johnson grass. What would you suggest to plant that may get ahead of it, or do we need to spray first?

I haven�t dealt with JG personally but here is what I would give a try��

If you could possibly get to it pretty soon then I would go ahead and nuke the field with some gly now. Give it 10 days or so to get a kill��then broadcast on a heavy crop of milo and buckwheat and mow. We�re going to assume that you will still have some JG present this summer so in a couple months or so (before any JG goes to seed) mow the field again. The milo will come right back and the buckwheat will reseed if its already bloomed. Just make sure the JG doesn't go to seed this summer.

Later this fall around September I would nuke the field again��.wait for it to kill�.then broadcast cereal rye, crimson clover, and hairy vetch. The following spring I would repeat the same process but hopefully by then you will have reduced the JG down to levels where you can just spot spray instead of nuking the whole field.

Has the JG already went to seed, if so it will definately come back.

You're not going to plant anything that will get ahead of Johnson Grass except maybe kudzu. I have 1 field that I've been fighting since I bought my place. It used to be thick 6'-8' tall. JG is a prolific reseeder, but it will also survive the winter and resprout from rhizomes. I started spraying it with a hot mix of gly to get it under control (sprayed with a tractor with boom sprayer). After several years I have it mostly knocked back but still have to spot spray every time I'm at the camp during summer.

One thing that is very important is try your best not to spread the JC seed. If you mow a field with JC, stop at the exit and sweep your mower and tractor off the best you can. An ounce of prevention is worth a 55 gallon drum of glyphosate... err I mean a pound of cure.

I�ve got a question to pose for debate or discussion if anyone wants to play......

Looking above at bambam�s throw and mow plot that he has growing and considering the weather conditions we are experiencing��..which of the following do you feel like is more important for him?

1)To disk up and cultipack the field in order to achieve a pristine seed bed

Or

2)To cover the surface with hay and conserve soil moisture

You know me, i vote #2. Freshly plowed dirt looks moist, for about an hour, then it starts to dry out. Lift up some cut grass and see how moist it is underneath.

Too many variables though. Depends on seed. We talking corn or clover? Different situations warrant different approaches. But moisture is always key however you get your seedbed ready.

What about a mix of cereal rye and crimson clover?.....or buckwheat and milo?

Throwin and Mowin.......

Had to call it ear;y with about 3 strips left to mow this afternoon. Lighting starting popping off close to me right before dark. I'll have to get a finished pic tomorrow.

By not spraying and terminating the whole field�..the clover and turnips in my field are able to keep right on growing along with the summer mix I just planted. They should really jump now after being released and getting some rain. I thought they were just about to all die it was so dry but they seem to already be perking up after a couple of decent showers over the weekend.

A closer look����

One more pic of the standing thatch being mowed down over the seed. You can agaim see the clover and turnips in the understory.

I didn't spray mine either, this year, clover and turnips aren't the only thing enjoying some sunshine, summer weeds are showing up on my fields. I hope i don't regret not spraying.

Have you gotten any rain up there over the last few days??

Mowing complete.....Now we wait.