Controlling rushes.

EP90

Any advice on how to control rushes? Searches threw up a few hints of using a weed wiper and chemicals of MCPA 500 Amine, Mortox 50, Gallop 90.
I’m fencing off 1 acre to start with for a couple of lambs and would like to get control of the rushes but without the expense of drainage. I was thinking of a hand sprayer and repeated application of killer. Any recommendations for which product, when to spray, livestock safe. should I cut then spray ( I wondered if by trimming the tops off it would allow weed killer to be ‘sucked in’ rather than just exterior application’ Can you hire weed wipers and anyone used one behind a 4x4 jeep?
I will go to the Agri stores and hire places for info but I always value personal users advice more.

Conmaicne Mara

If you don't solve the underlying problem, that is take away the ideal conditions for the rush, you'll only end up making agri chem companies money and you'll still have your rushes coming back at you year after year. I'm not trying to be smart with you, it's just how it works.

Any spray with MCPA in it should kill the rushes for you. You can use the cheapest of the cheap washing up liquid as a sticking agent from Aldi/Lidl/Pound shop.

I keep stock out of sprayed land for a fortnight.

June would be the ideal time to spray as they'd be growing strong. I have sprayed them in Winter time and killed them, it takes longer, but will work as long as you get dry weather for it. Cut them after they've died, then respray regrowth when it's a foot high.

If you're going to use a proper weedlicker, then use some cheap type of Glyphosate, again with the washing up liquid.

coolshannagh28

I got my best ever kill of rushes with mcpa in may and topped them 3 weeks later ,not a sign of a rush . Before i had delayed topping but I reckon by 3 weeks the mcpa had done its business and the shock of cutting finished them .

Farmer Pudsey

If you are using any spray on rushes you need to buy an activator/sticker. Forget about the washing up liquid or diesel. An Activator/sticker has an ingrident that breaks down the wax on the rush and allows the spray to work properly, it also sticks the spray to the plant in case of rain a few hours later. It is cheap around 2 euro/acre.

There are two types of rush the bullrush which is the easier to kill and the Wire Rush. If you have Wire rush a licker with roundup is the only choice. However unless you treat the source of the problem you will always be spraying them

Conmaicne Mara

Farmer Pudsey wrote: »

it also sticks the spray to the plant in case of rain a few hours later

As does washing up liquid, has done the job many times.

EP90

I think the underlying problem is Irish weather!!

I can’t justify the expense for land drainage just for a couple of lambs but I do appreciate what you’re saying. So it’s going to be a hand sprayer and plenty of determination with a strimmer. If I can find a licker I’ll also give that ago once the grass has been eaten down and any stock moved. I wonder why the manufacture doesn’t include a sticker/activator in the product as it seems critical to its success?

Farmer Pudsey

EP90 wrote: »

I think the underlying problem is Irish weather!!

I can’t justify the expense for land drainage just for a couple of lambs but I do appreciate what you’re saying. So it’s going to be a hand sprayer and plenty of determination with a strimmer. If I can find a licker I’ll also give that ago once the grass has been eaten down and any stock moved. I wonder why the manufacture doesn’t include a sticker/activator in the product as it seems critical to its success?

Because sticker/activator while it is critical for rushes is not critical for other uses of MCPA ( spraying thistles and other weeds in grassland). However I use activator a lot it is also handy to use with roundup in the spring as you get a quicker kill of weeds in cold weather etc.

EP90

Farmer Pudsey wrote: »

Because sticker/activator while it is critical for rushes is not critical for other uses of MCPA ( spraying thistles and other weeds in grassland). However I use activator a lot it is also handy to use with roundup in the spring as you get a quicker kill of weeds in cold weather etc.

That's a good tip, thanks.

hugo29

Lads I have a piece of ground, side of hill which is dry but is riddled with rushes this year, am going to re seed with one pass system in march after spraying with round up and cutting rushes to bone with conditioner mower, is it worth running mole plough on it first

sean8224

http://www.yourdiyshop.com/pol-mcpa-500-sl-rush-killer-10-litre
MCPA Rush Killing Herbicide
A soluble concentrate containing 500g/l
(44.25% w/w) MCPA as the dimethylamine salt.
A selective herbicide for the control of many broad-leaved weeds in cereals and grassland.