New dock spray doesn’t damage white clover

A new dock spray which can be used on grassland without risk to white clover, is now available from Interfarm UK.

According to the company’s technical manager, David Stormonth, Squire Ultra is one of few herbicides that can be used on grassland.

“Docks are the most economically damaging weeds in grassland – they compete directly with grass, reducing yield and effective pasture life and affecting forage quality.”

And because docks have a large tap root helping survival over the winter period and rapid early spring growth, they are a real challenge to control, he says.

Squire Ultra will control broad and curled leaf docks and other annual broad-leaved weeds including cleavers, charlock, shepherd’s purse and field forget-me-not in rotational and permanent pastures.

“It is fully systemic and although slower acting than traditional dock herbicides, it moves through the weed, particularly the roots,” Mr Stormonth explains.

And one of its key benefits is it has no affect on white clover and can be applied to seedlings from the one or two trifoliate leaf stage onwards with complete crop safety.

Grassland expert, Derek Robertson of Agrovista, integrates Squire Ultra into his weed control programmes and says it works well with excellent crop safety, when used in the right circumstances.

“Squire Ultra will knock docks back well, but won’t wipe them out completely – unsurprising when you consider the large root system this weed has,” he says.

Squire should be applied when dock leaves are expanded and horizontal, with large dinner plate style rosettes for maximum control.