The Forestry Forum

General Forestry => General Board => Topic started by: luvmexfood on September 06, 2017, 09:06:08 PM

Title: Wondering
Post by: luvmexfood on September 06, 2017, 09:06:08 PM
Have a bad infestation of Johnson Grass in our hay field. Never had any experience with a soaker type garden hose but wondering. Have a 50 gallon sprayer that is 3 point hitch mounted with a spray nozzle. Would it be feasible to take a 2" pvc pipe and mount it crossways on the sprayer frame and plum from the pressure side to the pvc pipe and plum a soaker hose directly under the pipe? Again crossways. Maybe 8 or 10 feet wide. Could plum both ends of the soakerhose into the pvc pipe if necessary. Can control the pressure to the pipe anywhere from 30 to 100 psi.

Since the Johnson Grass is currently about a foot higher than the surrounding hay I could mix some roundup in the tank and drive around over the field letting the soaker hose rub over the Johnson Grass while staying above the surrounding grass. Not sure how much a soaker hose weeps. Would it be enough or too much?
Title: Re: Wondering
Post by: Ianab on September 06, 2017, 09:30:04 PM
They make the exact machine you are envisioning here in NZ. Same idea, the weeds are taller than the grass, so you can drive around with a felt wick on a bar, and wipe the roundup only on the top of the weeds. They use a felt system to distribute and apply the roundup, and reduce any dripping. I think they are simply gravity fed from a tank on top. You don't need spraying pressure, just need the keep the felt wet.

https://www.walco.co.nz/products/weed-wipers/wipe-out-weed-wiper/ (https://www.walco.co.nz/products/weed-wipers/wipe-out-weed-wiper/)
Title: Re: Wondering
Post by: DelawhereJoe on September 06, 2017, 10:01:54 PM
According to Wiki there are some Johnson grass that is resistant to roundup, so I would try spraying some to make sure it will die. You could also try a mix of things to kill it, I have found roundup, 2,4,d (weed-b-gone), and bush-b-gone will kill just about anything I apply it too.
Title: Re: Wondering
Post by: btulloh on September 06, 2017, 10:15:30 PM
What's going to eat that hay?  Be careful with johnson grass.  It can be poisonous under some circumstances. If it has seed heads and gets eaten you'll be planting it too.
Title: Re: Wondering
Post by: luvmexfood on September 06, 2017, 10:16:03 PM
Quote from: Ianab on September 06, 2017, 09:30:04 PM
They make the exact machine you are envisioning here in NZ. Same idea, the weeds are taller than the grass, so you can drive around with a felt wick on a bar, and wipe the roundup only on the top of the weeds. They use a felt system to distribute and apply the roundup, and reduce any dripping. I think they are simply gravity fed from a tank on top. You don't need spraying pressure, just need the keep the felt wet.

https://www.walco.co.nz/products/weed-wipers/wipe-out-weed-wiper/ (https://www.walco.co.nz/products/weed-wipers/wipe-out-weed-wiper/)
I thought about drilling several small holes in the pvc pipe maybe 1/16 and wrapping the pipe in burlap. I have some plans for a boom that you drill several holes in and get a fitting for each hole then put rope between each fitting. Just didn't want to invest that much time.