Thread: Spraying willows

Originally Posted by Woody

Thats a very kind offer @BRADS. 100l is about 12 gallon drum size is'nt it? Not sure my punt is big enough. Will PM you though.

replied mate
Tank size 470mm High, 500mm Wide, 850mm Long


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Hey Ryan. $$$$$

Willows aren't too fond of metsulfuron escort, answer, meturon etc with a bit of organic silicone penetrent might be getting a little late in the year to do it though, leaf fall has started here. There is a label claim and rate for willows I'm sure, Google agpro meturon

Thanks Marty. There still grern here but I think another week or two will see yellowing. Most lijely I will get into the main block come summer. Zapped a few easy ones today but you're right; was probably the last hurrah for this season.

a c-dax pump (wired to a sealed battery) sucking out of a 20l drum using a short hose and gun will do the job

Originally Posted by Woody

Hey Ryan. $$$$$

I'd still look into it. We usually expect to pay around $170 for the locating cost ie: getting the digger delivered on a truck if it's a local operator and then $180-$190/hr for the machine and operator. If it's only an hour or two job it may cost you $500 and by the time you add up spray costs plus your own labour and the fact you'll still end up with dead willows to remove it starts to look pretty good. Decent machine and operator can achieve heaps in a pretty short span of time

@Ryan_Songhurst is that what you a paying for a digger down that way? what size machine

The job covers several acres and I doubt even swamp grousers would allow a digger to function. I havefound a petrol powered unit sold by toolshed that simultaneously sucks water and sprays. Will look further into this type of unit.

Originally Posted by Woody

The job covers several acres and I doubt even swamp grousers would allow a digger to function. I havefound a petrol powered unit sold by toolshed that simultaneously sucks water and sprays. Will look further into this type of unit.

I had another thought woody you considered using a mistblower?
you could probably hire one ?

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Have a talk with Howard Egan – on FB/Granddad on the other forum – he has a large wet lands property in South Wairarapa – he has developed and redeveloped the wet lands with various forms of funding and hunter assistance.
I developed something like you have 50 years ago – cutting, burning, bulldozing and fencing – busted our guts on it for a couple of summers – we got some assistance from Ducks Unlimited
A 25mm drill and fill the hole with glyphosate will kill anything from a small willow to a huge pine tree – lots of wet land clearing starts with killing the trees

Cant access by shanks pony.
Need a long reach jet spray that will operate from a small punt.
No problem getting clean water from side of boat.
Willows must be killed to prevent coppicing.
Will try to protect oparts of understory containing carex and small coprosmas and herbs growing on old carex stumps. I reckon doing a swath around 10+ metres deep into the willows each successive season will do the trick and will have least impact on the resident fauna while gradually enhancing the general habitat.
Mist blower will not have the range but I can pick days with a good wind towards the willows to increase spray range and penetration.
Seems like petrol powered small 3-4hp units will generate more range and some models can draw water from boatside into a mixing drum on board; then mix chemical in that drum (big blue one) and then draw from that through the same pump to spray wand. Weight around 35kg so manageable down my access path to boat.

Originally Posted by bigbear

@Ryan_Songhurst is that what you a paying for a digger down that way? what size machine

Yea just looked at last invoice 30 tonne digger and operator 4hrs @$190 and $164 relocation fee

Get the digger, drain the wetland walk in spray the stuff refill the wetland job done.
Seems so simple I'm suprised no one else has thought of it already, I mean what could possibly go wrong?.

Good one Damming that creek needs a lotto win and lets not even talk about RC's.

What's the benefit of killing the willows? I know they suck up heaps of water