No, not that type of sauna!  Had to mow down a field of bahia grass, and between the heat and the humidity here behind the Pine Curtain of East Texas, you’re going to lose a bit of water.  Hydration and a large cowboy hat help.  

When I moved out here, there was nothing but a darn large yard, a strip of forest along a creek – which should be pronounced “crick” – and another field of grass behind that.  No fencing, no outbuildings or much in the way of landscaping.  I have learned over the years, that it had to have been some very evil men who thought importing bahia grass from South America would be a great thing for the cattle industry here in Texas.  There had to have been other options for semi-tropical south Texas.  As it is, it has spread all up in to north Texas, on the wet side, and this stuff is a serious pain.  As a yard grass – it is invasive, sends up tall “V” seed heads on a daily basis making you mow more often for that part of your yard that you want looking decent.  In a field, it will literally smother native plants, and I have had it kill young trees in the orchard.  It will literally grow right around tightly, and suck and moisture and nutrients away from them.  Dig up the dead tree, and the rhizomes are everywhere, and the tree can’t get a start.  

Mechanically – don’t let it get too high in your field before you cut it.  Thick stands have stopped the blades on my rotary mower…it simply wraps around before it can be fully cut.  l know plenty of folks are cutting it for hay, and more power to them, but even in this department, it provides a poorer quality product for the livestock.

This year, I am trying a couple of ideas out to see if I can knock it back a bit.  First, I am trying an annual legume – Sunn Hemp – between some orchard rows to see if it will block it out a bit and help soil health.  I’ll know more in July.  Second, a few sheep on a section of field.  They already mow it down and keep any seed heads from popping up.  Can they encourage it to die?  We shall see.

On a positive note, all this heat and rain has pushed the blackberry production into overdrive, plums are ripening fast, and I suspect the peaches will be ready by the end of next week.  For any fruit out here, you have to harvest daily and inspect all the time – the mockingbirds have a way of beating you to it, if you do not.