[Partners-IMCWMA] article on mowing and weeds

[Cow Mountain Kiko Goats]

Hi John.
Sounds interesting.  Can you share goat info too?

Alisa


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John M. Harper" <jmharper at ucdavis.edu>
To: "'Partners of the Inland Mendocino Cooperative Weed Management Area'" 
<partners at imcwma.org>
Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2007 4:10 PM
Subject: Re: [Partners-IMCWMA] article on mowing and weeds


> Hi Tara,
>
> Just a heads up that we will be doing a Weeds! Workshop June 4 at my 
> office.
> A flyer is being prepared and there will be a pre-registration with a fee 
> to
> cover materials and refreshments. Joe DiTomaso from UCD will be presenting
> many of the topics. A brief list is outlined below:
>
> Here's the agenda:
>
> June 4 - Ukiah
>
> 1:00-1:15 Welcome, house-keeping stuff, handouts (blackberry control 
> handout
> too) - John
> 1:15-2:00 Yellow Star Thistle Control - Joe
> 2:00-2:30  Medusahead/Goatgrass Control - Joe
> 2:30-2:40 Break
> 2:40-2:55 Vines & Ovines - Bio-control of vineyard floors with taste
> aversion trained sheep - John
> 2:55-3:15 Broom Control - Joe
> 3:15-4:15 Aquatic & Riparian Weed control - Joe
> 4:15-4:30 Break
> 4:30-5:00 Weed ID CD's - Joe
>
> We'll be repeating the meeting in Lake County on June 5 in the morning.
>
> John M. Harper
> Mendocino County Director
> UCCE Livestock & Natural Resources Advisor
> Certified Rangeland Manager License #23
> Mendocino & Lake Counties
> 890 N. Bush Street
> Ukiah, CA 95482
> (707) 463-4495 phone
> (707) 463-4477 fax
> http://cemendocino.ucdavis.edu
> http://danr.ucop.edu/uccelr
> http://www.casrm.org
>
> Know thyself - Socrates
> -----Original Message-----
> From: partners-bounces at imcwma.org [mailto:partners-bounces at imcwma.org] On
> Behalf Of Tara Athan
> Sent: Monday, March 26, 2007 6:58 PM
> To: IMCWMA partners
> Subject: [Partners-IMCWMA] article on mowing and weeds
>
> IMCWMA Partners- I have put together an article on mowing and weeds for
> the brochure that the fire-safe council will be putting out soon.
> If you have time, please look over the following for accuracy.
>
> Thanks, Tara
>
> Weed control, wildfire fuel reduction and mowing: Putting it all together
>
> 1. Whether to mow at all
> Not every wildland location needs to be mowed for wildfire hazard
> reduction. Shady areas may not produce enough dry vegetation to be a
> hazard.  Wet areas near streams and springs may stay sufficiently moist
> and green to act as a fuel break. Grasslands dominated by
> perennial grasses and late-blooming wildflowers may maintain green
> vegetation well into late summer. Mowing may be advisable as part
> of an integrated weed management strategy, even if wildfire is not an
> issue. However, you can save time, money, use less gas,
> encourage desirable vegetation and reduce the risk of accidental
> ignition by only mowing when it is needed.
>
> 2. Timing your mowing: when to start, how often, when to stop
> Now suppose you have made the decision to mow a particular area.
> What is the right time to mow?
> The answer is: it depends.
> It depends on the reason you are mowing, the vegetation present, the
> weather and the soil moisture.
> Whether you are mowing for fuel reduction or to modify the plant
> composition of your fields, it is important to understand that mowing
> can favor some species over others, depending on when and how it is done.
>
> Mowing early can be damaging to equipment and desirable vegetation if
> the soil is too damp.
> Wait at least until the soil is dry enough to support the mower.
> This time can vary from one year to the next and from one location to
> the next.
> It is important to know your property and pay attention to its condition
> throughout the year.
>
> Mowing too early and often can favor certain late blooming weeds, such
> as yellow starthistle.
> Mowing too late can disperse the seeds of non-native annual grasses,
> such as slender wild oat.
> For Harding grass suppression, mow when the plants are still green but
> seasonal moisture is almost exhausted.
>
>
> To encourage desirable annuals (plants that die yearly and grow back
> only from seed) such as valley lupine or common madia, mow only
> before the plant has bolted (produced a flower stalk) or after the
> flowers have gone to seed and the seed is mature.
>
>
> To discourage an annual weed, mow when it is in flower (grass has
> flowers too, even though they are not very showy). You can also mow
> before seed heads are fully matured - gather and sterilize (burn or
> thoroughly compost) clippings with seed heads still attached.   In
> particular, for yellow starthistle suppression, mow for the first time
> when the first starthistle flowers appear and then again about
> 6 weeks later to catch any flowers that grow back. This second mowing
> will usually occur in July, and so must be conducted carefully
> to avoid starting a wildfire.
>
> Perennials (plants that stay green all year or grow back from the roots
> after a dormant period) such as California oatgrass (Danthonia
> californica) and the many beautiful native irises and lilies can be
> encouraged by suppressing the competing annuals that grow earlier
> and faster.  There is an added advantage to perennial grasses - they
> reduce wildfire hazard because they stay green longer.
>
>
> 3. Height of mowing
> Setting the mower blade low is not usually recommended in wildland
> situations because of:
> >increased risk of hitting rocks and creating sparks that could start a
> fire.
> >increased damage to perennials when they are cut low.
> >greater soil disturbance when the blade bites into the ground in
> uneven terrain, creating habitat for invading weeds.
> >greater risk of damage to the mower blade from contact with soil,
> rocks and tree roots.
> A blade height of at least 4 inches will reduce these damages in most
> situations.
>
> Conclusion
> It can be a challenge to simultaneously balance the requirements of
> wildfire fuel reduction and weed control.
> Developing a long-term management plan, on your own or with the
> assistance of professionals,
> can be of great assistance in meeting all of your land management goals.
>
> For further information, see imcwma.org and cal-ipc.org
>
> -- 
> Tara Athan
> Coordinator, Inland Mendocino Cooperative Weed Management Area
> coord at imcwma.org
> 707-485-1198
> PO Box 415
> Redwood Valley, CA 95470
>
>
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>
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