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Too much plantain how to deal?

 
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AlexBy



Joined: 18 Sep 2011
Posts: 85

PostPosted: Fri Aug 31, 12 4:34 pm    Post subject: Too much plantain how to deal? Reply with quote
    

hi all
My hay meadow has a lovely diversity of plants in it. It makes great hay and the sheep love it. However, over the last few years it has got infested with plantain (wonderful plant that it is) and I need grass, not plantain.

I have looked on tinternet and am struggling to find anything that could deal with it, When I say deal, I mean eradicate it so grass and other plants will grow.

Any ideas?

Grazon?, vinegar?

Thanks
Alex

mochyn



Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 24585
Location: mid-Wales
PostPosted: Fri Aug 31, 12 4:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I thought this was going to be about the big, bananananaey type plantains. I love those: how could you have too much!

Tavascarow



Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall
PostPosted: Fri Aug 31, 12 5:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

manure or fertiliser?
IMHO it would be a shame to eradicate the diversity with a herbicide.
Extra fertility might give the grass a boost so it can out compete the likes of plantain without eradicating it entirely.

AlexBy



Joined: 18 Sep 2011
Posts: 85

PostPosted: Fri Aug 31, 12 5:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I have tried "goodness", to help the grass out compete it, but to no avail.
Out of an acre field, probably a third is plantain.

It has had chicken manure and, seperately, pure N.

Just keeps on spreading, and, of course, as it is a mowing field (my only) I keep the sheep out of it from Jan /Feb, so can't control it by close grazing either

Sally Too



Joined: 14 Sep 2006
Posts: 2511
Location: N.Ireland
PostPosted: Fri Aug 31, 12 5:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Could it be a compaction issue.... I know plantain survives well on compacted ground.

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35056
Location: Devon
PostPosted: Fri Aug 31, 12 9:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Sally too wrote:
Could it be a compaction issue.... I know plantain survives well on compacted ground.


Broad leaved plantain does. I was asuming this to be ribwort plantain, the tall one you can use the heads to fire at people. No idea how to get rid of it without killing off everything else though.

Ty Gwyn



Joined: 22 Sep 2010
Posts: 4562
Location: Lampeter
PostPosted: Fri Aug 31, 12 9:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Sure sign of lack of fertility,

Like Tav mentions,Manure,FYM not Chicken,thats to high in N,
The land needs feeding,not blowing.

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