Rushes

Derrick Hughes

Member
Location
Ceredigion
If it was me, I would only use the most bad ass premium glyphosate product in a weed wiper and follow the instructions on the label very carefully.

Whether you use the weed wiper or MCPA/both barrels option, you really want to be topping the rushes off first and then attacking the regrowth mid-summer. They will be young, green and growing as hard as they can so you will get maximum effectiveness out of your chosen herbicide. I don't know how much weed wiping is but spraying with MCPA or hormone chemistry is pretty cheap, possibly less than a comparable dockspray.
I suspect roundup wont kill docks .
 

steveR

Member
Mixed Farmer
Got a few acres of rushes to spot spray AFTER, I have been through the solar farm between the panels with Grazon pro. as soon as I can travel and the weeds ar moving...

As a lot of the rush clumps are inaccessible are they under the panels themselves, a topper or wiper are not really an option... So it's overall spot spraying application with a small boom. I was intending on using a product like Polo (https://www.agrigem.co.uk/headland-polo-10l ) and wondered if the recommended 3.5L per Hectare will take out rushes?
 

Bury the Trash

Member
Mixed Farmer
In theory it would knock them
But trouble is Big barstedclump s are so tough and self contained.

If they had been cut tight last season and werent to big ie more vulnerable and you could cut them later this year at the right time to focus the herbicide action the that would be the ideal.

Course there again if they' m of a sensible size or rather greeny type I nstead old dry tougher rank bar stewie clump types then sheep would keep them down if kept tight enough at times.


Classic is when you cut a field for hay or silage with them in in early ish June, then graze that field well with sheep for the rest of the season, the rushes never regain there ' confidence' and are left at the end of thd season in open sparsely thin non clumps iyswim

Even then ( with respect to previous non want to use glypho on site reason s ) carefully spot sprayed glyphosate and wetter will be cheaper ..
 

steveR

Member
Mixed Farmer
You won't control rushes any time soon, they are largely dormant and not growing hard. Strim/cut them down low and wait for plenty of fresh green regrowth.

Polo will hurt them but use maximum dose. Combined max dose 2,4D and MCPA a lot better.

VERY difficult to top next to the panel legs, which is the issue. The rushes will be targetted with spot spraying which as we all know can be used to give a "max dose"! on bad areas....

Might well skip the Grazon though, and go through with my agronomists mix, or 3.5l Polo as you describe! I used to use it on pony paddocks years ago where I never knew what was the problem until I arrived on site. I needed to have a pretty well foolproof option for all weeds!! ;)
 

JMTHORNLEY

Member
Location
Glossop
Just to add - if you top and don't get round to spraying/wiping you've completely wasted your time...

Can't believe how quickly they grow back as if you've not done anything.


Couldn't agree more, you want to get on and top first thing in the spring and hit them in the baking heat (if we ever get any)
 

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