Toxic weed removal - Ask Extension
What is the best way to remove tansi and false dandilion from horse pasture? How long do horses need to stay off that pasture after treating for weeds...
Knowledgebase
Toxic weed removal #874871
Asked June 26, 2024, 7:32 PM EDT
What is the best way to remove tansi and false dandilion from horse pasture? How long do horses need to stay off that pasture after treating for weeds? Is there a grass/crop that can be planted to keep these weeds down?
Marion County Oregon
Expert Response
Hi Alicia,
The best method depends on your setup, the number of weeds, and preferences. A combination of mechanical (pulling, digging, or tilling) and chemical (herbicides) is best and recommended for long-term management. The best time of year to manage weeds is in the spring and fall when the soil is soft and the weeds are smaller with more leaf area. At that time they are easier to pull and the plant can take up more herbicide making it more effective. If you have poisonous plants you need to take care of them ASAP, but it is an important thing to remember going forward.
How many weeds do you have? Small patches here and there? A full infestation throughout? If your pasture is over 50% weeds we can talk about renovation options and I can walk you through the process.
If you want to use herbicides to treat the pasture, you need to choose one labeled for use in pastures (it's the law). Herbicides listed for use in pasture will give you the exact amount of time to leave animals off. Choosing a selective herbicide to spot spray broadleaf weeds can be effective but it depends on the pasture size and how many weeds you have.
Anytime there are weed problems, it should be combined with a pasture and forage plant check-in. I'd recommend taking soil samples and sending them to a lab so you know exactly what your soil needs (nutrients) so you can apply and give your forage plants what they need to compete against the weeds. We can also talk about renovation if you want to look into that.
If you send me more information about your pasture and the amount of weeds I can narrow things down and walk you through suggestions.
Here are some helpful articles:
Sincerely,
Hayley White
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The best method depends on your setup, the number of weeds, and preferences. A combination of mechanical (pulling, digging, or tilling) and chemical (herbicides) is best and recommended for long-term management. The best time of year to manage weeds is in the spring and fall when the soil is soft and the weeds are smaller with more leaf area. At that time they are easier to pull and the plant can take up more herbicide making it more effective. If you have poisonous plants you need to take care of them ASAP, but it is an important thing to remember going forward.
How many weeds do you have? Small patches here and there? A full infestation throughout? If your pasture is over 50% weeds we can talk about renovation options and I can walk you through the process.
If you want to use herbicides to treat the pasture, you need to choose one labeled for use in pastures (it's the law). Herbicides listed for use in pasture will give you the exact amount of time to leave animals off. Choosing a selective herbicide to spot spray broadleaf weeds can be effective but it depends on the pasture size and how many weeds you have.
Anytime there are weed problems, it should be combined with a pasture and forage plant check-in. I'd recommend taking soil samples and sending them to a lab so you know exactly what your soil needs (nutrients) so you can apply and give your forage plants what they need to compete against the weeds. We can also talk about renovation if you want to look into that.
If you send me more information about your pasture and the amount of weeds I can narrow things down and walk you through suggestions.
Here are some helpful articles:
Sincerely,
Hayley White
<personal data hidden>
<personal data hidden>
Hi Hayley,
Thank you for all this information. For the Tansy, we are able to pull that. There isn't so much that we haven't been able to pull it all. There is one small patch left that we are pulling up. The false dandelion is really bad, I would say that there is a 85% infestation of our turnout but it is also all throughout our yard, lawn and backyard. So if we pull it from the turn out it is still everywhere and will get back into the turnout. We have been mowing the tops off to try and keep it from spreading but need some help in the most efficient and effective way in getting rid of it.
Thank you!
Alicia
That is great news on the tansy, I am happy to hear it is a small amount. How big is your turnout area? Is the turnout pasture with established grass or an overwintering area that is mostly dirt or bare ground with the false dandelion?
At this point, if it is a small turnout and you can pull them, I'd start with that and then slowly work on your yard areas. For the yard, I'm not the home and garden expert, but in general, you'd manage the weeds by pulling and/or spot spraying and applying a product like weed and feed. But it would also need to be combined with reseeding areas that were infested with weeds and also fertilizing. Often the yard grass doesn't have the nutrients it needs to compete with the weeds and then they move right in.
Here is a helpful page from OSU on controlling dandelion (it is the same process for catsear/false dandelion) in your yard: https://solvepestproblems.oregonstate.edu/weeds/dandelion#solutions
At this point, if it is a small turnout and you can pull them, I'd start with that and then slowly work on your yard areas. For the yard, I'm not the home and garden expert, but in general, you'd manage the weeds by pulling and/or spot spraying and applying a product like weed and feed. But it would also need to be combined with reseeding areas that were infested with weeds and also fertilizing. Often the yard grass doesn't have the nutrients it needs to compete with the weeds and then they move right in.
Here is a helpful page from OSU on controlling dandelion (it is the same process for catsear/false dandelion) in your yard: https://solvepestproblems.oregonstate.edu/weeds/dandelion#solutions
