Docks!

[GeorgeK]

I see some enterprising farmers have started taking advantage of bracken, usually a problem weed, and are using it to make compost. Bear with me here ... When topping docks I have noticed how the leaves quickly break down into a fine, rich, dark residue. It's well known they contain high levels of nutrients scavenged from depth so if bracken can be sold as quality compost why not dock cuttings? Obviously they would need harvesting before setting seed, but other than that a field of docks is easy to grow, they're drought proof and require no sprays or nitrogen. The field would never need subsoiling, and being perennial there's no need to redrill every year. The finished product would have a unique brand, I would market it as "El Diablo (The Beast) - A devilishly good compost for the maverick gardener."
Thoughts?

 

[jondear]

Docks now in demand due to their medicinal effect on male baldness. Warren Buffet buys vast areas of infested land.
A new goldrush has started. Repent all ye dock abusers!
[/QUOTE]
What do you do rub your head with it
till it turns green?

 

[milkloss]

I see some enterprising farmers have started taking advantage of bracken, usually a problem weed, and are using it to make compost. Bear with me here ... When topping docks I have noticed how the leaves quickly break down into a fine, rich, dark residue. It's well known they contain high levels of nutrients scavenged from depth so if bracken can be sold as quality compost why not dock cuttings? Obviously they would need harvesting before setting seed, but other than that a field of docks is easy to grow, they're drought proof and require no sprays or nitrogen. They are also good for soil structure - the field would never need subsoiling, and being perennial no need to redrill every year. The finished product would have a unique brand, I would market it as "El Diablo (The Beast) - A devilishly good compost for the maverick gardener."
Thoughts?

I would probably have a huge outbreak of dock beetle and the dock crop would fail. I do have one suggestion to your planting though: Add some red clover to the mix, dock and RC seem to have some kind of symbiotic relationship.

 

[GeorgeK]

I would probably have a huge outbreak of dock beetle and the dock crop would fail. I do have one suggestion to your planting though: Add some red clover to the mix, dock and RC seem to have some kind of symbiotic relationship.

Typical, if you actually wanted to grow them they'd die . I think you're correct, the heaviest infestations tend to thin out over time and the biggest docks always grow in isolation. Yup docks and red clover don't I know it.

 

[Purli R]

Docks now in demand due to their medicinal effect on male baldness. Warren Buffet buys vast areas of infested land.
A new goldrush has started. Repent all ye dock abusers!

What do you do rub your head with it
till it turns green?
[/QUOTE]
Any use to you @Bald Rick ?????......................................................sorry couldn"t resist.

 

[ollie989898]

If they were sprayed during the cold weather basically all products were unlikely to work well. It's only become warm enough in the last 10 days or so.

 

[milkloss]

Typical, if you actually wanted to grow them they'd die . I think you're correct, the heaviest infestations tend to thin out over time and the biggest docks always grow in isolation. Yup docks and red clover don't I know it.

makes me wonder...... ever seen docks growing amongst a very impressive crop of fat hen?

 

[manhill]

Docks now in demand due to their medicinal effect on male baldness. Warren Buffet buys vast areas of infested land.
A new goldrush has started. Repent all ye dock abusers!

What do you do rub your head with it
till it turns green?
[/QUOTE]
Yes but only when there's a full moon!

 

[neilo]

makes me wonder...... ever seen docks growing amongst a very impressive crop of fat hen?

I’ll go and check.

 

[milkloss]

I’ll go and check.

We should start a partnership

 

[ollie989898]

makes me wonder...... ever seen docks growing amongst a very impressive crop of fat hen?

Yes.

 

[Kevtherev]

Only way to totally kill a dock is via a nuclear explosion then bury it 100ft deep

 

[milkloss]

Yes.

Spoil sport... thought I was smart thinking of using one b4stard weed to kill another equally b4astardish weed.

 

[bobk]

Will thistlex kill docks ? got a field of creeping thistle with docks also ,

 

[neilo]

Will thistlex kill docks ? got a field of creeping thistle with docks also ,

No, but Pastor will kill both.

 

[bobk]

No, but Pastor will kill both.

How much is that Neil , rather expensive iirc , mind you so is thistlex and galgone

 

[neilo]

Only way to totally kill a dock is via a nuclear explosion then bury it 100ft deep

I was going to order a hundred foot hole, but I don’t think @Cab-over Pete would get it in the transit without folding it up.

 

[neilo]

How much is that Neil , rather expensive iirc , mind you so is thistlex and galgone

About £20/ac iirc.

Agronomist did say something this morning about not being able to get it now though.

 

[Ukjay]

About £20/ac iirc.

Agronomist did say something this morning about not being able to get it now though.

Still available from here if their website is correct, but it isn't cheap (but the two bottle variant - not the older version in single bottle:

Pas Tor Twin Pack 1 x 2L + 1 x 2L - Powerful Grassland Weedkiller

PasTor twin pack is the supercharged replacement for Pastor Pro, containing more active ingredients and delivering even better results. Packaged in a handy twin pack PasTor is strong on nettles, docks and thistles plus a wide range of broad leaved and annual weeds. More cost effective per acre...

www.progreen.co.uk

 

[ollie989898]

Will thistlex kill docks ? got a field of creeping thistle with docks also ,

Throw in some hurler/hatchet with your thistleX and you basically have pastor.