Dock control. Future wildflower meadow

80sDiesel

I see folks recommend forefront for docks. Do contractors provide that service? Is it around now that I should be arranging that ?

tabby aspreme

Forefront will kill everything except grass, it also has a residual effect, I would think twice before using it, unless you could you spot spray the docks with it

grange mac

tabby aspreme wrote: »

Forefront will kill everything except grass, it also has a residual effect, I would think twice before using it, unless you could you spot spray the docks with it

Does it kill rushes?

tabby aspreme

grange mac wrote: »

Does it kill rushes?

Mcpa will kill rushes at a fraction of the price

Jb1989

grange mac wrote: »

Does it kill rushes?

No, just everthing apart from grass and rushes..

hopeso

80sDiesel wrote: »

I see folks recommend forefront for docks. Do contractors provide that service? Is it around now that I should be arranging that ?

Forefront is about the best available for docks. Contractors will put out whatever you want. You’d have to buy the forefront yourself. I’d say very few, if any, contractors supply the chemical. And yes, you’d want to be arranging things around now... It’s probably a little early yet to spray them (depending on your location) but you want to get them at the leafy stage, before the stem appears..

grange mac

Jb1989 wrote: »

No, just everthing apart from grass and rushes..

It's a pain that I have docks and rushes in same fields so have be sprayed twice.

80sDiesel

Thanks. I did a 8 acres last autumn / this spring but that was pretty much unimproved farmland with minimal docks and a lot of natural wildflowers. So a lot of enchancing

This second place is about 3 times bigger and was more intensively farmed with fert etc. Hilly enough so fertility should drop with the years.

So don’t think there is anything to save per se so don’t mind destroying ( will only ever be one application for life) so make it suitable.

So forefront would kill docks, clover but is there anything I should be concerned with. Will be only used this year for hay/sole age and autumn graze ( local farmer)in autumn.

Is there any restrictions on be buying the chemicals. Not a farmer.

hopeso

80sDiesel wrote: »

Thanks. I did a 8 acres last autumn / this spring but that was pretty much unimproved farmland with minimal docks and a lot of natural wildflowers. So a lot of enchancing

This second place is about 3 times bigger and was more intensively farmed with fert etc. Hilly enough so fertility should drop with the years.

So don’t think there is anything to save per se so don’t mind destroying ( will only ever be one application for life) so make it suitable.

So forefront would kill docks, clover but is there anything I should be concerned with. Will be only used this year for hay/sole age and autumn graze ( local farmer)in autumn.

Is there any restrictions on be buying the chemicals. Not a farmer.

Forefront is not supposed to be used on ground that will have hay or silage taken from it that year....The reason being that the residue from the Forefront is still active in any manure or slurry that comes from that crop. So, it will kill any plants that are fertilised with that manure. But, once you are aware of that, and are happy to proceed, it will be fine.
There are restrictions on buying all agricultural sprays. You would need at least a heard number to buy it, and keep a record of what you used it for after. Maybe you could do a deal with the contractor for him to buy it, even if it meant paying him the cost of it upfront....

Jb1989

grange mac wrote: »

It's a pain that I have docks and rushes in same fields so have be sprayed twice.

You could chance mixing the too together in the one sprayer, it has worked for one or two men I've done it for

Good loser

Maybe spray the re growth after the silage cut when docks at large rosette stage - leaves about 1 foot long.

Donegalforever

80sDiesel wrote: »

I see folks recommend forefront for docks. Do contractors provide that service? Is it around now that I should be arranging that ?

I have in the past used a chemical called "Hygrass Extra" manufactured by Hygeia Chemicals, Oranmore, Co. Galway to kill docks; it will also kill rushes but maybe not as effective on rushes as MCPA.
At the time I was using "Hygrass" it was very reasonably priced compared to others similar products.
They give Max dose rate: 3.5L/ha
Contains: 344g/l 2,4-D and 120 g/l Diacamba.
It is available in 3.5L, 5L 10L and 20L

Some other more expensive products also contain these chemicals, so it can pay to look what chemicals are in any given product.

Hygeia also manufacture "Mortone" (MCPA) to kill rushes.
You could if you so wish mix the two together if you want to kill off rushes also.

80sDiesel

Why don’t farmers use forefront more? Yes it will kill the clover but won’t it be better long term with docks ?

80sDiesel

Got that sprayed with forefront on Friday. Great day apparently for it too. Wasn’t cheap and the sprayer had never heard of that chemical before.

50HX

Jjameson wrote: »

McPa will kill both.

Mcpa will hinder dock growth.....won't kill them