problems with rushes

John-Holmes · 20-07-2010 02:44PM

convoy wrote: »

Hi Guys,
The only way to deal with rushes is spraying,I took over family farm which was neglected for years,spray with mcpa 500(50%) the 300 is (30%),1 litre/100 litre water plus I use washing up liquid to help stick.very good results.

It looks like we will have to do this soon since the rushes on parts of our farm are taking over altogether. Maybe this is a really simple question but when you say spray with "mcpa 500(50%) the 300 is (30%),1 litre/100 litre water" what does that mean? I know MCPA is the name of the spray but what about the % values? Is there another 20% missing or is that the water? I bet there is a real simple answer to this

Many thanks

mayo_lad · 20-07-2010 06:31PM

hi everyone the best way I have found to control rushes is to reseed the field
first spray the field with round-up wait 2 weeks before
you cut them down and plough a 5 meter section around the perimeter of the field .
then you can burn the rushes (this makes it easer to plough the field)
then plough and reseed as you normally would .

if it is wet ground your reseeding you will have to use a weed licker on it every 2nd year

bbam · 20-07-2010 06:35PM

John-Holmes wrote: »

It looks like we will have to do this soon since the rushes on parts of our farm are taking over altogether. Maybe this is a really simple question but when you say spray with "mcpa 500(50%) the 300 is (30%),1 litre/100 litre water" what does that mean? I know MCPA is the name of the spray but what about the % values? Is there another 20% missing or is that the water? I bet there is a real simple answer to this

Many thanks

Maybe I'm wrong but one spray is made from 50%MCPA and the other contains 30% MCPA as the active ingredients.. The remainder of both would be a coctail of chemicals to keep the MCPA stable during storage. ect

JOAT · 20-07-2010 10:55PM

snowman707 wrote: »

As Dan says it is best to reseed,

not much point in spraying if the rushes if they havn't topped for sometime as you will not get a good kill . it would be best to cut them off now straight away & if going reseeding burn off the regrowth in a couple of weeks time use Roundup or a cheaper alternative is Garland ?? ( someone correct me if I am wrong mind is a blank at the moment)

you may need to apply some lime also

Good luck with you venture

An alternative to roundup is 'Clinic'. does the exact same job as roundup just cheaper. Also if spraying off for reseeding, dont be shy with the amount of spray used. 3.5 or 4 pints per acre will do a serious job killing off the old grass and rushes. wait for approx 2 weeks and leave cattle back into sprayed ground and they will clean up any remaining grass. easier and cheaper than baling and dumping.

cj maxx · 20-07-2010 11:20PM

hi there, i have almost exactly the same problem with tidying up land with rushes. the lands not bad but it has had cattle tramping it plus the horrendous rain these last 3/4 years. i have got conflicting advice on when to spray, ie cut then spray or spray when mature but massey woman sounds like she is in the know. george , could you let me know what you have done and how you have fared . oh , is burning rushes illegal ??? i know we cant cut hedges/trees because of wildlife but surely burning a few heaps of rushes wont get me locked up????

Muckit · 30-07-2010 11:56AM

Jus to update this post. I sprayed my rushes recently with MCPA Amine 500. I also purchased what the man behind the counter called a 'sticker' (wetting agent). He did mention that some guys use washing up liquid but this 'was a waste of time'. I'm not saying he's right, alot of people on here have used wash up liquid and seem happy with results. I have never, or had to, spray rushes before so have no experience. But for an extra €15, I wasn't going to be 'a penny wise and a pound foolish', especially with rain immenent I really wanted the MCPA to stick!

Used our trusty hardi 44 gal (220L) sprayer, small but does the job! Seeing as this size sprayer would be popular with other small stock farmers like myself, here's what I did......(not saying it's right:D)

I half filled tank, Added 2L of MCPA and 200ml of wetting agent to tank, agitated and topped up water. I had topped one half of the rushes some weeks ago and left the other, just as an experimnent to see which gives a better kill (old rush or new growth).

There was nothing on MCPA leaflet to say how long to keep stock off it, but it'I be a week before I'm letting cattle into it. I'I graze it tight and top it again straight after.

As stated in my last post, this is a field that I mole ploughed in spring, so drainage problem sorted. I'd be hoping for a good kill. Will post again when/if I see results:rolleyes:

Shauny2010 · 30-07-2010 12:36PM

Muckit wrote: »

Jus to update this post. I sprayed my rushes recently with MCPA Amine 500. I also purchased what the man behind the counter called a 'sticker' (wetting agent). He did mention that some guys use washing up liquid but this 'was a waste of time'. I'm not saying he's right, alot of people on here have used wash up liquid and seem happy with results. I have never, or had to, spray rushes before so have no experience. But for an extra €15, I wasn't going to be 'a penny wise and a pound foolish', especially with rain immenent I really wanted the MCPA to stick!

Used our trusty hardi 44 gal (220L) sprayer, small but does the job! Seeing as this size sprayer would be popular with other small stock farmers like myself, here's what I did......(not saying it's right:D)

I half filled tank, Added 2L of MCPA and 200ml of wetting agent to tank, agitated and topped up water. I had topped one half of the rushes some weeks ago and left the other, just as an experimnent to see which gives a better kill (old rush or new growth).

There was nothing on MCPA leaflet to say how long to keep stock off it, but it'I be a week before I'm letting cattle into it. I'I graze it tight and top it again straight after.

As stated in my last post, this is a field that I mole ploughed in spring, so drainage problem sorted. I'd be hoping for a good kill. Will post again when/if I see results:rolleyes:

Hi Muckit, Tell me this was it MCPA 50 you used ? I`m going to spray some rushes myself. I tried to get MCPA but the local Hardware store didnt have it but tried to sell me Mortone instead. I ve seen the results from mortone and didnt like the way it stunted the grass as well.
The MCPA 500 is availible from http://www.magentadirect.ie for €48.00, is this the stuff and is this about the right price ?

pakalasa · 30-07-2010 02:54PM

"MCPA Amine 500" cost me €45 for 10L container in the Dairygold Stores, just this week.

I sprayed it in Knapsack at 0.5Lt per 15Lt of water, so 30 to 1 ratio. This works fine for me.

Your ratio of about 100:1 is probably OK too as you're boom spraying.

Min · 30-07-2010 06:09PM

Rushes grow on wet ground, there were rushes growing in places never seen before after the really wet year of 2009 but then the dry weather killed them off as the ground returned to normal.

Wet ground grows rushes but sometimes it is just wet from drains not being fixed rather than the soil/ground itself being the issue.

Muckit · 30-07-2010 10:00PM

Hi shauny2010

Ya it's 'MCPA Amine 500', prob same stuff you are on about. Bought it for €45, spent €15 on a 'wetting agent' or 'sticker' too (don't know exact brand name of it off hand, comes in 1L white bottle with a black cap). This helps the MCPA stick to the rush (apparently) and you get a better kill. Some lads use washing up liquid instead, never used it for this purpose so I couldn't vouch for it.

I think we're a little late for spraying (going by what I've read on instructions April-June is the ideal) but I'm hoping it'I do a good job and it should for you too hopefully.

Pakalasa you know it does say in instructions not to apply with a knapsack!!

Then again, I suppose I didn't exactly follow instructions either regarding dates!:rolleyes:

Min I wouldn't agree with you about what you say about rushes dying off themselves once the weather takes up. There's always going to be dampness, it is Ireland after all! And enough to keep the rushes growing once they are established :rolleyes:

Min · 30-07-2010 11:35PM

Muckit wrote: »

Min I wouldn't agree with you about what you say about rushes dying off themselves once the weather takes up. There's always going to be dampness, it is Ireland after all! And enough to keep the rushes growing once they are established :rolleyes:

I have dry land but it was so wet last year that some rushes did appear, not much appeared in fields where there was never any, they did die out but it was due to the normal to dry weather, rather than the exceptionally wet weather which allowed they to grow in the first place.

We had problems around here with the land burning up as rainfall levels had been exceptionally low, thank God we had rain this month but the rushes that appeared last year died out.
Speaking to a neighbour and they had a similar experience. It was just all the wet weather last year that allowed some to appear. I'm not talking about large scale appearance, they never had a chance to get established.

Muckit · 31-07-2010 07:48PM

Min, I see your from Kilkenny! No wonder ye've little or no rushes over there, sure ye've the best of land!!

You should have a look at some of the land we're trying to 'farm' over here in the 'wet weeeest'!!:D

Muckit · 31-07-2010 07:57PM

btw for those thinking of enquiring about or getting it, 'activator 90' is the name of the additive I used to help the MCPA stick to rushes;)

And there is a white cap not a black one (as I incorrectly said previously) on the container

blue5000 · 01-08-2010 11:33AM

If anybody is using wash up liquid put in a small bit (capfull of container) of diesel into the sprayer before the wash up liquid to stop the sprayer filling up with foam.

mondeoman1708 · 01-08-2010 01:22PM

Sam Kade wrote: »

Good advice Massey woman only problem is that you can't dump anything now whether the corner of a field a hole in the ground or a bog. If the tennant gets a cross compliance inspection he'll have some explaining about the bales of rushe's dumped.

The bog or hole should already be marked off the land!!

mondeoman1708 · 01-08-2010 01:24PM

vcsggl wrote: »

That's very helpful advice - I'll try to get things moving along these lines. I've got someone topping all the rushes next week so things are starting to move!

George

Any MCPA chemical will also work well, excellent advice

mondeoman1708 · 01-08-2010 01:27PM

Sam Kade wrote: »

A weed wiper is better for rushes as the weedkiller hits the rushes only. Spraying them will make the ground wetter leading to more rushes.

spraying rushes, you are only using at most 200 gal of water per acre, an inch of rain would be 22000 gals of water per acre, I hardly think the spraying will wet the ground too much!

convoy · 02-08-2010 08:54PM

Hi,
just to clarify the mcpa comes in 2 % levels(maybe More)50% and 30%,the reason I recommended the 50%. it was the strongest concentrate.alot of people use the weaker(ie 30%) and dont get good results,
plus if you put diesel in as a sticking agent it will damage pump on machine,washing-up-liquid wont as far as I know

exercise · 08-01-2011 10:44PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBbOMdKiKZM

Muckit · 09-01-2011 04:07PM

convoy wrote: »

if you put diesel in as a sticking agent it will damage pump on machine,washing-up-liquid wont as far as I know

BUY a sticking agent. It's specifically made for the job. These 'quick fix' alternatives don't do as good a job and only cause more harm than good to applicator

johngalway · 06-02-2011 12:38AM

convoy wrote: »

washing-up-liquid wont as far as I know

I use washing up liquid, seems to have worked well with the Mortone. However, I have been told that WUL will damage seals, so use with caution. Am just using a hand lance so not bothered about a couple of O rings or whatever.

Bodacious · 06-02-2011 11:22PM

JOAT wrote: »

An alternative to roundup is 'Clinic'. does the exact same job as roundup just cheaper. Also if spraying off for reseeding, dont be shy with the amount of spray used. 3.5 or 4 pints per acre will do a serious job killing off the old grass and rushes. wait for approx 2 weeks and leave cattle back into sprayed ground and they will clean up any remaining grass. easier and cheaper than baling and dumping.

I going killing off a field with roundup this spring to re seed but have there ever been any health issues with cattle grazing the grass with roundup residue on it? Its probably grand just i've never done it - 2 weeks you reckon is okay to let them in? Thanks

exercise · 08-02-2011 05:25PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umyqtS-DRX4

exercise · 14-02-2011 10:13PM

http://www.farmphoto.com/thread.aspx?mid=832480#832480

check this link out, its all about the rocco weedwiper.

problems with rushes

Comments