blackthorn runners in grass

[FarmerD89]

Can anyone advise me what they’d do in this situation. I’ve taken on ten acres of small very old grass paddocks which haven’t been mown in two years, fairly weed free. However there’s a fair number of suckering blackthorn present, I intend to mow these this fore coming year.

these whips are maybe 2.5ft tall not wanting to just pasture top them for it to make the problem worse. What is a possibility of product/chemical to spray them with? Have debated sbk brushwood killer however spot spraying is going to take some doing, At present they are dormant.

 

[Flat 10]

I think if you flail mow them off at ground level now and mow every year they will disappear after a couple or 3 years.

 

[mo!]

Grazon should do them?

 

[milkloss]

We just mow them off which keeps them in check.

question about chemical control though. Doesn't spraying them affect the main plant/hedge?

 

[Brisel]

We just mow them off which keeps them in check.

question about chemical control though. Doesn't spraying them affect the main plant/hedge?

That was my concern too. Triclopyr is the best for woody growth but like most of the grassland herbicides, is translocated which means it could get to the main hedge. I just mow mine annually but it doesn't stop the spread & the grass margins here are in Stewardship, so can only be mown after 15th July.

 

[DanniAgro]

When we had sheep on the grass, they controlled them totally and they only started to appear after grazing stopped.

 

[Bogweevil]

We just mow them off which keeps them in check.

question about chemical control though. Doesn't spraying them affect the main plant/hedge?

Lawn BLW chemicals can put a crimp on ornamental cherries if suckers in lawn unless questing roots severed before treatment, so I suppose hormone products on blackthorn suckers will damage hedge.

If spray them you must perhaps break roots going into field with a subsoiler leg pulled round field edges?