WITH the very wet and cold spring we have been experiencing and with grass struggling to get growing, many paddocks are now showing signs of weed growth, so it is vitally important to control them as early as possible.

Buttercups, dandelions and docks are the main problematic weeds in horse paddocks. Even relatively low infestation of these weeds can reduce the amount of grass available. A good control strategy must involve tackling these weeds early. Best control from any weedkiller is achieved on actively growing young plants sprayed in the spring or early summer before the weeds flower out.

Envy, from Corteva Sciences, contains the two potent active ingredients fluroxypyr and florasulam, it is powerful on buttercups, dandelions, plantains, daisies, docks and chickweed in paddocks and hay and silage swards. Because there are no issues with residues in manure, it is particularly suited to horse paddocks. This can be an important issue where horse manure is used as a nutrient source in gardening.

Envy should be applied at a rate of 2l/ha in 200l of water in established pasture. Keep animals off the pasture for seven days after application. In silage or hay swards, do not cut for at least three to four weeks to ensure full translocation to the root system.

Key points to remember:

    • Spray weeds when they are green and leafy, docks about 8-10” high or across, buttercups and others before they flower out.
    • If weeds are flowering out or gone too strong, top them and spray 2-3 weeks later when they are leafy again.
    • Use Envy at 2.0lt per hectare
    .
    • Use plenty of water. Minimum 200lt/ha and ideally 300lt/ha where weeds are large and there is shading from grass.
    • Animals only need to be kept off for just seven days after spraying.
  • In some situations, a follow-up spray will be needed. There can be shading of weeds where numbers are high and also where heavy infestation of weeds such as docks are present. Bare soil patches following kill of the weeds can provide areas for new seedling to germinate.

    • Spot treatment – a cost effective solution

    Nettles can be a troublesome weed on many stud farms especially and can grow along hedges and ditches and under railings. Where infestations are low, they can be ideally tackled by knapsack application.

    The best time to spray these is before they flower. When in flower, it can be more difficult to get good control for a number of reasons, the plant is bigger now and it has also switched to a reproductive phase and is concentrating on producing seeds. So the recommendation is to tackle these early in the season.

    GrazonPro is proven as the ideal and highly cost-effective product for spot treatment for a wide range of weeds. Docks, thistles, nettles, brambles, gorse, along with cow parsley and hogweed are among the weeds that it kills. It is rainfast within two hours and does not affect grass growth. Spray to thoroughly wet the foliage of the weeds but avoid ‘run-off’. Treated weed patches are rapidly re-colonised by grass.