Anyone know the answer to this? I always heard it can be done, but no one has ever told me the correct herbicide to use. Fire isn't an option before you go down that road.

Imazapyr will kill everything the first season(not the pines), but the forbs should be back the next season.

Blackberries, lespedeza, desmodiums, ragweed, partridge peas, native grasses all are tolerant of imazapyr applications. Basically, wildlife friendly legumes and forbs.

Yep. It doesn’t cause the mass desert I keep hearing about. I use it quite often in pine stands to rid the gums and poplars before introducing fire. Great results too.

ALFisher, I’ve also used Triclopyr and glyphosate together for some applications. Just depends. Can’t spray that over pine though.

I’ve seen the mass desert while spraying in the Green Swamp up in North Carolina several years ago. However , the Imazapyr/AccordSP/Oust mix sprayed late in the season didn’t keep the forbs out the following growing season in north Mississippi. Usually started growing back about June or so the next summer. Worked great for folks that wasn’t gonna burn.

I think when they add Escort to the mix is when the legumes get hammered.

if it doesnt kill briars, not much use to me. so imazapyr is out.

Add some Escort to the mix.

So, I have 60 acres of pines that were thinned last year. We won't burn them until 2025. Would I be ahead to spray them to get the legume and forb growth back for a while before the burn? If so, what mix should I use? I would be spraying using a 26 gallon tank in the bed of a Ranger.

Yes, that mix will kill pretty much everything!