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Queen Anne's Lace in pasture

 
Posts: 22
Location: Mid-Michigan 6a/5b
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I am wondering what Queen Anne's Lace indicates about soil and what I could do about it, if it is even necessary.

I graze a small number (2 for most of the season, but 3 to 4 for brief periods) of cattle on about 5 acres of pasture. I rotate them every one or two days and feed hay in times of drought and in the winter. Starting last year, I have been grazing the grass taller than I had been, in order to build up more organic material on the ground. Three years ago we had a very bad drought.

Last year and this year, starting in mid summer, I have seen a Very Large amount of QAL growing almost everywhere in the pasture. The cattle (Scottish Highlanders) don't really eat it and I'd rather have more things growing that they like.

The history of the soil is that it was mono-cropped from time immemorial until we bought it in 1998. I let it go to field and just mowed it a couple times a year for about 10 years and started grazing cattle about six years ago. It has improved every year, but this recent turn doesn't seem positive.

Do any of you have experience with this?

I did read the following, but am hoping for more specific answers:

https://permies.com/t/7308/plants/handle-Queen-Annes-Lace-excess#65940

Thanks!
 
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Posts: 178
Location: Henry County Ky Zone 6
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i don't know any of the scientific explanations but in my pasture, it comes up in disturbed and overgrazed areas. It has a good tap root so that is good for pasture to loosen up soil bring up minerals. The more careful i am with rotational grazing, the less weeds in general. Once we added sheep, weeds are not often a problem. Except rag weed in one area, this year, but usually if a weed is abundant one year it seems less so the next. I used to think, "if only i didn't have all this plantain and crab grass more "good" grass and clover would grow". It was the plantain and crab grass along with rest periods, that worked the soil to make it ready for "better" plants. There is a lot of awesome info out there (and in this forum especially) about grazing. 2 horses, 6-12 sheep, 4 turkeys and 3 chickens on 5ish acres. It was very overgrazed 3 years ago and has come back more and more every year with more animals on it. Depending on who's eating weeds=feed. Good luck
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