big brown horse
Hoof In Mouth
Is dock considered a grass, legume or forb (basically weeds)?
What Eats Dock?
- Thread starter Farmfresh
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Farmfresh
City Biddy
I always use the "f" word when I discuss it... so I imagine that one is it! 
big brown horse
Hoof In Mouth
Farmfresh said:I always use the "f" word when I discuss it... so I imagine that one is it!
FarmerChick
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My goats eat it but very very little. I have about 1/4 acre of fenced area as my dog lot. It grows in there. I let the goats in to mow it down but they don't. They nibble on a bit and walk away. I had 25 goats in that area and plenty of the weed remained...for a long time. They nibble and walk on so that weed is a real pain.
If you have so much, maybe truly it is time to re-seed and regain control over the pasture...etc. Have a true revamping and create new grass pasture little by little. 1 acre at a time, fence off, get advice how to eradicate and create new pasture. ALOT of work, time etc. but sometimes mother nature takes over and if you want that nice pasture again, it needs to be done.
If you have so much, maybe truly it is time to re-seed and regain control over the pasture...etc. Have a true revamping and create new grass pasture little by little. 1 acre at a time, fence off, get advice how to eradicate and create new pasture. ALOT of work, time etc. but sometimes mother nature takes over and if you want that nice pasture again, it needs to be done.
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Farmfresh
City Biddy
When I read this to my daughter she said, "So we need a Bulldozer." 
She actually just moved the ponies off to a neighbor's house for a couple of months so now is the time.
Give us direction!
We had the big stuff mowed (too late again). The little stuff is getting mowed again and sprayed with killer. I am afraid to plow or till due to the new seeds possibly germinating. I wish we could just burn it... but the city would frown.
Ideas?
She actually just moved the ponies off to a neighbor's house for a couple of months so now is the time.
Give us direction!
We had the big stuff mowed (too late again). The little stuff is getting mowed again and sprayed with killer. I am afraid to plow or till due to the new seeds possibly germinating. I wish we could just burn it... but the city would frown.
Ideas?
freemotion
Food Guru
Find out if dock is one of those plants that grows a new plant from every little broken bit of root before you plow it..... 
Find out what soil conditions dock favors, do a soil test, and balance the soil to favor grass. If you go the herbicide route, keep those horses off for a long time, be very cautious. Yourself, too. It is a poison, after all. Remember Agent Orange? Just some uneducated thoughts. I've been taking the long route with my pasture, but I have had to buy quite a few bales of hay over the years when I had a horse here.
I bulldozed, soil-tested, seeded, fertilized, limed, fertilized again, and then started comparing hay costs to chemical costs, and did some research, and slowed it down. Compost, compost, compost. Mow, mow, mow. I need more lime now, lots of acid-loving plants showing up again, but more compost would help, too, if I had access to a lot more. Chemical fertilizers disrupt the natural balance and kill earthworms and beneficial things. But sometimes a big whammy is needed to get things off to a quicker start.
Find out what soil conditions dock favors, do a soil test, and balance the soil to favor grass. If you go the herbicide route, keep those horses off for a long time, be very cautious. Yourself, too. It is a poison, after all. Remember Agent Orange? Just some uneducated thoughts. I've been taking the long route with my pasture, but I have had to buy quite a few bales of hay over the years when I had a horse here.I bulldozed, soil-tested, seeded, fertilized, limed, fertilized again, and then started comparing hay costs to chemical costs, and did some research, and slowed it down. Compost, compost, compost. Mow, mow, mow. I need more lime now, lots of acid-loving plants showing up again, but more compost would help, too, if I had access to a lot more. Chemical fertilizers disrupt the natural balance and kill earthworms and beneficial things. But sometimes a big whammy is needed to get things off to a quicker start.
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Farmfresh
City Biddy
Her pasture is on the top of a hill, but it is a big flat top. The pasture is VERY fertile. Dock is supposed to be a sign of extreme fertility. She has nice black loam. Where there is pasture grass it is a thick coverage of orchard grass, timothy, red and dutch clovers.
I think we will probably be spot spraying right in the center of each and every plant. It should take a while to accomplish but if we mow it close before spraying hopefully it will work.
A many years back we had good stand of Russian thistle (not nearly as much as the dock). I chopped it and salted each one. That worked well. If I spread THIS much salt we would be in trouble!
I think we will probably be spot spraying right in the center of each and every plant. It should take a while to accomplish but if we mow it close before spraying hopefully it will work.
A many years back we had good stand of Russian thistle (not nearly as much as the dock). I chopped it and salted each one. That worked well. If I spread THIS much salt we would be in trouble!
I don't have any grazing animals, or any pasture. But I do have a couple of comments 
. Dock is related to sorrel, and as such contains oxalic acid, so I would be hesitant about feeding much of it to animals - though it sounds, from previous comments, that the animals aren't too keen on it anyway. the only other thing I know about dock is that it is supposed to be soothing when rubbed over skin that has been in contact with stinging nettles 
. If the problem is burdock - the root is a popular vegetable in Japan, but very long, and hard to get out completely. Burdock also apparently has medicinal qualities; I didn't read up on it, but a lot of articles popped up when I googled it.
Just a thought: would it be possible to rent the equipment needed for at least the initial work on the pasture, even if your daughter can't afford to buy it?
. Dock is related to sorrel, and as such contains oxalic acid, so I would be hesitant about feeding much of it to animals - though it sounds, from previous comments, that the animals aren't too keen on it anyway. the only other thing I know about dock is that it is supposed to be soothing when rubbed over skin that has been in contact with stinging nettles . If the problem is burdock - the root is a popular vegetable in Japan, but very long, and hard to get out completely. Burdock also apparently has medicinal qualities; I didn't read up on it, but a lot of articles popped up when I googled it. Just a thought: would it be possible to rent the equipment needed for at least the initial work on the pasture, even if your daughter can't afford to buy it?
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Farmfresh
City Biddy
I have a cousin with all of the necessary equipment, but he will have to trailer it about 40 miles and then again we will be at his mercy time wise.
This is curly dock. I have found places where people can eat the grain (seeds) and the leaves in young stages. Interesting that it is related to the sorrel family. HMMM.
This stuff has a long tap root as well, like a dandelion.
Do you all think we should till it up? I was worried about all the recent seeds that were dropped. I would hate to grow MORE of the lousy stuff.
This is curly dock. I have found places where people can eat the grain (seeds) and the leaves in young stages. Interesting that it is related to the sorrel family. HMMM.
This stuff has a long tap root as well, like a dandelion.
Do you all think we should till it up? I was worried about all the recent seeds that were dropped. I would hate to grow MORE of the lousy stuff.
