>>>I rarely deal with nutsedge taller than 3-4"...could it be there is a broadcast application height limit, much like row crops??<<<
Maybe you are on to something there. Most of the chufas that I have killed or damaged have been pretty big, like the ones in the pic above. Please do lots of experiments this summer and keep us informed.
>>>Tell the congregation I'll do the whole book of James and have 'em home in time for the race. <<<
LOL - Sounds great! What have I gotta do in your job besides kill nutgrass?
Any of you guys ever heard of Lee Atkins? He wrote an article in Turkey Country's last issue and mentioned growing chufas and gave a post herbicide program. He said to use a quart of 2,4-D with 3 pints of Prowl and 1.5 pints of Select. He included an email address in the article, so I wrote him and asked if he meant to say 2,4-DB, but he never responded. He did specify to apply it with the chufas 4" high. I dunno if he actually grows chufas or is just speaking theoretically. Maybe its some kind of bad luck that I kill them with 2,4-D, but I have never seen it recommended in a publication before reading this article. The NWTF used to include herbicide recommendations with their seed, and it was always 2,4-DB.
Turkey Country had another chufa article in the same issue and mentioned chufa research recently done in SC. I'd sure like to read that, if anyone knows how to get it. Sounded like they at least knew something about growing them; recommended waiting until July to plant to have less weed competition, and also said to rotate fields every 2 years for the same reason. Both of those suggestions are excellent advice, but many of us don't have enough good land to do the rotation, and planting in July would have meant total failure 4 of the last 5 years due to no rain at the critical time.
That article also said to put out 40-50 lbs of N at planting, and then top dress with 300 lbs of ammonium nitrate! That is one heck of a lot of N, and you better have an unlimited supply of $ to follow that recommendation. I top dress with 100 lbs, but won't do that unless it looks like I have a good chance at getting the rain to utilize it. I guess the next thing is gonna be people putting in irrigation systems for chufas. Don't think I can handle that. A good evening to all.
