I have a few fields (7 acres) that have never been planted that I want to prepare. They are in Bermuda grass now. As I understand it, I should mow, disc, plant native sunflowers and lightly cover before the last freeze? On my old place in Woodson I tried planting years ago, the Johnson grass choked em all out in the summer. How do I prevent that from happening again? Wasn’t sure if the natives from Turner Seed were round up ready. Thanks for any tips in helping me get a good stand for next season.

About the only way to keep any type of grass out is to graze cattle on the field all summer. They won’t touch the sunflowers but will eat every blade of Johnson grass. I fought this problem for years, sprayed it, plowed it under. Then an old rancher told me to graze it. It works perfect and the cows leave the ground bare except for the sunflowers. Easy to find birds.
The natives from Turners are just that, not roundup or any other herbicide ready. They buy them from farmers and ranchers during plentiful seed years.
Before I bought seed I would find a farmer that has a big tractor and a deep turning plow and rip the coastal deep then plow it flat. In this country the native seed is already there it just has to be turned up and the coastal turned under deep. Needs to be done before the end of February.
Even if you buy seed the coastal needs to be turned under really deep.

Huntwest is correct. Plow when we get some moisture. Holler if you need cattle to graze it.

I am having that problem too

Spoke to Jay Mercer at Turner and he recommended I turn the dirt over as many times as possible this first year. And then plant em with wheat this next Fall. Not sure I can be that patient!

My current fencing situation is not good enough to keep cows in. In fact, the neighbors cows quite frequently make it through to eat in my pasture, which is in much better shape than his.

I moved… I’m in Love County Oklahoma. Probably a little too far from Abilene😬

We planted last year for the first time... Pretty laughable at our attempts at being farmers, but I would say it worked out.

Cleared about a 6 acre area.. Disc'ed it 3-4 times before we planted anything. 2-3 passes along the perimeter with milo, then Turner's "Dove Mix". Lots of rain last year and it looked great. Just no birds.

Mowed it in late Oct, and made a couple passes with the disc... We were told that we should not have to plant anything this year as the natives will take over. We shall see...

Good info. Where is your place located?

Just outside of Moran.

If you turn it over a couple times before spring you will probably have plenty of natives come up. Just find some cows and start grazing it.
If wait and plant wheat and the wheat grows through next the following spring it could inhibit the sunflowers growing. Either way you do it you need to graze it. Both the wheat and the grass.