Hi
I am seeking some clarification on application of Ferromex to kill some moss in managed grass areas.
I took my PA1 and PA6 recently and all the calculations we did during the course were around dose rates of 5ltr/Ha and around 200ltr / Ha volume.
From the label on the Ferromex it is saying i need to spray 800-1000 litres per hectare. I have looked at nozzles and i am struggling to find one that can apply at that rate for a knapsac sprayer.
Can somebody let me know please if i have made a mistake or am missing something.
Thanks
Kevin
Kevin, you will need to go over the area with more water rather than trying to apply the whole lot, so once you have established your output from your nozzle;
if it says 5 litres chemical in 500 litres of water over 1 ha
500 litres / size of knapsack ( 20l) = 25
5 litres chemical / 25 = 0.2
so you would need 25.2 knapsacks each filled with 19.8l water and 0.2 l chemical applied over 1 ha.
8 Sep 2010 by Kevin Clark Last edited 8 Sep 2010
Hi Neil
From the label it says i need to apply the Ferromex at a volume rate of at least 800-1000 L/Ha it suggests 300 litres of chemical with 500 litres of water (800 litres volume).
Using your example and knowing my Bertould takes 16 litres.
800/16 = 50 spray tank fulls over 1 Ha
300 litres chemical / 50 = 6 litres per full tank
So I need per knapsac 10 litres water and 6 litres Ferromex.
The next question is around nozzles, i calibrated the knapsac with the deflectip Lurmarc nozzle that came with the sprayer. It delivered 1.650l/min (chart on web suggests 1.611@2 bar)
Timed walk for 100M was 90 sec
The width of the swath was 1.25M
So I calculated that this nozzle would deliver 1.65x600/1.25*4 = 198 l/Ha (I think is normal for a knapsac nozzle)
Now as I need to apply 800l/ha (from label) this nozzle would not be suitable (I think?) so I started to look at other nozzles (need to purchase, again I think) looked at Lurmark polijet but the most these will deliver is 570L/Ha and that's halving the walking speed to 2km/h
So like i said, am i missing something or am i making a right pigs ear of this?
I could use the nozzle i have got and go over it 4 times i guess....It looks like using this you will be lugging quite a bit of mix about.
Thanks
Kevin
8 Sep 2010 by vid
Rather you than me 50 tank fulls seems a hell of a lot to me, I physically could not do it. No matter what, you have to apply the total amounts to the area so you will either have to find a nozzle that applies 4x as much, walk at 1/4 the speed or go over the ground 4x. No matter what the size of nozzle you will still have to do 50 tank fulls.
Being a knapsack 4x over will probably get you the best coverage unless you string it all out!! And a normal walking speed is physically easier to achieve than anything else
Kevin, using a knapsack for this sort of size area is tricky, as like like Vid says, and you are discovering, so many variables.
I would really consider getting a contractor to spray this for you, there are many good ones you can use and all will give a competative price,
Just out of interest, what aeration work is carried out on your areas?
Guys
The area to be covered is not a hectare, i was just giving the rates of application from the label. I need to do an area of about 100meters by about 10 so 0.1Ha
There has been nothing done on this amenity area for i guess approx 15 years (apart from cutting the grass) and it is full of weeds and moss, so im trying to rejuvinate to make it look nice. It does have a leylandi hedge adjacent to it that is 2 meters high which does not help.
I have been trying to remove the moss and have removed most of it with an spring tine type of device, but i wanted to remove the last bits of it.
My plan was:-
1. Kill Moss with Ferromex
2. Remove with rake / spring tine implement
3. Fertilise
4. Treat weeds with selective herbicide
5. Reseed (shade tolerant mix)
Regarding airation, i have been over it once with an old sisis slitting device we own that fits to the back of the tractor.
We have very limited equipment so its not easy.
Thanks
Kevin
Talking to the Rep about ferromex , he advised me that it is still effective at a 1/3 of the recommended rate . I have used a reduced rate for the last 2 times and it has worked a treat .
From memory I believe the recommended rate is 3l of Ferromex in 10l water does 100m2 , I put 3l in 20l and do an area of 200m2 . split the area up into 5 200m sections and spray 1 area at a time until the knapsack is empty . A 200l/h nozzle would be fine but you will be walking up and down a few times .
All
Thanks for your input, I am now clear on the way forward. Appreciate your help.
Kevin
10 Sep 2010 by vid
Be aware that FERROMEX is a ferrous sulphate ai product , they have sensibly licensed this product so that they can call it moss killer and quite rightly they are recovering their investment by charging far more for it - but then you have the security of knowing the product can be used as a herbicide. I am not sure but used as a green up tonic it doesnt require certification to apply it and is readily available to the wider public. However be careful most soils have an abundance of iron in them, repeatedly adding iron to the soil can cause layers and rootbreaks to occur, can lock up other nutrients needed by the plant such as manganese and in extreme cases become toxic. It is definitely not the cure all or the perfect green up product it is often made out to be, but in moderation is an excellent mostly problem free nutrient.
Iron and Nitrate is often added to products to give this instant green up - making a plant extra green does not necessarily mean it is being best served. Plants derive all the iron they need from most soils and certainly do not 'require' more.
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