Managing Volunteer Canola Competition in Forage Stand: Strategies for Removal
Humboldt, SK|Sep 19, 2024
Seeded brand new forage stand of Alfalfa, Sainfoin, Cicer Milkvetch and 4 grasses this spring. Emergence and populations are looking good, but it has competion from a ~10bu/acre volunteer canola crop that is ripening fast. Alfalfa is tall, and only 4-6" shorter than the canola stalks. Since herbicides aren't an.option with this blend what should I do with this? Don't want to risk winter kill with the forage, but would like to eliminate the tough canola stalks. Combine after a good killing frost? Mow after a few killing frosts? Mow in the spring? Do nothing?
Answers (2):
Sep 19, 2024
Not really any practical experience but could you cut the canola tops to give the blend a chance to squeeze the canola?
You don’t want the canola to go to seed - that’s for sure.
Also not sure if a wick bar would work.
Sep 19, 2024
Ideally in new forage stands with annual weeds, the recommendation is to cut it, removing all of the cut material, and leaving 6-8” of forage for fast regrowth early enough to stop the annual weed competition and give the forage time to recover before frost.
So your timing is not ideal to do it now but if the moisture situation is good and the plants are healthy, and you cut it high so there is lots of plant left to take advantage of the fall, it’s not a bad risk. I wouldn’t worry about waiting for a killing frost if your goal is to reduce weed competition and minimize the stem
Size. Although by now the canola stems are probably already large?