Bracken fern

[Ron Wenrich]

Someone asked me how to get rid of ferns from food plots.  Seems like they cut the openings for food plots and the ferns take over and choke out all the other plants. 

[OneWithWood]

Ferns do not like abundant sunlight or dry soil.  Maybe they need to open up the canopy a bit more.

[Jeff]

I don't think that will work for Braken. I have the same issues in the u.p.  The only thing that helped was repeated applications of roundup (we use pronto, the tractor supply brand)  We use a wipe system mounted on the front of the quads. Instead of a sprayer, make an applicator with pvc.  Use a tee in the middle, with a length on each side, with a cap on the ends. This should be wider than the quad when attached.  Drill small holes in the pvc, and then use some sort of material to make sleeves for the pvc. we used sweatshirt sleeves. Put that on and fasten with zip ties. You can add your round up through the tee, and cap. The round up will saturate the sleeves, then all you do is drive through the ferns. This way you are only targeting the ferns, or whatever else is wiper high.  Ferns may take several applications as they are T O U G H.

[BradMarks]

I would agree, repeated chemical applications. I'll check with my "pro" to see if there might be something more specific than glyphosate to kill 'em.

[Clark]

In theory, since ferns have a weird two-year cycle, if you cut them early enough in the year you should only have to mow the area twice but in back-to-back years. Granted, I don't know how far the spores from bracken will travel...so mowing may or may not work well.

My family's land had a small area that came back to bracken and it never had anything else growing there. It always appeared odd to me. Years later in college I learned that bracken is allelopathic so there is good reason why that opening persisted. After ~15 years that opening is finally at the point where it is no longer "open" and the hazel and aspen have invaded it.

There is this articlethis article which has information on herbicides.

OWW - Bracken loves dry, open ground. It grows just about everywhere up here but in openings it will quickly form a layer knee to waist high that doesn't allow anything to grow up through it.

Clark

[sprucebunny]

It doesn't like being mowed.

[Jeff]

In my experience, that is true. It seems to retaliate by growing back with three days. :D

[rasman57]

I have lots of the ferns but a lot less after 5 years of working at control.  My expereince is to mow and maybe seed in some grass.  The key is to mow and not allow them to take back over.  I have about 15 acres that were covered in ferns until I really kept after them mowing.  Now in those areas they are rare.   Around the building near the wooded areas in my sandy soil they sort of brown up with roundup and never die.  I cut them and before they leaf out I cut them again and roundup the new sprouts.  I am winning in a big way but in among the popple aspen they own the woods until late fall.  Gives the Woodcock some cover before my Bird Dog and I stumble through.

[thecfarm]

Jeff,I use pronto from TSC too. I watch the sales and could buy 2½ gallons for $38. Round up is good but,it's over $20 for just a quart now. 

[sprucebunny]

Ya, you have to mow them several times. And it helps if there is something else growing there.

I had places where they were 5-6 feet tall... very Jurassic  :D But after 10 years, they don't come up in my trails that are only mowed once a year.

[BradMarks]

My friend George, a licensed, respected professional says Asulox (trade name I think) used to be the best chemical for Bracken Fern (let's believe bracken here in the west is the same as your locales). It is no longer labeled for forestry applications but still is for Christmas trees. Where food plots fit in, I don't know.  Absent of that he recommends 2% Accord XRT + 1/2% Polaris AC + 1% Syl-Tac (sticker).  BUT he says it will also kill grass and weeds. Don't know if that helps anyone out there any more than glyphosate, except that bracken is stubborn and this mix is more directed.

[OneWithWood]

I am glad I don't have any bracken ferns that I am aware of.  All of my ferns, Christmas, cinnamon, ostrich, and maidenhair seem to be much better behaved than this bracken stuff!  And much easier to control.
Thanks for the correction, Clark.  Learned something new. 

[Jeff]

I don't think that will work for Braken. I have the same issues in the u.p.  The only thing that helped was repeated applications of roundup (we use pronto, the tractor supply brand)  We use a wipe system mounted on the front of the quads. Instead of a sprayer, make an applicator with pvc.  Use a tee in the middle, with a length on each side, with a cap on the ends. This should be wider than the quad when attached.  Drill small holes in the pvc, and then use some sort of material to make sleeves for the pvc. we used sweatshirt sleeves. Put that on and fasten with zip ties. You can add your round up through the tee, and cap. The round up will saturate the sleeves, then all you do is drive through the ferns. This way you are only targeting the ferns, or whatever else is wiper high.  Ferns may take several applications as they are T O U G H.

Here is a photo taken yesterday, only 30 days after being on my property and having it  mowed and looking like a lawn. Bracken ferns are crazy. That's onewithwood caught in the picture.


 

[Deese]

Ferns in general prefer acidic soils. Take 10+ soil samples from the area, mix them together in a clean bucket, and then take your sample from that mixture and get it tested.
I'll bet it's acidic. Lime should solve the problem.

[joecurtin]

Ferns in general prefer acidic soils. Take 10+ soil samples from the area, mix them together in a clean bucket, and then take your sample from that mixture and get it tested.
I'll bet it's acidic. Lime should solve the problem.

jumping in 5 years later because I'm dealing with a bracken invasion myself.  It's only 8 acres but surrounded by several miles of the stuff.

I notice my steep sloped are entirely covered while the flatter land has
thick but isolated islands of it.  Makes sense because bracken love acidic and fast drying slopes. It does not like watery land.  I do believe modifying soil ph is the way to go, but difficult to apply on steep slopes and takes tons of lime.

I killed off an entire hillside of bracken with a solution of water and regular iodized salt.  I avoided areas that were clearly amphibian habitat. Wacking it first gave the best results, possibly because the open stems delivered the solution to the rhizome. Pure speculation but based on a dramatic result.

Asulox is the gold standard for bracken in the UK but you literally have to buy it on the black market here.  And it is not a magic bullet.

[Habitatmgr]

We have been treating ferns (Hay scented, New York, and Bracken) here in PA on forestry sites prior to TSI with a combination of Glyphosate at 1-2qts/acre and Oust (Sulfometuron methyl) at 2oz/acre (Can use 2-4oz/acre)

We apply this with a mist blower backpack sprayer from mid summer through September when the ferns start to yellow.  

The Oust is a soil active herbicide and is taken up by the fern rhizomes providing better control than just using Glyphosate alone.

A single application will provide several years of fern control

Oust can be purchased through Keystone Pest solutions online

Brian