Area landowners report success with stiltgrass control

As early spring arrives, months of garden planning will begin to take root. Home gardeners excitedly determine what to plant this season, while landowners who operate on a larger scale, may be considering what they need to remove from their landscape. For many, the war on invasive plant species has become intense, and often there are no easy answers.

There is some good news though!

Northern Piedmont livestock producers and land managers are encouraged by their initial success in eradicating Japanese stiltgrass, a widespread invasive plant that negatively impacts forage quality for livestock and wildlife habitat alike. Tall, dry stiltgrass remnants can also pose a fire hazard.

Japanese stiltgrass ( Microstegium vimineum ,) once used as a packing material in the shipping industry, replaces native vegetation in the regional landscape, especially forest edges and floodplains.

It also shows up in pastures where the ground has been disturbed from overgrazing, field boarders, flower beds, trails, and gardens. Stiltgrass readily expands into dense stands, crowding out desirable grass and other native plant species.

Rapidly, the ground surface can become unrecognizable to landowners.

In small areas, hand pulling prior to seed formation over the course of several growing seasons is a low-cost control option.

Suggestions include re-seeding the resulting bare ground with annual rye or Virginia Wild Rye, until the invasive species is controlled, and the native vegetation cover has returned. When stiltgrass cover is extensive, grazers and other land managers may seek additional control options.

Carolyn Smith, a Virginia Master Naturalist with the Old Rag Chapter and landowner in Madison County, follows mechanical treatment recommendations from Blue Ridge PRISM (Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management).

Through carefully-timed mowing and weed whacking, she has noted improvements in her wildflower meadows within one season. During years with sufficient rainfall, she has also successfully used prescribed burning to remove unwanted vegetation and give native plants a boost.

Chemical herbicides are another strategy against stiltgrass invasion.

"Pre-emergent products are traditionally applied at the time of the forsythia bloom,” according to Steve Jones from John Marshall Soil and Water Conservation District, a state certified crop advisor and nutrient management planner.

Livestock grazers have reported that Tradename "Prowl” is an effective, efficient pre-emergent for pasture use. Prowl can be combined with an early spring fertilizer in one application.

Herbicide users need to follow the label directions on the product to avoid damaging desired plants, neighboring properties, and nearby waterways. Soil tests should be performed to determine if lime or fertilizer is also recommended.

Organic corn gluten feed about to be spread on a small section of a horse paddock in Radiant. Horses were restricted access until after the next rain.

Those seeking non-chemical alternatives have applied corn gluten feed as a pre-emergent for stiltgrass control and a natural pasture fertilizer. Livestock owners also need to be aware of any grazing restrictions chemical or biological products may have, particularly for lactating dairy animals.

Another line of herbicide products that have been proven effective on stiltgrass include trade names "Duracor” and "Grazon,” according to Jones. These products are applied just before the stiltgrass flowers (and thus prior to seed formation).

Jones noted there are composting restrictions on the manure generated in pastures treated with certain products such as Duracor.

"Even when applicators have used herbicide in the past, they need to thoroughly read product labels and keep informed on pesticide industry recommendations, which can change.”

Blue Ridge PRISM , Virginia Cooperative Extension , or local agricultural cooperative sales staff can provide chemical recommendations and should be consulted prior to developing a treatment plan that includes chemical herbicide use.

Andrea Young of Hidden Creek Farm in Fauquier County uses her cattle to help manage her pastures.

She has been working on a pasture reclamation project for over four years. Young reports success in stiltgrass control in a partially shaded ridgetop field where she utilized a combination of post-emergent herbicide treatment and intensive grazing by her Red Poll beef cattle.

She feels an advantage of heritage breed livestock is their ability to be "adaptative foragers.”

Smith recommends tackling one invasive plant removal project at a time to keep costs down and the feeling of being overwhelmed (physically and psychologically) at bay.

"We can celebrate the small successes,” she said.