Weed Killer Plan!

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Shoei

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Afternoon,

As I'm going on holiday for 3 weeks in May (prime weed growing season) I'm trying to plan ahead with my paddock maintenance. When and what do you spray? I pull rag but generally have an issue with nettles a few thistles and docs... I'm in Derbyshire if that has any relevance!

Thanks
 
MCPA (Headland Spear I think) will kill all of those. You can spray at any time they are growing strongly, I use a knapsack sprayer throughout the summer. You need to exclude grazing livestock for a period, can't remember whether it is one week or three weeks, you can find it on the internet, but that will inform your planning.
 
Better be quick as after November 2015 you will need a licence to buy professional agricultural pesticides and to get them you have to attend (expensive) courses and pass examinations.

Oh, the joys of living in the EU - NOT!
 
Dry Rot said:
Better be quick as after November 2015 you will need a licence to buy professional agricultural pesticides and to get them you have to attend (expensive) courses and pass examinations.

Oh, the joys of living in the EU - NOT!
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In the wrong hands some of these chemicals can be harmful to the environment especially water courses so a bit of knowledge & training is no bad thing, it is a shame that the training is so expensive though.
 
Dry Rot said:
Better be quick as after November 2015 you will need a licence to buy professional agricultural pesticides and to get them you have to attend (expensive) courses and pass examinations.

Oh, the joys of living in the EU - NOT!
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You just dont know what you have been getting away with all these years ,I have BASIS qualifactions for pesticides and FACTS for fertiliser and have to obtain CPD points every year to keep them . The smallholder has always been the weak link in the system not before time if you ask me.
The training is not that expensive and it is not a case of getting hold the chemicals before Nov it will be illegal to posses them after that date without the correct paperwork. They are one of the checks we get most regularly on the farm.
Just for the record MCPA does not kill nettles CMPP will or fluroxipyr is even better and is one of the ingredients used in the specialist grassland sprays ie Pastor that they charge an arm and a leg for when you can blend them yourself for a fraction of the cost,but I shouldnt say that!
 
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So I need to go on a course, pass examinations, and get my sprayer tested, just to spray the weeds in my yard as I have been doing for the last 50 years? Will governments never learn that you cannot legislate against stupidity? No doubt you need the courses, exams, and certification, but I don't. I can read the label and act accordingly. I'll just be waiting for a moonlit night!

This reminds me of the woman who hired a chain saw and then sawed through her own foot -- then turned around and sued the hire company for not telling her that she shouldn't do that because it could be painful! If a child wanted to climb a tree these days it would require a risk assessment, harnesses, ropes, and a hard hat -- and probably scaffolding.

Bring back Natural Selection!!! Bah! Humbug! I was brought up after the war when you'd have been laughed at for wearing goggles and a hard hat. Only the wise ones survived. :D
 
Dry Rot said:
So I need to go on a course, pass examinations, and get my sprayer tested, just to spray the weeds in my yard as I have been doing for the last 50 years? Will governments never learn that you cannot legislate against stupidity? No doubt you need the courses, exams, and certification, but I don't. I can read the label and act accordingly. I'll just be waiting for a moonlit night!

This reminds me of the woman who hired a chain saw and then sawed through her own foot -- then turned around and sued the hire company for not telling her that she shouldn't do that because it could be painful! If a child wanted to climb a tree these days it would require a risk assessment, harnesses, ropes, and a hard hat -- and probably scaffolding.

Bring back Natural Selection!!! Bah! Humbug! I was brought up after the war when you'd have been laughed at for wearing goggles and a hard hat. Only the wise ones survived. :D
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I know where you are coming from however most misuse of chemicals is in the hands of the amateur user so why should I need the certification but you dont!
I am sure if you are spraying off weeds around the yard you will still be able to buy Roundup in the garden centre at about 500 times the cost to me lol.
 
popsdosh said:
Just for the record MCPA does not kill nettles
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Better come and tell my very few remaining nettles that their colleagues died when they shouldn't have then. Sometimes you have to give a second spray because the tiny hairs on the leaves protect them but my grassland is relatively nettle free thanks to MCPA
 
Different active ingredients kill weeds do different levels, a product I use called thrust will kill docks in the spring but only down to ground level, where as a product I use in autumn with a different active ingredient will kill docks down to their roots.

I do have a crib sheet with the different products and their relative effectiveness on different weeds if anyone wants one please PM me and I'll email it over.
 
JillA said:
Better come and tell my very few remaining nettles that their colleagues died when they shouldn't have then. Sometimes you have to give a second spray because the tiny hairs on the leaves protect them but my grassland is relatively nettle free thanks to MCPA
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It will knock back top growth and allow them to come again and eventually you will kill them the others will kill them. I was merely making the point there are better products for nettles and cheaper.
 
Some of these weeds are also herbs, so don't just spray for the sale of it, thistles [enjoyed by most ponies] and nettles are probably good for wildlife, try to take a balanced view. Years ago no one ever sprayed grass, they managed it.
 
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Pastor will kill docks, thistles and nettles. Depending on the extent of the problem, you could just strim the nettles and the horse's will eat them when they're wilted.
 
popsdosh said:
I know where you are coming from however most misuse of chemicals is in the hands of the amateur user so why should I need the certification but you dont!
I am sure if you are spraying off weeds around the yard you will still be able to buy Roundup in the garden centre at about 500 times the cost to me lol.
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It's on the list and will all be sorted after the revolution. My name is down for the machine gun, so meantime don't forget to be polite and respetful! :D
 
Thanks guys... I do have a very helpful FIL with all the spraying licence etc.... he generally fills my napsack until I nearly tip over backwards and send me off! I was trying to be a little bit more proactive as last year I left it too late and the weeds got hold... OH topped them and they came back...also some are on a bank and not suitable for tractor to top.... has anyone else noticed a bit of nettle growth recently..... If I can get these in between rain will it work?
 
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