[MAIPC] Removing stiltgrass after it has gone to seed

[Rod Simmons]

Thanks Susan - good work!  This past week we have been foliar-treating Microstegium in the City of Alexandria, Virginia with grass-specific Ornamec (fluzipop), instead of Vantage (sethoxydim).

Alternatively, Jim Clark and Eileen Grant hand-pulled and bagged a large patch of Microstegium from Forest Park.

I consider the latter method ideal for smaller, incipient populations.

Thanks,

Rod


> On Sep 21, 2019, at 9:07 PM, Diana Carter <dcarter1776 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
> Hi Susan. I’m anxious to hear from those wiser than me, but I’ll share what I’ve done just based on my gut sense of it. First, I think there is a lot more seed production pending based on what I’m seeing. So my sense is to get it out before the whole load drops. On bad infestations I have rolled it up to contain the seeds within the stalks. On milder infestations I have used a tub type container on its side and pushed the stiltgrass in seed first. Then I’ve poured it into large bags which I sneak into the regular trash pickup. 
> 
> You make a good point about checking shoes afterwards. I will add that to my method. But I (like you) am hoping to learn from others and see what they are doing at this time of the year.   I suppose spraying may be an option but I never use herbicides. I have heard that glyphosate dries out cornstalks late in the season. 
> 
> Diana Carter
> 
> On Sep 21, 2019, at 8:10 PM, Susan Gitlin <susan.mclaughlin at alumni.stanford.edu> wrote:
> 
> Hi.   Today I was at a property that is built on and into the edge of national forest land, outside of Waynesboro, VA.  This property has some new buildings around which I noticed a bunch of stiltgrass.  The forest land surrounding these buildings looked clean of any infestations.
> 
> I mentioned this to the property owner, and he was sincere in his interest in removing the Microstegium.  I could not stay there to do the removal myself at the time, but I promised him I would send him information on how to do it.
> 
> However, the plant is now in seed, and all information that I have about stiltgrass recommends removal or weed whacking prior to seed development.  That makes sense, of course, but what should I recommend to the property owner?  
> a) That he remove and bag it this year?  Could that lead to additional spread of the seeds via shoes, bags, etc.?  
> b) Or should he wait until next year, thus allowing a thousand plants to release their seeds?
> 
> Please share your wisdom.
> 
> Thank you.
> 
> --Susan
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