Invasive weeds and field edges

[LincolnHeathGrower]

We've been largely no-till for a few years now. Does anyone else have problems with invasive, deep rooting mugwort and burdock within no-till fields? Secondly, I'm considering re-introducing a rotovator with a packer roller to the farm as I feel our field edges are getting increasingly ragged, the margins seem to be getting ever wider, especially in field corners, and as I don't have any cultivation equipment, it would be of some assistance establishing wildlife plots etc. Would be interested to hear of similar experiences and what solutions you've come up with.

 

[Yale]

Can you not drill bird cover mixes on the field margins to swamp the undesirables?

However I am just a livestock farmer.

 

[steveR]

We've been largely no-till for a few years now. Does anyone else have problems with invasive, deep rooting mugwort and burdock within no-till fields? Secondly, I'm considering re-introducing a rotovator with a packer roller to the farm as I feel our field edges are getting increasingly ragged, the margins seem to be getting ever wider, especially in field corners, and as I don't have any cultivation equipment, it would be of some assistance establishing wildlife plots etc. Would be interested to hear of similar experiences and what solutions you've come up with.

Mugwort is a bloody nightmare weed. Rotavator will just chop and spread the damned stuff IME...

Very high level of Glyphosate or even better, Kyleo (Glyphosate+ 2,4D) will work. Also, consider a change in cereals herbicide to check the stuff during the growing season.

 

[LincolnHeathGrower]

I'm not looking to rotovate the invasive weeds in the field, but I think it would help to keep the field edges clean. I have in the past resorted to spot spraying with either a knapsack or quad bike sprayer to take out small areas, but it's a nuisance. I think timing is quite critical, we need to get a herbicide on just before stem extension. Our field margins are generally either drilled grass mixes or self sown 2m which can consist of all sorts, with one or two sown as flower mixes but I usually put those in isolated blocks which are awkward to crop.

 

[GeorgeK]

Quad sprayer and glypho a strip round the edge of the crop with the hand lance, good practice anyway? If you are only going to have one cultivator get an old Kuhn power harrow to tidy up the odd bits, no farm should be without one

 

[steveR]

I'm not looking to rotovate the invasive weeds in the field, but I think it would help to keep the field edges clean. I have in the past resorted to spot spraying with either a knapsack or quad bike sprayer to take out small areas, but it's a nuisance. I think timing is quite critical, we need to get a herbicide on just before stem extension. Our field margins are generally either drilled grass mixes or self sown 2m which can consist of all sorts, with one or two sown as flower mixes but I usually put those in isolated blocks which are awkward to crop.

I was thinking more along the lines of @GeorgeK 's suggestion, chemical control just around the margin edges, and a herbicide choice for the whole field area that will lend itself to slowing down the Mugwaort...

 

[Kevtherev]

Flail top

 

[DrWazzock]

I got my cousin to go round the field edges with his pedestrian flail mower. It keeps things in check but it’s a ball ache of a job which is why I got my cousin to do it. This he was “ too busy” though, which was a shame.