Stinging nettles in italian ryegrass and clover

Derrick Hughes

Member
Location
Ceredigion
They all kill clover including MCPA
20200617_111634.jpg
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
Newly sown crop of italian ryegrass and persian / balansa clover mix.

The mcpa doesnt list stinging nettle control?

Any suggestions, clover 3 true leafs and ryegrass at 4.

Cheers, Ant....

presumably they are seedling nettles, rather than well established?

If so Clovermaster (+Triad/Pinnacle to hot it up) is clover safe and recc’ed for new leys. Does a good job on most seedling blw’s ime, including nettles.
Clovermaster/Spruce is 2-4DB.

I don’t know of any other options available, in the UK anyway. You might have others available though?
 

Northern territory

Member
Livestock Farmer
I think you are right straight Mcpa will touch clover at low dose but not kill it. I sprayed spruce on some biggish burr thistles, curled them up but that’s about it. Not greatly impressed with it.
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
Jeez, can nobody farm without a sprayer these days?

Stinging nettles? Just top them a couple of times.

To thicken them up? When you prune an established plant in the garden does it kill it, or make it come back thicker?

Topping nettles won’t knock them ime, just make it look better for a short while. I had several acres under nettle beds when I arrived here, despite the previous tenant topping them continually. Effective herbicide use (170ac in year one?) meant that I was down to spot spraying the odd patch from year 3.
 

shearerlad

Member
Livestock Farmer
This is the tank mix that I have been recommended for using in new grass leys at the clover 3 leaf stage

Agritox (500g/litre MCPA) 0.75litres/ha and Headland Spruce (400g/litre 2,4-DB) 4.5litres/ha

In order to keep the mix clover safe it is important that the MCPA application does not exceed 375gms/ha. If the MCPA is applied as a product with 750gms of active ingredient/litre (e.g. Larke or Easel) the rate should be reduced to 0.5litres/ha.
 
Last edited:

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
Only reason to top nettles is because you plan to spray them when they are fresh and 12 inches tall later.

I topped some last week, for that very reason. I’m certainly not expecting any degree of control from it, but do expect to see thick, lush regrowth ready to spray at an ideal stage.
 

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