Moist soil management questions -

[Bercy]

My understanding is that it is best to do a late disking (August) to promote better weeds for the following year. We have done that a couple times and it has worked for the next year, but the millet we have planted following this late disking has been hit or miss (mostly miss) - ie, not much food for that year.

If you disk in earlier in the year - May/June/July - would that work or does that promote bad weeds? Anyone care to share their moist soil management theories/experiences?

Thanks.

[hillhunter]

We have quit disking all together in ours. Most of the place stays either very moist to two inches of standing water all summer. We started spraying a mixture of 2,4-D and dicamba twice a year to knock out broadleaves in general. We have a very invasive weed (alligator weed i think is what its called) and if we don't it takes over the place. This has knocked out the weed but also allows grass species such as barnyard grass, wild millet, and others to come on very strong. Also, we tried seeding with rice on the mud flats this year and it worked pretty good. We just put some nitrogen on it about mid way through the summer and it helps everything put on a bigger head. The best thing about no disking.... not pulling mud all winter. It is so much easier to walk on the place its no comparison and no more bogging down the 4 wheeler... plus we seem to be holding more ducks now that when were planting corn/beans every year. I think it produces not only more, but a more favorable food source.

[Wingman]

I like spring or summer disking when possible to avoid the soft bottom during hunting season. I also like spring disking because you aren't turning under seeds the ducks could eat like you do with fall disking. I am a firm believer in disking. You can tell the difference between disked and undisked areas in terms of weed growth. Read the research on how seed production declines each year after being disked. I'm shooting for disking every third year.

[hillhunter]

We may try to disk some if it gives a good return but part of our problem is that some of our places just never dry out enough to get over it so this is the solution we went with.

[Wingman]

Hard to do it of it doesn't dry out!

[Bama Duck]

We have a similar problem, we can get in there in May and disk but then with the surrounding irrigation and summer rains it ends up flooding out what we plant. The other problem is if you put a disk to the ground in the summer at our place it just blows up with sickle pod (coffee weed). Is there anything you can spray on rice or chiwapa millet that would control the coffee weed? That may be our only solution.

[SWAG]

We have a similar problem, we can get in there in May and disk but then with the surrounding irrigation and summer rains it ends up flooding out what we plant. The other problem is if you put a disk to the ground in the summer at our place it just blows up with sickle pod (coffee weed). Is there anything you can spray on rice or chiwapa millet that would control the coffee weed? That may be our only solution.

Aim

[Wingman]

Or blazer or 2,4-d.