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  • From: "Nan Johnson" <nan AT olemiss.edu>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Yellow Nut Sedge
  • Date: Fri, 25 Jun 2004 10:30:34 -0700

Re: Yellow Nut Sedge and cover cropping. At the university, we
experimented with two 1/4 acre plots side by side, infested with nut sedge
plus every other agricultural weed.

We planted sorghum-sudan grass hybrid on one side, red clover on the other.
The sorghum-sudan grass did very well in both controlling and to a decent
extent eliminating nut sedge - (they wouldn't let us bring pigs on
campus -hah!) - the red clover did not at all.

The down side was that we did this for two years running (by default, not
plan), so I don't know if one year would have had same success. We spring
planted, and left the stalks (which grow 12 ft with thick canes) to
overwinter. Birds had a feast. Then we bushhogged in the spring and tilled
under the rubble in the spring - lots of organic matter. Then replanted.

When we tried rolling down part of the field in the fall (not mowing, but
using a chopping roller), with the crop still green, the fallen canes
resprouted on the ground till frost.

The sorghum sudan grass provides a tight canopy to shade out weeds, plus
there is some alleleopathic activity. But you certainly need tractors to mow
it down, no hand tools can be used! We did try to mow it with a riding
lawn mower but that got a bit ridiculous! Also, we have noted this year
with our barley crop in that field that the some of the sorghum sudan grass
seeds have sprouted. So could be a problem with some crops, but we will be
harvesting the barley long before the s-sg is tall.

nan j. at dancing goats farm, n. mississippi, zone 7b









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