We’re incorporating more and more clover into our grazing swards, but docks are always a problem after a while. We try to direct drill 1/2 spring 1/2 autumn reseeds with clover in the mix now and spray out the seedling docks at the 2-3 leaf stage more recently with squire. Before we would broadcast clover a year after the ley was established with after non-cloversafe spray was used with varying degrees of success. Is there a best time to spray In established Leys ? We would normally spray docks in April when clover is not that active, or a few weeks after a cut of silage. Wondered what other people were having success with. TIA
Dock control in high clover swards
- Thread starter Devon lad
- Start date
Scholsey
Member
- Location
- Herefordshire
Triad, spray at night.
Why at night? I’m intrigued, I’m sure there’s a logical answer
ollie989898
Member
Triad won't touch big established docks.
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
Why at night? I’m intrigued, I’m sure there’s a logical answer
is @Scholsey organic?
My agronomist suggested the same. The clover leaves close up when it gets towards dark, so they will receive less of a dose of herbicide. I’m not convinced it made any difference when I tried it though.
Scholsey
Member
- Location
- Herefordshire
is @Scholsey organic?
My agronomist suggested the same. The clover leaves close up when it gets towards dark, so they will receive less of a dose of herbicide. I’m not convinced it made any difference when I tried it though.
I am actually but havent been for long, only field of red clover I had before we went organic was the one I didn’t get around to spraying as a autumn reseed until dark, about to plough it 5 years later and still full of red clover and very few docks.
is @Scholsey organic?
My agronomist suggested the same. The clover leaves close up when it gets towards dark, so they will receive less of a dose of herbicide. I’m not convinced it made any difference when I tried it though.
How interesting....
Scholsey
Member
- Location
- Herefordshire
Anybody have a decent tool for dock rogueing? Google comes up with some lazy dog tool but looks like a scaffolding tower rather than a fork!
- Location
- South Molton
Use to be called YTS, don't know what the call it now?
- Location
- Essex
Yes a sheep. Self propelled but they do need a bit of maintenance
Scholsey
Member
- Location
- Herefordshire
Use to be called YTS, don't know what the call it now?
i have the labour sorted just need something to use
would rather docks than sheep!
ragwort fork will do it
ollie989898
Member
If you want to clear docks fast and with hand tools, put an ad in the local paper and get 10-20 people out in a line to do it. Pay them £10/hour and they will clear acre after acre in no time, just follow with a telehandler and a big bag. I used to ferry a gang of people about as a harvest student to rogue hundreds of acres for wild oats. Worked out very cheap per acre compared to herbicide.
- Location
- South Molton
I made my own tool two long forks and a decent heel.
In damp grass seeds 90% will pull by hand
Scholsey
Member
- Location
- Herefordshire
I know this, I just want to know what hand tool to speed up a horrendous job!
ollie989898
Member
Garden forks, small spades, anything will do so long as they can get the entire root out.
multi power
Member
- Location
- pembrokeshire
Lazy dog is a good tool
multi power
Member
- Location
- pembrokeshire
Just don't allow the docks to seed
Homesy
Member
- Location
- North West Devon
knapsack sprayer and some "Done that blue dye" from kiwikit. It actually works out cheaper than spraying the whole field even allowing for the labour. you'd be surprised how much ground you can cover in a day and virtually no damage to the clover and no yield loss to the grass.
- Location
- somerset
we had a dock puller, spade top, with a forked prong, best wire strainer we ever had ! never ever saw it used for docks !