Thistles in grass

[bobk]

Interesting. We have most weeds here... except thistles. Except one field I lent to a sheep farmer. I’ve always said his sheep brought the thistles, got rid easily they just don’t like it here.

Thistles like good ground to grow , we're excellent at it .

 

[Agriimark]

Find thistlex better than grazon, spray at a rate of one litre/ha in 200-400 litres of water. it may pay to spray re-growth two to three weeks later.

 

[milkloss]

Find thistlex better than grazon, spray at a rate of one litre/ha in 200-400 litres of water. it may pay to spray re-growth two to three weeks later.

If there's regrowth you've done it wrong! Best keep an eye out for very early creeper shoots and let them get a bit of a start.

 

[czechmate]

How did the sheep bring them?

Seeds in their wool

 

[onesiedale]

Got a sheep field with creeping thistle that needs treatment , thistlex is brilliant but does knock the grass badly 1st year , not seeds but pp , need something kinder to the grass , any suggestions

cattle at very high density grazing

 

[onesiedale]

^^ before

^^after

 

[betweenthelines]

Buy a topper

 

[Agriimark]

If there's regrowth you've done it wrong! Best keep an eye out for very early creeper shoots and let them get a bit of a start.

Just the way ive done it in thick area's

 

[milkloss]

Just the way ive done it in thick area's

I suppose being an arable man you wouldn't think of it as an expensive spray? The trick with them is to get them in one go and thistlex is capable of that. I think the trouble starts if the creeping thistles have sent out their spronkers that haven't got enough leaf to get enough chemical. If they're real thick with small underneath I guess it'd be better to top and come again as much as I hate the idea of a topper.

 

[Farmer_Joe]

of course there are a few good things about thistles

View attachment 1012851

they are great little finches, ive seen these little fellows after dock seeds in my garden!

i mix mcpa with 2-4d for thistles works well in the back end, if your to early its not as good.

 

[Lazy Eric]

I think you've got that wrong to be honest. Never noticed any effects on grass with thistlex before...... MCPA on the other hand is pretty hard on it.

This is more the case.

 

[neilo]

View attachment 1012857
^^ before
View attachment 1012858
^^after

We had a farm walk somewhere that had been rotationally grazing cattle for the last 7 years, latterly with big mobs on daily moves. His thistles had all disappeared, apart from the fields he grazed with sheep, but docks were having a barmy time of it.

The general consensus was that cattle, with enough grazing pressure, were grazing the thistles out tightly & regularly, and consequently killing them.

 

[neilo]

This is more the case.

+1

 

[ollie989898]

View attachment 1012857
^^ before
View attachment 1012858
^^after

Don't mess about with that: forefront it.

 

[neilo]

Don't mess about with that: forefront it.

I think the point was that high density cattle grazing has meant it didn’t need Forefront.

 

[czechmate]

How did the sheep bring them?

a related aside; we have lots of large grass patches around buildings at a farm which were a nuisance to maintain. A chap has been grazing horses on them for three years, now they are pure buttercups

 

[onesiedale]

Don't mess about with that: forefront it.

why?

 

[M-J-G]

I think the point was that high density cattle grazing has meant it didn’t need Forefront.

Or they just trampled them down

 

[Ffermer Bach]

We had a farm walk somewhere that had been rotationally grazing cattle for the last 7 years, latterly with big mobs on daily moves. His thistles had all disappeared, apart from the fields he grazed with sheep, but docks were having a barmy time of it.

The general consensus was that cattle, with enough grazing pressure, were grazing the thistles out tightly & regularly, and consequently killing them.

and I am sure sheep with the same regime will do the same to the docks

 

[ollie989898]

I think the point was that high density cattle grazing has meant it didn’t need Forefront.

That will grow back and spread even worse than before.