Bifenox on OSR

[Flat 10]

Realistically, how big Charlock plants can it take out? I wouldn't bother but for the erucic acid contamination issues. I think the odd smaller charlock is feeling sick from the astrokerb but that may be wishful thinking...........
And apart from the speedwells on the label what else does it help with? I'm not sure what geranium spp are weeds that are what the EAMU is actually for, Shepherds Purse?

 

[robbie]

Geranium spp are cranes Bill's. Dont put on your spray record charlock for reason to treat as itll be illegal.put what the EAMU says and it just so happened that the cranes bill was in the same patches as the charlock so they got sprayed aswell.

I haven't had that much experience with bifenox but from what experience I have had I'd say that for the bifenox to work you need a few frost and if you get a few frosts they'll do more good than the bifenox anyway.

 

[Brisel]

Geranium species is mainly cranesbill. Oddly, bifenox is pretty useless at killing cranesbill as it's far too big by now. How big is the charlock? With a sharp enough frost after application, it will defoliate plants 18" tall. Beware of the effect on the osr crop, especially if it's small and not well waxed. My charlock looks pretty sick after Belkar and Astrokerb. A bit of written off crop left untreated next door looks very much healthier.

Bifenox works by dewaxing the leaves which makes them more susceptible to frosts. You just hope the osr is better waxed than the charlock! @robbie is right about the justification wording for the EAMU. You really need a couple of frosts to wax the crop up, then spray and hope for a few harder frosts. Use plenty of water and a litre of oil with it.

Screenshot from the Fox label

 

[solo]

I used bifenox and oil a few years ago to tidy up a particularly bad charlock and wildradish patch of osr. It looked like set aside jungle. A few nights of decent frost followed application but still left a very much set aside looking field so I mowed it with a bat wing topper to tidy it up. I followed this with a decent dose of Nitrogen and the rape outgrew the weeds and turned a written off crop into a decent field of osr. I have a new field currently awaiting a similar treatment but the osr is much bigger this time so the mower will have to be carried on the arms. Waiting for the elusive frosts for now. ?

 

[Oat]

Sometimes a split application works, and frost will also help to stress the charlock. 1.0 L/ha +oil first to sensitize the weeds, and then another 0.5 L/ha about 1-2 weeks later to finish them off

 

[Laggard]

Sometimes a split application works, and frost will also help to stress the charlock. 1.0 L/ha +oil first to sensitize the weeds, and then another 0.5 L/ha about 1-2 weeks later to finish them off

Sounds good, how much oil?

 

[Brisel]

1 litre of oil regardless of water volume You ought to be at least 200 l/ha for good leaf coverage

 

[solo]

This weekend is looking a bit more hopeful with frost.

 

[Flat 10]

Would you apply on a frost? Well shitty when it comes out.....

 

[Brisel]

Yes, but you’d want nice warm water in your sprayer or you’ll have all sorts of trouble with the oil separating, nozzles freezing etc.

 

[solo]

Did two small fields Saturday after the plants had dried a bit. Tramlines were sloppy wet but at least no ruts. Saturday night frost hardly materialised with thick fog instead. Maybe tonight will do a better job. Unless it dries or I have a much harder frost topping won’t be an option for now.

Belkar + kerb seems to be doing a good job so far compared with Astrokerb. Small mustard, poppy, mayweed, cleavers, Shepard’s purse and cranesbill are looking to be well controlled.

Had frozen nozzles only once many years ago. Absolute nightmare, so learnt a lifetime lesson that day.