Re-vegetation

Species selected for re-vegetating disturbed sites and oxeye daisy infestations should be appropriate for management objectives, adapted to site conditions, and competitive with the weed. Management objectives will determine if introduced or native species are seeded and the combination of species in the seed mix. The environmental conditions of the site including precipitation, soil texture and depth, slope and aspect, will affect species establishment. Refer to Montana Plant Materials Technical Note 46, ‘Seeding Rates and Recommended Cultivars,’ and Extension Bulletin EB19 ‘Dryland Pasture Species for Montana and Wyoming’ for seeding rate guidance and re-vegetation species selection. State, area, and field office resource specialists can help determine the most appropriate, site-specific species mix and timing of seeding.

In most cases, herbicidal suppression of oxeye daisy is needed for re-vegetation of infested lands. The herbicides listed in Table 1 will control oxeye daisy and reduce competition during the establishment period with little or no injury to emerging grass seedlings. This is especially important for species that are slow to establish like many of the native grasses. However, where herbicides have been applied, chemical carryover should be assessed prior to planting permanent vegetation, particularly if forbs or shrubs are included in the seed mix.

It is noteworthy that a six-year field diversity study in the Netherlands found oxeye daisy population stability measured by biomass decreased as diversity increased. The diversity make-up of this study included combinations four grass and four forb species, all perennials. In the last year of the study, oxeye daisy almost disappeared from the plots. Light intensity at the soil surface decreased as diversity increased, and soil nutrient concentrations were either not affected (phosphate) or showed a slight increase (potassium and nitrate) with diversity. In monocultures of oxeye daisy, fewer weeds were successful invaders than in monocultures of the other seven species. This study suggests that restoring and maintaining diverse plant communities may reduce invasiveness of this weed, and the suppression of oxeye daisy is important for successful re-vegetation with desirable species.

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Last Modified: 03/20/2008