what will i do//////

butt1

ive 50 acres with rushes 2ft high,ive did soil tests,got them back today,i need to apply lime/fertiliser,iam goin to use gouldings limeand mix it through the fertliser,i also need to aerate the ground,question is where do i start,mow the rushes with a rotary,or topper,spray[iam goin to use mcpa],then apply lime and fertliser,or do i apply fertliser/lime and then spray,leave them how long befoe mowin/top them,areate then or before ido anything..........any advice welcome

Muckit

You've alot goin on in your head :rolleyes:

One thing is for sure, fertiliser is gone too dear to go throwing it on to grow rushes.

You've made no mention of drainage. Would you not be better cut back on the amount of fertiliser you intend to use this year and spend the money on getting in a good man in with a track machine?

Clean up all existing drains and possibly stick in a few more.

Your only going to waste money, fertiliser, diesel, spray and your time if you go with any other plan this year

st1979

I wouldn't bother aerating at all. You won't get any benefit. Like previoous poster sort out drainage. Doesn't have to be pipes or anything fancy unless your fields are saucer shaped. Track machine in and dig deep open dikes around by the field boundary depends on the soil type but we are in marly land and ours are anywhere from 3' to 6' feet deep later if you want you can mole drain from the dikes.
If it was me next i would mow rushes, plough and reseed put on my lime and fert and now you land is as good as anyones

butt1

ive 50 acres with rushes 2ft high,ive did soil tests,got them back today,i need to apply lime/fertiliser,iam goin to use gouldings limeand mix it through the fertliser,i also need to aerate the ground,question is where do i start,mow the rushes with a rotary,or topper,spray[iam goin to use mcpa],then apply lime and fertliser,or do i apply fertliser/lime and then spray,leave them how long befoe mowin/top them,areate then or before ido anything..........any advice welcome[/QUOTE]
forgot to say ,ive already done,my drainage

jeff greene

butt1 wrote: »

ive 50 acres with rushes 2ft high,ive did soil tests,got them back today,i need to apply lime/fertiliser,iam goin to use gouldings limeand mix it through the fertliser,i also need to aerate the ground,question is where do i start,mow the rushes with a rotary,or topper,spray[iam goin to use mcpa],then apply lime and fertliser,or do i apply fertliser/lime and then spray,leave them how long befoe mowin/top them,areate then or before ido anything..........any advice welcome

forgot to say ,ive already done,my drainage[/QUOTE]

What is the soil like, is it rushy from poaching, left rundown or is it peaty, wetland.

Two foot rushes need to be cut and removed imo, if the field is dry do it asap. Apply fert and lime then. Spray when the rushes regrow. The need for aerating will depend on soil type.

butt1

have u used areator,any good

butt1

the land has bein rented/poached,good quality soil

towzer2010

If I was you I'd do like st1979 says and clean off the rushes, plough and reseed. I have been trying to get rid of rushes for a few years and while I've got rid of a good lot I'm still left with bad grassland. I'm going to have to plough and reseed anyway.

Bizzum

Rushes 2' high suggest to me well grown woody type rush. Difficult enough to kill. You will get a better kill if you top them and spray the re-growth.
Are they hedge to hedge or sparce clumps? This would influence how I deal with them.
If not too thick on the ground and the fact that It's pushing on in the year though maybe at this stage I'd just burn off all and re-seed and deal with any fresh rush again.

Tora Bora

To the OP, I would say, cut, gather, fertilize, and spray the regrowth. Maybe lime in the fall, as liming and fertilizer together sometimes is not the best.
Come next spring, fertilize again, and spray the rushes around May time.

Reseed next year, by which time your rush population should be well thinned out.

Caoimhín

butt1 wrote: »

ive 50 acres with rushes 2ft high,ive did soil tests,got them back today,i need to apply lime/fertiliser,iam goin to use gouldings limeand mix it through the fertliser,i also need to aerate the ground,question is where do i start,mow the rushes with a rotary,or topper,spray[iam goin to use mcpa],then apply lime and fertliser,or do i apply fertliser/lime and then spray,leave them how long befoe mowin/top them,areate then or before ido anything..........any advice welcome

Plant trees on it. Currently the yearly premium is up to €515 per hectare foe 20 years. The cost of all the work involved is covered by the Department of Agriculture "Afforestation Scheme"

Give me a PM if you want to know anymore.

signinlate

I'm in a similar situation. This year I drained two fields that were each half covered in rushes.

With the first field I sprayed with roundup and when it was burnt off I mowed and baled the rushes. With the rushes gone I ploughed it and sowed barley.

In the second field I started by cuting and baling them, followed a few weeks later with a dose of mcpa . Next year I hope to plough this field and want the rushes dead so it will be easier turn over.

Baling them is one dirty job. The pickup throws an amount of clay, from the base of the rush, into the tractor.