Spraying

[tncountryservices]

Evening all.

 

hope your all enjoying some lovly weather.

 

I have been asked by a customer to spray some paddocks and other fields full of ragwort. I have the kit a quad and boom sprayer for my own and friends paddock and bits i have never done any for paying customers looking for a bit of advise on the going rate for spraying. do you charge pe acre or hourly rate. Any advice gratefluly receieved.

 

thanks in advance.

 

tom

[Matthew Arnold]

I thought spraying Ragwort in a paddock would be the worst thing to do as the horses would only eat the ragwort once it is dead and shrivelled. Might be wrong but we always pull and remove off site.

[headgroundsman]

I hope you have your spraying certificates PA1 PA2 & PA6

[Luke Quenby]

Will be ok as long as the horses can be kept out of the fields for a couple of weeks, if there is loads, spraying probably the best option, Headland Polo is a good one for paddock management

Headland Agrochemicals

 

You should charge per acre, this is the normal way to go unless it is less than about 5 - 10 acres. Agricultural contractor rates vary between £5 and £7 per acre, obviously just for application, hence why you may need to go hourly / or a higher rate, as these rates are generally based on upwards of 50 acres or regular sprays. Hope this helps

[Frankie Lawrence]

I hope you have your spraying certificates PA1 PA2 & PA6

 

very constructive and helpful.....

[tncountryservices]

thanks for the replies.

 

and yes i do have my PA tickets. think i'm going down the hourly rate route.

 

cheers tom

[Steve Bullman]

I'm afraid i know nothing about spraying rates, but in general i charge my usual rate for any work i do. My ongoing business rates remain the same weather i'm climbing trees or pulling weeds off patios(not that i do that)

[evergreen]

I'm afraid i know nothing about spraying rates, but in general i charge my usual rate for any work i do. My ongoing business rates remain the same weather i'm climbing trees or pulling weeds off patios(not that i do that)

 

Good point Steve, you charge what you feel your worth regardless of the task. No point doing things for less just because you like the sound of the work

 

Personally though I would suggest pulling ragwort and burning it on site. It does become palatable to horses when drying out. Not good = dead horse.

[bythamboy]

AS others have said ragwort is a serious killer once it is dryed or sprayed . mow bale and burn or pull and burn. I wouldn't put horses or any stock on grass that had been sprayed for ragwort now untill next spring because it will take along time for dead plant to wither away in usual autumnal weather conditions. Pull but wear gloves !

[tncountryservices]

i am fully aware of the pro's and con's of spraying, pulling, cutting etc we do keep horses. I feel that sparying is the best option at this time. I have considered cutting and collecting but not sure the best way of collecting as i don't have a tractor and hiring one would make the job expensive. There is no way i am pulling a very infested nearly 10 acres by hand.

 

thanks again.