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[magical thyme]

43. wacking them down every year or two doesn't get rid of them

And if they've taken over, pulling them won't do it unless you're able to work at it 24x7 or unless you have only a tiny area to take care of.

Mowing/bushhogging regularly is how to push the weeds back. Grasses are almost all leaf and grow from the top of the leaf. Grass spreads in 2 ways: putting out seed or mowing. Mowing grass encourages it to put out new roots and shoots. Most "weeds" spread by putting out seeds only, and grow from the base. Mowing frequently (before they flower) prevents them from putting out seed and forces their stored energy to be used to grow a new stalk and leaves. So it gives the grass a big competitive edge.

You can restore a completely overrun pasture within a couple years by bushhogging it at critical times.

You can also lose a pasture completely by *not* bushhogging at critical times.

I maintained my pasture for years as long as I had my rider mower to get out and mow mid-spring, and then keeping it mowed to 4" or so. After I sold my mower 3 years ago, I had to rely on hiring somebody to mow for me. But his tractor is too large to come out in mid-spring (while the fields are still too wet and soft) and he refused to come in July or August (when his 1% snowbird clients have returned). By the time he was mowing, it was September and the weeds and brush had already gone to seed.

As a result, after 3 years I've lost half my pasture. So this spring I have weed-wacked like crazy for the last couple weeks to beat the mess back. I can see the grasses making a comeback already. The weeds try to come back, but it takes them longer. So I will continue with the weed wacking all spring and summer, mercifully at a slower pace. Each time I wack the weeds and grass, the grasses get a bigger advantage because they can come back and spread considerably faster than the weeds. Eventually, the grasses themselves will choke off the weeds and my pasture will be restored.