Spraying for weeds in September?

[vannersrus]

As title really- I was wondering whether people would spray paddocks for weeds in September?
Horses will be moved to winter grazing by then and I wondered if it’s worth doing the preparation now rather than in spring when the ground gets more churned up by tractors?
Thanks for any advice!

 

[teapot]

Ideally need to be sprayed when it's dry for weeks at a time (harder to do in autumn/winter) and before topping for best results

 

[laura_nash]

Ideally need to be sprayed when it's dry for weeks at a time (harder to do in autumn/winter) and before topping for best results

Can I ask why for both these points? I've always understood you want to spray when the plant is growing actively (so not in too dry conditions / drought) and you can't top straight after spraying, need to either wait for the weed to fully die (including the root depending on the spray used) or top first and then spray when / if they grow back.

OP - We spray in autumn for some things if necessary (mainly creeping thistle which works well for us although people will say its too late and you need to get them in rosette stage), I don't think it would be very effective for other things though (eg buttercups).

ETA If we only sprayed when it had been dry for weeks we would never spray.

 

[teapot]

Can I ask why for both these points? I've always understood you want to spray when the plant is growing actively (so not in too dry conditions / drought) and you can't top straight after spraying, need to either wait for the weed to fully die (including the root depending on the spray used) or top first and then spray when / if they grow back.

OP - We spray in autumn for some things if necessary (mainly creeping thistle which works well for us although people will say its too late and you need to get them in rosette stage), I don't think it would be very effective for other things though (eg buttercups).

ETA If we only sprayed when it had been dry for weeks we would never spray.

Being dry means the spray won't be immediately washed away so can get into the plant properly and topping later on (I didn't mean automatically afterwards) so the dead plant is cut and taken away. Which is why spring is the ideal window in terms of weather, weed growth, and wider management plan. Also pointless topping in the months grass doesn't grow, you want to use it to encourage better growth/sward thickness.

Spraying one day and watching getting it washed off 24hrs later which is far more likely to happen in autumn/winter is not only stupid but a waste of time/money.

 

[chocolategirl]

As title really- I was wondering whether people would spray paddocks for weeds in September?
Horses will be moved to winter grazing by then and I wondered if it’s worth doing the preparation now rather than in spring when the ground gets more churned up by tractors?
Thanks for any advice!

My husband, a farmer, says not established weeds, but second growth, yes ?

 

[laura_nash]

Spraying one day and watching getting it washed off 24hrs later which is far more likely to happen in autumn/winter is not only stupid but a waste of time/money.

Most of the sprays I use only need between 2 to 5 hrs of dry after spraying (depending on the spray) according to the manufacturers instructions.

 

[Tiddlypom]

The weeds do need to still be actively growing, but as long as the spray dries before rain arrives (destructions suggest min 6 hours after application) it should still work.

Early Sept should be ok, but in reality as soon as poss.

 

[millikins]

I read a blog about this as with limited land my opportunities for spraying are often not ideal. The person who wrote it said that you can weedkill all year round, so long as it doesn't get washed off, it will still work even in winter but slowly.

 

[lamlyn2012]

In addition to advise above
If it's mainly for buttercups the manufacturers of Envy confirm their product can be used from spring through to September.
For any weedkiller you need to have a sufficient amount of leaf for optimum uptake and the leaves should be dry. Ie no dew or rain.
Autumn is a time when plants are taking in nutrients to store for winter so you should have some success with autumn spraying but possibly not as effective as spring.

 

[hock]

I spray in spring and the September. I also mow my weeds and the best time to do that is when they’re almost done growing and they used up lots of energy. It takes a large effort for them to start growing all over again I’m told.

Spray in spring with something like dockstar etc, spray everything.

I then spot spray with a backpack weed killer like roundup at least 2 weeks later as it can take this long to see this results. I want to spray something and it to instantly turn to dust in front of my eyes ?.

Either bush cut or mow anything that appears throughout the summer.

September spray again.

Leave livestock off for a minimum of 7 days but for us it’s much longer as we rotate our fields.

I don’t poo pick the big paddocks, just Harrow and then either spray or strim the weeds. The fields then left until either the horses go back in it or it’s due a spring weed. Or cut for hay/haylage.

We have smaller paddocks next to the house and yard for the riding horses or horses that need extra care and we do poo pick them daily. The weeds are strimmed as soon as they appear there and they’re also sprayed twice a year.

So far this is working really well for us and we bought a dock leaf farm. We have other weeds too but the dock invasion, I take personally. I have a super neighbouring farmer who is full of great advice and he’s helped us so much.
Also put grass seed down as soon as you can so there’s no space for the docks. Best time is the day before rain but there’s a lot of debate over this. I do this usually in spring but I also do spots all through until autumn.

 

[Sprig]

I did my nettles with Grazon Pro just before the rain we had a week or so ago. It's been a great success and they are looking nice and crispy already.

 

[hock]

I did my nettles with Grazon Pro just before the rain we had a week or so ago. It's been a great success and they are looking nice and crispy already.

Oh lovely! I love a crispy weed they make me so happy!

 

[tda]

Well I have been waiting for a few days without rain to spray, no joy yet, but if you guys say less dry time is ok I might just risk it.

 

[vannersrus]

Thanks everyone that’s great !

 

[Mule]

You should use hormone ones (auxins) in spring or autumn as they won't work as well at other times of the year, I think because the plant has to be actively growing. Afaik the weedkillers that kill weeds but not grass are all auxins.