There was a joke that went around in Fall 2020:

What do new cars and winter annual weeds have in common?

The 2021 models are already out!

So, with this being said, the best time to control winter annual (also known as cool-season annual) weeds is in late Fall, before they go dormant. But, if wanting to control them in early Spring, it is never too early to start planning. It is important to control unwanted species in pastures and hayfields to prevent them from out-competing desirable forage species.

There are several steps in developing a successful weed control plan. The first is to identify what weed species are present in the pasture or hayfield. Below are some common cool-season pasture weeds in Stokes County:

Buttercup: There are two common species of buttercup in N.C.: hairy and bulbous.  Methods of control are similar, although bulbous can sometimes be more difficult to control.

Chickweed: There are several types of chickweed as well, including common chickweed and mouseear chickweed. Control for both types is similar.

Henbit: Henbit is recognized by small purple flowers and a square stem, although not to be confused with deadnettle.

Purple Deadnettle: Purple Deadnettle (also known as red deadnettle or simply deadnettle) is also recognized by its square stem; however, its leaf margins and flowers differ from henbit.

Plantain: Pronounced by some as plan-tuhn, there are two common species of plantain found in forage production: buckhorn and broadleaf. Blackseed plantain is less common, but can occur.

1. Evaluate management practices. Are pasture or hayfields being grazed or mowed too closely and too often? When forage species are over-harvested, either mechanically or by animals, they become stressed and their growth is "stunted". This allows sneaky weeds to establish.
2. Evaluate soil fertility. It's been said before that "unless you test, it's just a guess", and this is true when evaluating soil fertility. Many pasture weeds thrive at high pH levels or in nutrient-deficient soils. By soil testing, it is easier to decide how much lime to apply to amend pH levels, and also if application of nutrients such as potassium and phosphorus are necessary. Just like people, if forage species don't get proper nutrients, they can't grow!
3. Determine which herbicide will best control problematic weeds. In the past, 2-4D and Dicamba products have been used to control broadleaf weeds. While these products are still available and useful, new products such as DuraCor are also good to have in any weed control toolbox.

Many thanks to NC State Extension Weed Specialists for preparing and providing pictures in their publications that were used in this article. To read more about weed identification in North Carolina, refer to the Weed Identification in Pastures, Hayfields, and Sprayfields Extension Publication.