Weed control - what do you do?

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kit279

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I need to get a handle on the weeds in our fields - they were spot sprayed in the early spring but we had no rain so it wasn't very effective and mostly seemed to kill the grass. We have ten acres and quite sandy soil with a lot of drought-resistant grass species that will most likely be killed off if we spray the entire fields. The really problematic weeds are nettles, but there are a few thistles, docks and the odd ragwort that gets pulled out by hand.

What does everyone else do?

I was planning on fertilising in the autumn and maybe spot spraying again. Does this sound reasonable? It's probably not possible to weed that acreage by hand at the moment as no time...
 
I dont worry about nettles because the horses love them when dried. Docks are a pain because the seeds can lay dormant in the soil for years then suddenly spring up. I try to pull them up.

Maybe ask your local agronomist for advice?
 
Hi
If you search Docks on ths forum many results come up as this ha been discussed recently.

but SBK from a garden centre can be used on all the weeds you have problems with with out killing grass.

Spray now since this recent rain and docks are less resiliant to weedkillers and suseptable when they are due to flower as all their enegy has been used up in flower and seed production.
 
TBH, I just top the docks and thistles, before they go to seed; somehow the only nettles I seem to have are along the drive and in the yard, not in fields. It does not eliminate them instantly (well, it does the particular ones, as the get their heads chopped off ;):D), but it does improve the matters slowly.
My soil is very light and sandy, we had no rain to speak of since March and any spraying was just pointless waste of money and effort.
 
I use Headland Polo which kills all broadleaf weeds, including Buttercups, Daises, Nettles, Docks and those blasted Dandelions. It also kills ragwort, but I think this will need a second spraying. I have never had ragwort on my land, (lucky me) but I know people whom have used it on ragwort with success.

I am fortunate enough to have a tractor and an agricultural boom sprayer, but for smaller areas I use the latter on the back of my quad. It can however be used in a snap sack.

I sprayed my land in March/April this year and have no weeds in sight, so it is good stuff, albeit expensive, but in my opinion it does the job, so worth every penny. It can be used anytime of the year as long as the weeds are active and best used when there is NO sign of rain. If using this herbicide, read the instructions carefully, it is very a POWERFUL weed killer.

Keep all livestock off the paddock once sprayed for 14 days.

One can also ring the site for guidance, they are extremely help. Delivery is as they say and arrives quickly. I researched this spray and could not find it anywhere cheaper than the site below.

I hope this response has been helpful to you

http://www.progreen.co.uk/Weed-Kill.../For-Paddocks/Headland-Polo-10LT/prod_26.html
 
My grazing next to salmon and trout river so never spray--just dig out the odd ragwort plant and strim everything else--nettles several times in the year. Think it could stand some lime as yellow rattle becoming more abundant.
 
Cuffey said:
My grazing next to salmon and trout river so never spray--just dig out the odd ragwort plant and strim everything else--nettles several times in the year. Think it could stand some lime as yellow rattle becoming more abundant.
Click to expand...

I had Lime put on my field in March and since then I have had Yellow Rattle and Docks appear in abundance.
 
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