What do I need to spray thistles from a quad bike sprayer?

Gav · Sep 17, 2017

agrotron said:
sorry to hijack the thread but I am thinking of doing the courses but who does it in the Wrexham/n wales area, and what are the rough costs?

I can't see the legislation getting relaxed so might as well do it sooner rather than later.

If you budget for £200-£250 per module you shouldn't be too far out with the costs based on our rates over in the East Anglia/East Midlands areas that I work in.

Can't help you with training locations as you're well out of my area but it may be worth enquiring with local sources to see if there are any grants or assistance available to help with the costs. I know nationally YFC have helped a few people dependant on age of course!

neilo · Sep 17, 2017

agrotron said:
sorry to hijack the thread but I am thinking of doing the courses but who does it in the Wrexham/n wales area, and what are the rough costs?

I can't see the legislation getting relaxed so might as well do it sooner rather than later.

If you've a Welsh holding number you can get 80% funding on the course at the moment, so definitely worth doing it sooner, rather than later (before 2019 anyway).

ollie989898 · Sep 17, 2017

Grazon I think is now nearly the only legal option for knapsacks. Get yourself some of that, which is very similar to thistleX in nature, some blue marker dye and you will zap a lot of stuff, doesn't do buttercup or ragwort from memory. Of course it is not clover safe, either. Good coverage is essential for the tougher weeds like brambles if you have any hope of getting enough triclopyr into them.

Kaskara is sadly gone now.

biggles · Sep 18, 2017

I have considered doing the test but have no experience of spraying, will the course tell me everything I need to know? obviously can drive tractor but have never operated a sprayer, whats the practical side of things liketo pass?

ollie989898 · Sep 18, 2017

biggles said:
I have considered doing the test but have no experience of spraying, will the course tell me everything I need to know? obviously can drive tractor but have never operated a sprayer, whats the practical side of things liketo pass?

You will do fine. Get someone who does a lot of spraying to talk you through it all first. The PA1 basic pesticide stuff is the bit you need to actually remember things. The practical bits are not too taxing.

Working through the sums that relate to application rates will give you some experience of them, as would looking at a few labels and spray recs.

If I can pass the damned tests anyone can.

milkloss · Sep 18, 2017

biggles said:
I have considered doing the test but have no experience of spraying, will the course tell me everything I need to know? obviously can drive tractor but have never operated a sprayer, whats the practical side of things liketo pass?

Some local to us just train and test on a little golf course/Atv type sprayer so you'll still be none the wiser!

biggles · Sep 18, 2017

The theory side doesn't bother me too much, more worried about getting dropped on a 24m self propelled sprayer and ending up in the wreakers thread!

ollie989898 · Sep 18, 2017

biggles said:
The theory side doesn't bother me too much, more worried about getting dropped on a 24m self propelled sprayer and ending up in the wreakers thread!

It would be a brave man who provided a 24 metre Bateman for a load of people to drive knowing they had virtually zero spraying experience!

suffolksmallholder · Sep 18, 2017

Princess Pooper said:
Grazon will kill thistles and is approved for hand-held lances. We run a quad bike but have a long hose and a lance on it. I have PA1 and PA6a so able to legally apply.

Same here with our quad, 3.0m sprayer & foam marker. Fantastic piece of kit. Grazon is just for this & it really works well.
SS

TripleSix · Sep 18, 2017

If you keep your quad sprayer under 3m boom width it's exempt from NSTS testing.

Generally on your PA2 you'll do your test with a quad sprayer.

Same theory as a 24m self propelled...

Gav · Sep 18, 2017

biggles said:
I have considered doing the test but have no experience of spraying, will the course tell me everything I need to know? obviously can drive tractor but have never operated a sprayer, whats the practical side of things liketo pass?

The course should tell you everything that you need to know to pass your assessment. The assessment can be taken on anything from an atv to a 48m self propelled, there's no stipulation on the machine size. The bulk of the training that I carry out is on site and can be done on a 1:1 basis for novice operators to cover the practical in more detail. We advise people to go away and practice under supervision until their assessment.

The practical side basically consists of a walk round pre-use check of the tractor/sprayer, identification of controls and components of the sprayer, removing/cleaning/refitting a filter, filling the sprayer to cover a given area then spraying an area and dealing with a blocked nozzle in the correct way(not blowing through it!).

Red Fred · Sep 18, 2017

suffolksmallholder said:
Thishttp://www.hushfarms.co.uk/Pesticides-c-25.asp
SS

I did my PA1 and PA2 with them last year. The training for PA2 involved both a quad with boom sprayer and a tractor mounted sprayer. i did the test at home a few weeks later with my simple Jarmet sprayer, and it wasn't too bad, took a morning for the test and a few days previously checking everything was tidy and in order.

The subject of weedwipers came up as I have some CDax trailed wipers for my environmental thistles, and they said technically I should have the PA2f module for them.
.

Pasty · Sep 18, 2017

Stop paying the chemical man's mortgage and just mow the crap out of them. Good fun too. Is for me anyway as I rarely get to go on the big machines.

farmerm · Sep 18, 2017

digger don said:
We dont use spray at all! My cousin was over from Ireland a few years back and said there is a old saying with us!
Kill a thistle in July and it will die!!

I know its a good while again now before you can try this but its true. Topping thistles in july kills them. End of! I now have no more thistles and didnt need any licence to sray!

Doesnt bloody well work here, the ones I topped in July are currently seeding...

Pasty · Sep 18, 2017

farmerm said:
Doesnt bloody well work here, the ones I topped in July are currently seeding...

Top them again. 5 times a year and they will be gone. Working here.

bracken basher · Sep 18, 2017

neilo said:
If you've a Welsh holding number you can get 80% funding on the course at the moment, so definitely worth doing it sooner, rather than later (before 2019 anyway).

Been cut to 40% since beginning of July.

"
Through our Skills and Mentoring programme, eligible individuals registered with Farming Connect can access funding for completing short accredited training courses.

Category 1 – Business Improvement - 80% Funding
Category 2 – Technical Courses - 80% Funding
Category 3 – Machinery and Equipment Use - 40% Funding"

Dry Rot · Sep 18, 2017

If caught without the licence (not suggesting anyone would!), what's the fine likely to be?

neilo · Sep 18, 2017

Pasty said:
Top them again. 5 times a year and they will be gone. Working here.

If that were the case, there wouldn't be any thistles on organic farms, and the rest of us wouldn't be spending money on chemicals either.

neilo · Sep 18, 2017

bracken basher said:
Been cut to 40% since beginning of July.

"
Through our Skills and Mentoring programme, eligible individuals registered with Farming Connect can access funding for completing short accredited training courses.

Category 1 – Business Improvement - 80% Funding

Category 2 – Technical Courses - 80% Funding

Category 3 – Machinery and Equipment Use - 40% Funding"

I hadn't seen that. Wouldn't PA tests be 'technical courses', as they have everything to do with theory and little to do with actually using a machine?

Pasty · Sep 18, 2017

neilo said:
If that were the case, there wouldn't be any thistles on organic farms, and the rest of us wouldn't be spending money on chemicals either.

They just don't like mowing enough.

What do I need to spray thistles from a quad bike sprayer?

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

0 %

Up to 25%

25-50%

50-75%

75-100%

100% I’ve had enough of farming!

Share this page