Howdy,
We have about a 1 acre pasture of mejia grass that we'd like to kill and convert to a garden next year. We've tried covering part of it with 4-6 inches of mulch - tree trimmings of leaves and chips. But, the grass is coming up through all that. I'd prefer to use an organic solution, if there is one. Can anyone suggest solutions?
Originally, I was planning to use a chemical - a much stronger version of RoundUP, but I want to know if there are residual effects? Does that stay in the ground? If so, for how long? Would it affect our vegetables next year? We are collecting cardboard to cover some areas, but 1 acre takes a LOT of cardboard, and a lot of dumpster diving to get it.
Does anyone know of a good source for large cardboard?

Adding mulch, tree trimmings, leaves and chips only serve to fertilize and help the unwanted plants to grow stronger.

Long term effects of glyphosate:
http://www.motherjones.com/tom...

I can't begin to imagine how big a job it will be to cover such a large area with cardboard but I will stand here and applaud you for not using chemicals.
You could contact major appliance retailers and ask to pick up the cardboard before they send it to recycling. You could contact the recycling companies to see if they would cooperate and let you have some. I once had to move a 4 x 8 piece of material during a high wind so I would say...check the wind report before you begin the project and take it one section at a time. Slow and steady; doesn't have to be completed in one go.

Don't forget that heavy plastic can also work to solarize/kill the unwanted plants. Good luck!

I have not heard of Mejia grass, might you mean bahiagrass? I've no experience with it, not being from that area, but this Clemson article might be of interest:

http://www.clemson.edu/extensi...

You could also ask your local extension office what they suggest.

Doing a whole acre all at once is certainly quite a task. Can you not, as Greene suggested, do it gradually? One can get large areas of plastic although you'd also have to have a method of keeping it anchored.

If using a herbicide, any residual effects and soil activity would depend on the specific herbicide used.

I'm assuming Rusk County would be your nearest Extension office, in which case contact info is given here: http://rusk.agrilife.org/ag-na...

The only thing I could find when I searched for 'Mejia' is that someone by that name identified forage plants including some grasses, but if it is Bahia grass, that makes more sense. I live in Georgia and I hate the stuff.
Yep, it seems that Bahia grass is a problem in East Texas.
http://agrilife.org/smithcount...

Yes, bahia is the pasture grass that everyone here in East Texas has.

I have had good luck clearing bahia land using a bottom plow. Turn the land over and then harrow it, and that generally kills the bahia (although it sometimes takes a couple seasons to fully finish it.)

@dave, wonder if changing the title of the thread so folks know the grass is Bahia and not Mejia might be a good idea?

I think another name for Mejia is goose grass, an annual. It is not the same as Bahia.

The common name 'goose grass' is used for several different grasses; please, what is the botanical name of the 'Mejia goose grass' you are referring to? Thank you.

The goose grass we see here is Eleusine indica.

Thank you for telling me that you have Eleusine indica where you live.
I am curious where you saw the name Mejia as a name for goose grass, thank you.

Google.

If there is a grass names Mejia or similar spelling, I'd like to find information so I can read more about it. Google is a pretty big place...would you please try to be more specific? Provide a link or two? Thank you.

Back to the original question...
Here is a link to a similar discussion where the OP/original poster spelled it as 'Mexia grass'; the group offered 'Bahia' as the correct name. http://texags.com/forums/34/to...