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Thistles and sheep

Siamsa Sessions

If we were cattle farmers we could top fields but being lowly sheep men, we don’t have a mower (or time) to be our topping fields.

So...

What other options are there? Spraying, reseeding, trying to a contractor in to top it?

There’s a few docks too but tis mostly thistles are the problem.

Any ideas would be most appreciated. Thanks.

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ganmo

for the last few years I've put the knapsack on heading out checkin stock spraying as i went and its severely knocked the amount of thistles around.
of course the good ground gets topped when needed and when it gets too strong i swap the knapsack for a sickle on the rough ground

orm0nd

" cut them in June its a month too soon
cut in July they wilt and die"
Old theory was the thistle contains a lot of minerals and above brings them to the surface.

Don't think there were too many extensive sheep farmers these days though.

Best time to spray is when the buds are on but before they start flowering.

wrangler

Willfarman wrote: »

If you cut before they flower that’s what they do.

Well it's not the way I manage grassland

Willfarman

If you cut before they flower that’s what they do.

Willfarman

If you cut before they flower that’s what they do.

wrangler

Dinzee Conlee wrote: »

I'd agree with Will - top em in July, before they seed and they'll reduce year on year...

Don't go near em before this though, they must be left alone til July

Used to have a field that was destroyed with em, and used to mow em in July and they all disappeared over a few years...

It'd disgust me to have thistles around until july, my land would be mowed twice by july to maintain grass quality, despite being cut twice the thistles actually throve and multiplied

Willfarman

No spay needed after cutting. The rain kind of makes them rot to the root.

Willfarman

No spay needed after cutting. The rain kind of makes them rot to the root.

wrangler

Siamsa Sessions wrote: »

Do they need to sprayed in July too for maximum effect?

No they'd be too strong
Spray when they're all up and growing well, probably the end may

Siamsa Sessions

Willfarman wrote: »

Cut em in July and they will die.

Do they need to sprayed in July too for maximum effect?

Dinzee Conlee

Green farmer wrote: »

Maybe they need to be mowed instead of topped ? Skinning them right down to the ground

I dont know... But it wasnt as if I had a fancy mower

I had fairly rubbish finger-bar mower, that made a fine job of thistles, but you'd have to wait for the grass to be well bare before you could use it, otherwise it just got blocked constantly...

Green farmer

Dinzee Conlee wrote: »

I'd agree with Will - top em in July, before they seed and they'll reduce year on year...

Don't go near em before this though, they must be left alone til July

Used to have a field that was destroyed with em, and used to mow em in July and they all disappeared over a few years...

Maybe they need to be mowed instead of topped ? Skinning them right down to the ground

Dinzee Conlee

I'd agree with Will - top em in July, before they seed and they'll reduce year on year...

Don't go near em before this though, they must be left alone til July

Used to have a field that was destroyed with em, and used to mow em in July and they all disappeared over a few years...

gozunda

Siamsa Sessions wrote: »

Yeah, I can get a lad to do a bit of spraying. Thanks.

They seem to really impact on lambs alright, especially as they get older and graze more. Had a lad whose whole face and head swelled up last year

Never came across this tbh. Is it one particular variety of thistle?

Green farmer

Willfarman wrote: »

Cut em in July and they will die.

I don’t know Will, I used to believe that, and have been topping in July for a few years and it’s just getting worse. In glas, so cannt blanket spray. Going to have to do something about it this year.

Willfarman

Cut em in July and they will die.

Country lad

Western Pomise wrote: »

Its not cheap but 'Thistlex' is the best one to kill them.

Always use mcpa.on thistles and find other great

Western Pomise

Its not cheap but 'Thistlex' is the best one to kill them.

wrangler

Siamsa Sessions wrote: »

Yeah, I can get a lad to do a bit of spraying. Thanks.

They seem to really impact on lambs alright, especially as they get older and graze more. Had a lad whose whole face and head swelled up last year

When I took over here, the farm was heavily infested with thistles and I had to spray them for a few years to get rid,
I just spray a few bunches now when I'm spot spraying nettles with Grazon, However Grazon doesn't seem to be good on thistle, It works well here on nettles though

Siamsa Sessions

Yeah, I can get a lad to do a bit of spraying. Thanks.

They seem to really impact on lambs alright, especially as they get older and graze more. Had a lad whose whole face and head swelled up last year

wrangler

Siamsa Sessions wrote: »

If we were cattle farmers we could top fields but being lowly sheep men, we don’t have a mower (or time) to be our topping fields.

So...

What other options are there? Spraying, reseeding, trying to a contractor in to top it?

There’s a few docks too but tis mostly thistles are the problem.

Any ideas would be most appreciated. Thanks.

Spraying is best, any of your other options only makes it worse, they really destroy lambs that have orf
Have you a neighbour that would spray them