Rushes

anti christ

I was just thinking of doin a bit of spraying ..next week as the weather is promised dry...i have cut them about two month ago...so i have good regrowth...8 to 12 inches high...people say only to spray when there really growing....they are...if only i could get grass to grow as quick.....or is it to late in the year..

patsy_mccabe

I'd say you're still ok. I licked a good few fields 2 weeks ago and got a great kill.

The Cuban

Use the bioactive roundup as it continues to work in the colder weather throughout the winter

tanko

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

I'd say you're still ok. I licked a good few fields 2 weeks ago and got a great kill.

What did you use and what concentration?

patsy_mccabe

3 litres of roseate 36 plus 92 litres of water, plus some washing up liquid. Total 95 lts. I always find if I lick early on a hot fine day for best results.

Grueller

i was going to spray a few rushes tomorrow with MCPA. I need a sticker mixed in I know, but some lads say to knock the tops off of them them with a topper to allow the spray to penetrate better. Is this necessary?
They are regrown to about 6-8 inches high and are only young rushes in ground that got drained and reseeded in 2011 and got a poaching a while back. The rushes only appeared since the poaching happened.

_Brian

Should be ok to spray away.

ShowMeTheCash

I have an 1.5 acres to clear.
The field used to be really wet but I got the field drained 18 months ago. Draining pipe stone etc. Field is much better however still have a lot of rushes.

What is the best weedkiller to use.
Also I had my lawn re-sown about 18 months ago but getting rushes coming up. The lawn is dry I think this was more to do with the soil just having seeds in it. What is the best killer I could use that will not complete destroy the grass?

Never wrestle with pigs

MCPA, with a squeeze of washing up liquid.

ShowMeTheCash

Never wrestle with pigs wrote: »

MCPA, with a squeeze of washing up liquid.

Is it ok to do now at this time of the year?
Can I purchase MCPA easily or does it require some credtifcate health and safety training?
When applying do I just spray on the green of the rush? Or into the root?
How long before it will take a effect?
I am getting the field ploughed etc in spring but I was hoping to try and get the rush problem well whacked back before then.

Never wrestle with pigs

TBH you'd be better off hold on until spring. Wipe the lot out with round up. The growth at this stage is minimal and so will uptake of the spray. When you are reseeding you'll be starting with a clean slate. Post emergence spray 5/6 weeks after seeding I'd be looking at what's popping up and work from there.

ShowMeTheCash

Never wrestle with pigs wrote: »

TBH you'd be better off hold on until spring. Wipe the lot out with round up. The growth at this stage is minimal and so will uptake of the spray. When you are reseeding you'll be starting with a clean slate. Post emergence spray 5/6 weeks after seeding I'd be looking at what's popping up and work from there.

OK thanks will hold out until spring.

mobfromcork

How much did it cost to drain the field if you don't mind me asking? I have a similar size piece here that I was thinking of doing as well. Would be getting in someone to do the whole lot - machinery etc
Lots of rushes too. Got them sprayed a while back and so far not too many have grown back.

ShowMeTheCash

mobfromcork wrote: »

How much did it cost to drain the field if you don't mind me asking? I have a similar size piece here that I was thinking of doing as well. Would be getting in someone to do the whole lot - machinery etc
Lots of rushes too. Got them sprayed a while back and so far not too many have grown back.

So I was getting a retaining wall built and that cost the bulk of it.
My whole project cost about 10000 euro but the field.

400m 110mm of draining pipe 100m x 4 I think was around 400/500 euro.
For the field alone easily 6 loads of 3/4 stone 200 euro a load (Full lorry) 1200 euro.

For that size you will need large digger and dumper.

If you get the weather digger with dumper could probably do in 2 - 4 days depending on the complexity.
Digger and driver in Donegal would cost you probably350 to 500 euro a day depending on side of digger.
Small digger to without driver is 150 euro a day.

And you then need the dumper and someone to drive dumper need to factor that in.

call it 600 - 700 euro a day for machinery and operators.

1800 to 2500 + materials 4K

If you can drive a dumper or know someone that can drive a dumper same goes for digger you could maybe cut some of the cost.

Bleating Lamb

Depends very much on if you are available yourself to give the time needed when getting field drained but I was getting some gaps stoned and learned how to drive dumper in a matter of minutes,will admit I wasn’t confident getting up on it initially but if you are sensible and take your time on it they are fine to drive,tip etc.

ShowMeTheCash

Bleating Lamb wrote: »

Depends very much on if you are available yourself to give the time needed when getting field drained but I was getting some gaps stoned and learned how to drive dumper in a matter of minutes,will admit I wasn’t confident getting up on it initially but if you are sensible and take your time on it they are fine to drive,tip etc.

If a novice, be careful if the field is sloping and wet, I have seen dumpers slide all over the place on wet and loose soil, also seen one of the huge Tyre's blow out when the dumper was full of stone, sliding sideways trying to move up a very wet slope. Dumper moves very different in a dug field than it does on the road.

Also just be very careful when the dumper is full you cannot really see directly in front of the dumper, so as the OP says be sensible.

I guess it might come down to time.

Digger man and someone who knows how to handle the dumper might do it in 2 days. You helping in the dumper might move slower so you then need to pay digger and digger man for a 3rd day......

mobfromcork

Thanks for the replies. Had the digger man here earlier for a look. There was work done a good few years ago where underground 4ft concrete pipe was put in instead of the traditional open ditch/drain and runs underneath where the field meets the garden. There are old box drains coming from the field which were not tied into the concrete drain so the field has become very wet and rush filled as a result.
Going to undercover old drains to start and feed them in and maybe run two new ones from the wettest part of the field but luckily this is quite close to the main concrete pipe.
Thanks for the tips re the dumper but it doesn't seem to be as big as job as I initially thought so happy to pay the pro.

ShowMeTheCash

Just coming back to this thread as it is now spring.

I took the strimmer to the rushes yesterday and if the weather is good on Friday I should get them all cut.

Now that I have the cut down when is the best time to apply roundup or MCPA?

Should I wait a few weeks or should I start to apply the roundup this weekend as soon at the cut is complete.

The plan is this:

1. Cut them back (almost complete)
2. Apply roundup or MCPA, give it month to let the killer do its job.
3. Plough field and reseed grass
4. Just treat rushes as they come up there after.

Reason I am cutting them back and applying the weed killer is to try and get a good kill rate before I seed grass, also areas of thick rushes would making ploughing a nightmare.

So should I wait before i spray after the cut or is it ok to apply weedkiller this weekend.

croot

ShowMeTheCash wrote: »

Just coming back to this thread as it is now spring.

I took the strimmer to the rushes yesterday and if the weather is good on Friday I should get them all cut.

Now that I have the cut down when is the best time to apply roundup or MCPA?

Should I wait a few weeks or should I start to apply the roundup this weekend as soon at the cut is complete.

The plan is this:

1. Cut them back (almost complete)
2. Apply roundup or MCPA, give it month to let the killer do its job.
3. Plough field and reseed grass
4. Just treat rushes as they come up there after.

Reason I am cutting them back and applying the weed killer is to try and get a good kill rate before I seed grass, also areas of thick rushes would making ploughing a nightmare.

So should I wait before i spray after the cut or is it ok to apply weedkiller this weekend.

Unless you have some regrowth of the rush then no spray will be taken up and you would be literally throwing it away. The more fresh green rush the spray is in contact with the better the kill.

_Brian

Leave them 6-8 weeks before spraying if you want a decent result.

ShowMeTheCash

_Brian wrote: »

Leave them 6-8 weeks before spraying if you want a decent result.

So lets say 6 weeks from this weekend.
4th May

How long should I leave it after they have been treated before I plough and reseed?

Never wrestle with pigs

ShowMeTheCash wrote: »

So lets say 6 weeks from this weekend.
4th May

How long should I leave it after they have been treated before I plough and reseed?

About a week and you'll be safe, use round up. The biggest thing to do after is a post emergence spray 5/6 weeks after seeding. Use mcpa, this will kill the weeds and fresh rush growth and allow the new grass to take over and not give weeds space to reastablish themselves.

dodo mommy

The mother inlaw wants rushes sprayed in her back garden what's the best spray to kill them with using a knapsack?

lab man

dodo mommy wrote:

The mother inlaw wants rushes sprayed in her back garden what's the best spray to kill them with using a knapsack?

Mcpa

Mtx

Good dose of slurry is a great help too

_Brian

lab man wrote: »

Mcpa

Also worth noting that MCPA isn’t licensed to be used vis knapsack sprayer

_Brian

Mtx wrote: »

Good dose of slurry is a great help too

For the mother in law or the rushes

lab man

_Brian wrote:

Also worth noting that MCPA isn’t licensed to be used vis knapsack sprayer

Didn't know that

Mtx

_Brian wrote: »

lab man wrote: »

Mcpa

Also worth noting that MCPA isn’t licensed to be used vis knapsack sprayer

Im a criminal then, the knapsack police will be around shortly to arrest me.

wrangler

Mtx wrote: »

Im a criminal then, the knapsack police will be around shortly to arrest me.

It's no harm to be aware of the rules, if you have an inspection and have mcpa and no sprayer,
better to keep it out of sight than explaining that you used it through a knapsack