Bad Rush Infestation how best to deal with it ?

DeniseandGeoff

We have just got back after viewing a smallholding we now intend to buy, it is not to far from Ballinasloe in Co Galway. The land is 3 acres but has been neglected as has a very heavy rush infestation. Our questions are as follows:

1. Would it be best for us to top them and spray

2. Get a local farmer in to sort it as we are complete novices at the smallholding game and what would be the rough cost of sorting the rush on 3 acres?

Thanks in advance for any replies
Cheers
Geoff and Dee

bbam

If you have your own equipment I'd say go ahead... top them, wait for a fresh green regrowth and spray them...

Even if you don't have a sprayer you should top them yourself... A topper will work fine, high revs in a low gear, let the machine have its time to chew them up..

I hate rushes but you wouldn't think it to look round here:rolleyes:

DaNiEl1994

bbam wrote: »

If you have your own equipment I'd say go ahead... top them, wait for a fresh green regrowth and spray them...

Even if you don't have a sprayer you should top them yourself... A topper will work fine, high revs in a low gear, let the machine have its time to chew them up..

I hate rushes but you wouldn't think it to look round here:rolleyes:

i agree 100% if you have the gear top them, we have a conor 6ft semi-offset topper and it works perfectly no sprayer tho......like stated above low gear 1st high usually with lots of revs never rush through cause you can shear the shear bolt easily (easy to replace great thing they are), if very thick i'll go 3rd low loads of rev's nice and easy no need for a huge tractor we ave a massey 265 2wd powers it no bother.

through one year starting around now and ending in end of september you could be topping the same place up to 3 times

TUBBY

hi folks.

top them and then spray the re-growth after 6 weeks with mcpa. that will get rid of 80% of them.

one question though, is it moory or wet ground. if so, you would benefit from a few shores in it to drain the land.

wet land will always have rushes no matter what you do unless drained.

best of luck with your holding:D. are ye the athlone side of ballinasloe.

DeniseandGeoff

Thanks all for the great info, we don't yet have our own equipment, but was looking at the compact tractors from the Chinese, but looking at the price will probably buy a full size 2nd hand one.

Will probably get a local farmer in to try and sort it for us while we get the equipment bought.

And Tubby we will be in Kilkkerrin area if you know it ?

DeniseandGeoff

Kilkerrin even, sorry slip of my fat fingers

Tora Bora

DeniseandGeoff wrote: »

Kilkerrin even, sorry slip of my fat fingers

The fella down the back of the room bidding the price up will be Reilig. He's mad for land.:D

bbam

DeniseandGeoff wrote: »

but was looking at the compact tractors from the Chinese,

Not that I'm down on Chinese products but I've heard the tractors aren't so hot.. For the €4/5K you'd spend you'd be better off with a smallish 2nd hand tractor... Even a rebuilt vintage MF135 / DB990 would be better value and more use on your 3 acres...

Muckit

DeniseandGeoff wrote: »

Kilkerrin even, sorry slip of my fat fingers

That's a nice drive from Ballinasloe!

TUBBY

Kilkerrin a lovely part of the country.

for the sake of all the work ye need a tractor for, ye would be as well off get someone in for any jobs for the time being i reckon. when ye find your feet then, ye could buy a MF 165 or something for small money (round 3-4K). There are very few things can go wrong with these and any local mechanic will fix them. if something goes wrong with your compact tractor (kioti etc), its a big job get it sorted.

DeniseandGeoff

Hi all,
Thanks for all your replies. I will forget the chinese tractors and will keep an eye on the prices on donedeal and ebay, not sure how much tax I would have to pay if I brought one over from the UK?.

I am handy with the old spanners, used to race bikes as well as cars and build my own race engines, ah them were the days:D

Getting back to tractors I do like the look of the John Deeres as well as the Massey fergusons, and may be the fords so whats the best for a reliable tractor and easy to get spare parts?

As for Kilkerrin yes got to agree a lovely place and as can be said for all of Ireland the people are so friendly and the pace of life is great, we have always been made very welcome and are looking forward fingers crossed to our new much dreamed of small holding adventure, it will be a hrad to watch game when Wales play Ireland in the Rugby:D

rancher

DeniseandGeoff wrote: »

We have just got back after viewing a smallholding we now intend to buy, it is not to far from Ballinasloe in Co Galway. The land is 3 acres but has been neglected as has a very heavy rush infestation. Our questions are as follows:

1. Would it be best for us to top them and spray

2. Get a local farmer in to sort it as we are complete novices at the smallholding game and what would be the rough cost of sorting the rush on 3 acres?

Thanks in advance for any replies
Cheers
Geoff and Dee

It's now a buyers market, you should be looking for good land if you're serious about farming, much better return for your work.

DeniseandGeoff

Hi Rancher,
I understand what you are saying about the land, but the Mrs has fallen in love with the house/location, so think it would be very hard to change her mind, but as you say it is a buyers market.

We are just going to start small scale more of a hobby than a commercial venture, we was going to try and free range some rare breed pigs, but after seeing the excellent quality of the meat on offer, this may not be viable, but at least we could fill our freezer with quality pork

Muckit

DeniseandGeoff wrote: »

Hi Rancher,
I understand what you are saying about the land, but the Mrs has fallen in love with the house/location, so think it would be very hard to change her mind, but as you say it is a buyers market.

We are just going to start small scale more of a hobby than a commercial venture, we was going to try and free range some rare breed pigs, but after seeing the excellent quality of the meat on offer, this may not be viable, but at least we could fill our freezer with quality pork

I would agree with Rancher, you won't be able to make a silk purse out of a sows ear. If you don't like rushes, then don't buy land that grows them!!
But in saying that if you both like the location and the place, that's that. You could find the best land in the country, but if you don't like the location, there's no point either. Somewhere along the line compromises have to be made.

So you like this place. In that case, from your description, you would want to be, as we would say in this country, 'buying it for a song':), I'm talking pocket money. Don't listen to the auctioneer hype or the value he is putting on it. Don't let your heart rule your head too much. They'I be very few interested in a place that size, it's not going to run away. Remember money saved on the sale will be needed to be put into the house.

Land/houses very cheap in that area for a reason.

I wish you all the best with your venture.

rancher

DeniseandGeoff wrote: »

Hi Rancher,
I understand what you are saying about the land, but the Mrs has fallen in love with the house/location, so think it would be very hard to change her mind, but as you say it is a buyers market.

We are just going to start small scale more of a hobby than a commercial venture, we was going to try and free range some rare breed pigs, but after seeing the excellent quality of the meat on offer, this may not be viable, but at least we could fill our freezer with quality pork

I think you might have got me wrong, my pen name is just wishful thinking, a rancher I am not and lets say I'm at an age that I see the importance of quality of life over money so when I say 'return for your work' I mean reward, satisfaction, whatever,... definitely not financial.
Rushes indicate poor soil structure, poor drainage and probably lack of lime, so if you ever want to grow your own veggies, and when you taste home grown ones you'll never want anything else, you will find it exremely difficult. best of luck in whatever you do

DeniseandGeoff

Thaks again for the input Rancher and Muckit, sounds like the land would need a lot of work and as you say you cannot make a silk purse out of a sows ear, but the location is ideal so I cannot see me changing the wifes mind.

Muckit do you mean house prices are cheap in that area because the land is known to be bad, or is it to remote for some?, also is there any good websites you know of for looking for small holdings to buy ?
Cheers
Geoff

Muckit

DeniseandGeoff wrote: »

Thaks again for the input Rancher and Muckit, sounds like the land would need a lot of work and as you say you cannot make a silk purse out of a sows ear, but the location is ideal so I cannot see me changing the wifes mind.

Muckit do you mean house prices are cheap in that area because the land is known to be bad, or is it to remote for some?, also is there any good websites you know of for looking for small holdings to buy ?
Cheers
Geoff

A bit of both Look, each to their own. What suits one lad, won't suit another. Once ye are happy it's the main thing.

The PRICE is all you've to work on now is what I'd say.

Property.ie .............Look under commercial and then agricultural land

DeniseandGeoff

Hi again Muckit,
Thanks for your quick reply, I will have a look at the website you mentioned and will have to bargain hard with the auctioneer

TUBBY

Hi Denise and geoff,

If you try daft.ie also, it usually has some decent land in all areas.

Or, just try the farmers journal website. i cant think of his name (tyrell maybe) but there is an auctioneer from down that way that has land on the paper every week at what seems like realistic money

DeniseandGeoff

Thanks for that Tubby, I will check it out

reilig

Tora Bora wrote: »

The fella down the back of the room bidding the price up will be Reilig. He's mad for land.:D

You'd never know.

My inlaws are just up the road from there. Its a nice part of the country. There's good enough land around there compared to what we have in leitrim. A bit of work on and care for that galway land and you'd be surprised what you can make out of it.

DeniseandGeoff

Hi Realig, thanks also for your input. We will be complete novices on the small holding and land and animal care. Trying out a small holding has been an itch I wanted to scratch for a lonmg time, it must be in the genes, my fathers side of the family farmed a lot in Anglesey, so I blame them:D

It will be a good experience and if we cannot improve the land, my other hobby is clay pigeon shooting and ham radio so it will come in handy for that.