By Ben Beckman
With leaves off and grasses dormant, late fall and winter can be an effective time to get ahead of brush in pasture and rangeland. However, it’s important to recognize that control options are more limited right with plants not actively growing. That means foliar herbicide treatments aren’t an option.
For evergreens like eastern red cedar, mechanical control is one of the best options right now. Cutting trees off at ground level is highly effective, and once a cedar is cut, it will not regrow. With grasses dormant, it’s easier to spot small trees and access infested areas before they become bigger problems.
For woody shrubs like buckbrush and smooth sumac, winter basal bark treatments can still be effective. Applying a labeled herbicide mixed with oil around the lower portion of the stem targets the plant directly and avoids damage to surrounding forage. This works best on individual plants or smaller patches, and good coverage is critical.
Yucca can be more challenging. Mowing alone usually doesn’t solve the problem, but targeted herbicide treatments or repeated pressure can help. In some cases, winter grazing can reduce patches over time, especially where cattle have learned to disturb and uproot plants.
Even when treatment options are limited, winter is a valuable time to identify and map problem patches, flag areas for future treatment, and think through which tools—mechanical control, grazing, fire, or herbicide—will fit best once plants are actively growing again.
A little planning now can save grazing acres, time, and money down the road.