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Maintaining grass free dry lot

barefooted4
 

For 5 years I have managed to keep my dry lot grass free for my minis and rarely had to use muzzles.   Unfortunately, this year has been the exception.  We have recently tilled it and leveled and it isn’t safe for turn out (without muzzles) due to an incredible amount of rain and more growth albeit weeds more than grass.  I know it can be bare dirt because it has been in the past but I am struggling with it this year.  Any advice on getting and keeping bare dirt? 
--
Kristie Brand  2003
Arcanum, Ohio

Eleanor Kellon, VMD
 

Several options, and I'm not the person for details but you could speak to local landscapers or your stage agricultural extension agent:
- herbicides
- black plastic cover to kill the vegetation
- pea gravel coverage (or other coverage)
--
Eleanor in PA

www.drkellon.com 
EC Owner 2001

Martha McSherry
 

Make sure to put mats under where you feed hay.  And clean manure up regularly.  
--
Martha in Vermont
ECIR Group Primary Response
July 2012 
 
Logo (dec. 7/20/19), Tobit(EC) and Pumpkin, Handy and Silver (EC/IR)

Martha and Logo


 
 

barefooted4
 

Unfortunately I can’t feed any hay and they are on a TC Timothy Balance Cubes only diet.  I’ve bought them some cube balls to roll around in addition to their soaked cubes.   Manure is picked daily. 
--
Kristie Brand  2003
Arcanum, Ohio

Maxine McArthur
 

Kristie, there are lots of ideas over on the Horsekeeping group. You could search using terms such as “grass free”, “kill grass”, “weed control” etc.
--
Maxine and Indy (PPID) and Dangles (PPID)

Canberra, Australia 2010
ECIR Primary Response

https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Maxine%20and%20Indy%20and%20Dangles 
https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/album?id=933

 

Lorna Cane
 

Hi Kristie,

We use the vinegar/water/soap spray and/or put down cardboard over the problem areas. 
Rocks or weights of some kind help keep the cardboard in place until the next rain.

--

Lorna  in Eastern  Ontario
2002
Check out FAQ : https://www.ecirhorse.org/FAQ.php

Kirsten Rasmussen
 

If you can scrape off all the topsoil/dirt, and bring in a gravel base and have it compacted professionally, then spread sand/pea gravel on top, you will get very few weeds.  What does grow can be spot treated with salt or vinegar.

--
Kirsten and Shaku (IR + PPID) - 2019
Kitimat, BC, Canada
ECIR Group Moderator
 
Shaku's Case History
Shaku's Photo Album

Cindy Giovanetti
 

I’ve had a grass-free track for several years now, and I can tell you that what Dr. K said is absolutely correct (either herbicide, plastic tarps to smother, or inorganic surfacing). 

 

Nature abhors a vacuum and will constantly try to get something to grow.  I walk a portion of mine every day with a weed sprayer and spray the new growth.  It doesn’t take much herbicide if you hit it before it has a chance to take root and spread.   

 

Anything organic (wood chips, manure, leaves) will rot and encourage new growth.

 

I’m hoping to put down some sort of sandy/rocky (inorganic) surfacing on mine next week.

 

Cindy

_._,_._,_


--
Cindy, Oden, and Eeyore, North Texas
On ECIR protocol since 2/19
https://www.facebook.com/LifeWithOden/
History: https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Cindy%20and%20Oden
Photos:  https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/album?id=91125

Hilary McGregor
 

What are some safe herbicides? 

Any recipes/proportions for vinegar/salt/soap weed sprays?


--
Hilary and Amika
Prince George, BC, Canada
Joined July 2019
NRC+ proficient grad January 2022

Amika's Case History Folder
Amika's Photos Folder

Jack's Case History
Jack's Photos Folder

Eleanor Kellon, VMD
 

They are all safe when used as directed.

There are plenty of details on alternatives on our Horsekeeping subgroup.
--
Eleanor in PA

www.drkellon.com 
EC Owner 2001

Deb Walker
 

Kristie - I have never had any luck with the vinegar/soap solutions, even buying the strongest vinegar I could find...well over what others have mentioned. The weeds just lapped it up and said "give me more."

Last year I bought a burn torch that is meant for weeds. That is the only thing that knocks them down, but it was a huge job the first time, and now I see I need to get out there sooner rather than later to start over again. We ended up buying another one so my husband and I could both work on it to make it go faster.
--
Deb and Scotty I/R, PPID
Pecatonica Illinois, May 13, 2019
Case History:
 https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Deb%20and%20Scotty
Photos:
https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/album?id=90619

Carol Broyles
 

Kristie, I put sandy 9s (similar to pea gravel) in both of my dry lots.  I have to top them off every few years with a couple more inches,  but it's worth it.  I use the lots for all my horses in late winter and early spring because of the mud. The aggregate helps keep down the growth of new green stuff, and it's healthier for them than standing in mud.

A local company called Rock Chukkers blows them into the lot, so we don't need to do much ourselves.  We used to have it hauled in and then we needed to move it to the lot and spread it out ourselves. 

Carol Broyles 
August 2007
Spring Valley, Ohio 

Jannalee Smithey
 

Hi, Deb,

Just wondering whether you use the “wilt” but not “torch” the weeds until utter Black Death? 

I’ve read that it’s the wilting that actually will kill them (eventually), but that burning them to a crisp will give them another round of growth.

Curious as to what you did to beat the buggars down! 

Thanks,

Jannalee

Jannalee Smithey, EDO
Talent, Oregon
Vice-President/Secretary
Board of Directors
ECIR Group, Inc.
Joined 2008






--
Jannalee Smithey, EDO
Talent, Oregon
Vice-President/Secretary
Board of Directors
ECIR Group, Inc.
Joined 2008

Eleanor Kellon, VMD
 

The problem with wilting without killing is until it actually dies it will mount a huge sugar response - the plants reaction to any stress - so you will have to keep the horses away from them.
--
Eleanor in PA

www.drkellon.com 
EC Owner 2001

Deb Walker
 

Jannalee - I torch them crunchy and black...gone.
--
Deb and Scotty I/R, PPID
Pecatonica Illinois, May 13, 2019
Case History:
 https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Deb%20and%20Scotty
Photos:
https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/album?id=90619

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