How late is it ok to spray nettles?

Sandpit Farm

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Derbyshire
We have rain forecast for the next couple of weeks here. I have some hill ground that is riddled with nettles and I have been carefully spraying with a knapsack on dry days in between other jobs. How late in the year would you spray? I feel like some of the more mature plants aren't really getting hit so hard. After the rainy period, I am a bit worried we are getting too close to September.
 

Bury the Trash

Member
Mixed Farmer
In my experence late autumn spray on young growth from topped nettels works really well.
yes thats it, as long as they have been cut and there's good regrowth it will be fine ,takes the pressure off having to do every thing in the spring , any that come next spring.
do them before they get rangey and big / or going to seed, as then its too late
Grazon pro use either time and it translocates as well;)
 
I'll happily spray until end of September. Used to only spray in the spring but found I never had enough time. I do plenty in September now and it has made a massive difference. It makes the job so much easier in the spring. Grazon Pro is the best (other than Forefront which I've not used yet). I am winning the battle against nettles but finding more creeping thistle which I put down to having too many sheep!
 

Sandpit Farm

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Derbyshire
Excellent. I've used Grazon 90 and it is working on the young growth. It's a bit of a pain because I can't get a machine on there (even a quad bike) so its a strimmer and knapsack job so I just do an hour or two here and there when I have time. We have rain up here every day now for 2 weeks - hence my question of how late could I go.

I've left the field corners as we do get some glow worms so I want a few nettles but a 3 acre patch right at the entrance to the village is probably a bit much!
 
Grazon Pro every time. Gets to the roots. May require a repeat for a couple of seasons but this is the best way to rid a pasture of them.
Large August plants I would top off, wait for 15cm new growth and then spray September early October when all the energy of the plants is going into the roots. Better distribution down the root system.
Hormone weed killers only take off the top growth so you will always have to repeat this every spring and or autumn.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 79 43.2%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 63 34.4%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 16.4%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 5 2.7%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

  • 1,286
  • 1
As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
Top