Smother weeds with well managed grass
As the year progresses, Teagasc Advisers start to receive more and more telephone calls and enquiries from the farming public about weed control.
Some of the frequently asked questions are answered in this article.
Before starting any control programme for weeds, consider the following points.
The best control of all for weeds is good grassland management.
Maintaining a dense, leafy grass sward will smother out emerging weeds.
In this regard, having a fertile soil with adequate levels of lime, nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, along with a suitable pH for grass growth, is hugely important.
Avoiding poaching and overgrazing will limit the space for weeds to emerge.
If there is a heavy infestation of weeds, and chemical control is needed, the weed being treated should be actively growing, so that herbicide being used can be translocated throughout the weed to leaves, stem roots etc.
Do not apply herbicides to weeds that are showing signs of disease, pest attack, drought etc.
When spraying, remember to keep a record of the products used, the date they were applied, where they were applied, and the concentration at which they were used.
You may be required to furnish this information if you are selected for a cross-compliance inspection.
If using any herbicide, follow manufacturer’s instructions on the label attached carefully, for the rate and volume to be used for each specific weed.
Dispose of any empty herbicide containers carefully by triple rinsing, and bring the rinsed waste containers to your local farm plastics collection centre in a half tonne bag, or to your local Council dump.
This will prevent contamination of any watercourses, rivers, lakes etc.
Clumps of briars have started to emerge along the boundaries of fields and especially around the farmyard on my holding. What’s the best way to control them?
Very few herbicides will kill invasive species with hard, woody stem tissue.
The suggestion is to use a strimmer with a blade to cut the heaviest infestation.
The remaining foliage and regrowth can be spot sprayed with Grazon 90 at the recommended rate.
I have clumps of ferns emerging in some fields; can I use Asulox to control them?
Yes, Asulox or Asumom is best applied by spot treating at the recommended rate.
Alternatively, if the ground is suitable, the ferns could be topped. Alternatively, spot spray the ferns with a glyphosate based herbicide such as Roundup or Gallup, using a knapsack sprayer or tractor mounted sprayer with a hose extension.
In some grazing fields that I own, with permanent pasture, ragwort has emerged in some areas. How do I get rid of it?
Ragwort is not palatable to livestock and is not usually eaten by grazing animals.
Dried out ragwort plants are more dangerous to livestock if eaten, but where present in finely chopped silage, it becomes far more potent .
Where there are few ragwort plants, these plants can be pulled by hand.
Ensure livestock have no access to pulled plants, and dispose of them carefully.
It becomes more palatable to animals when cut or sprayed, as it releases sugars.
Where there is a heavy infestation of ragwort, sprays such as MCPA, 2, 4-D, Dicamba, Thrust, Lupo and Forefront provide good control, but measures must be taken to avoid stock eating any dying or dead ragwort present.
Make sure all the dying plants have withered and died away completely, before returning any stock to the sprayed areas.
How do you go about controlling rushes and flaggers (also known as yellow flag or yellow iris)?
Cut/top mature rushes first, and spray regrowth with a herbicide such as Agroxone 50, Mortone, MCPA 50, Lupo, Croplink 50, or weed lick with Roundup products or Buggy SG. Use a sticking agent with these products.
Do not apply MCPA based products where the water table is close to the surface, or near any streams/rivers.
Control of Yellow Iris/Flaggers can be achieved by rolling first, then use Hyprone plus and a sticking agent at the recommended rate.
