2021 Spring Farm

2021 Logan County Farm Outlook LINCOLN DAILY NEWS March 18, 2021 Page 17 Some producers have introduced their livestock to fields prior to planting and after harvest, and have had some success turning out cows, goats and pigs to fields to consume invasives. A word of caution using this natural cultivator and fertilizer; livestock fed at the trough may have lost their instinct to forage and not appreciate the bounty that lies before them. Cultural control can be done through controlled burning. However, if not managed or timed properly, the fire could stimulate the growth of invasive plants like garlic mustard. The U of I Extension says, “Fire in combination with other methods may be the fastest way to remove some invasive populations.” If you choose to use controlled burning, make sure you are complying with the Illinois Prescribed Burning Act. The timing for the application of controls is important too. The University of Illinois Extension Forestry Program invasive plant management recommends: • Chemical treatments to annual or biennial plants should be applied before the plants start flowering. • Once annual or biennial plants have fruit forming, the most effective control measure is mechanically removing the plant, making sure to remove the fruits/seeds from the area. When the fruits start to mature and fall off of the plant, mechanical treatments should be halted. • When fruit mature on some invasive plants, such as garlic mustard, Japanese stiltgrass, and Japanese chaff flower, care should be taken to avoid accidentally spreading the seeds of these plants. Continue 4