Rhoddie stem injection.

[trialscot]

We have a lot of stem injection to do. I keep reading about Spotmatic dosing guns but am having no luck locating a supplier.

I did get contact details for Spotmatic but it turned out to be a filling station, in Kent I think!.

Do these guns still exist, are they helpful and if so, where can I get one?.

[Max Plank]

Hi,

 

Try here: http://www.micron.co.uk/shop/product/4

 

We have used these for weevil spraying on restock sites, not sure they will be any good for stem injection though...

[HCR]

It's a while since I was last involved in rhododendron stem injection (about 2005) but we did it with battery drills.

[trialscot]

Thanks for replies, I think I wasn't very clear.

We're using cordless drills to bore the holes in the stems and are looking for a dosing gun to fill the holes with Roundup. The Micron one looks just what we want.

Thanks again.

[McMichael]

Large paint syringes? Have seen these used effectively in the past... Likely against all types of legislation but worked all the same.

[jonmackeen]

Our contractors have adapted a sheep drenching gun which has had really good results and they're reasonably cheap

[markieg31]

severe it at the base and spray the stump using a garden sprayer. not as big as a knapsack. we have had good results.

[Rhob the Log]

Got a job spraying Rhody this summer. Anyone fill me in on the most effective treatment? It's a combined map and spray of around 45 forest management units (in a SSSI), around 80 acre site - spraying the smaller statured stuff. My plan is:

 

Cut them down to stump, smear on Glyphosate with a paint brush (cringe) or knapsack spot the stump, while fresh. Waiting till end of May or so to be out of sap rising time. Don't want any runoff and I'd have to have hot feet to miss the flowering anyway.

 

The trouble is, I wasn't taught stump treatment on PA6, despite continued hassling. Labels don't give technique or, "using special saw attachment". Eh? Poor training provider. That aside, what do you think? I've got to quote a day rate for this too so any help there would be good. Could be a lot of work in places, especially near the stately home....

[Rhob the Log]

Alright, seen the pdf from the FC. That's handy. Definitely turns my plan on its head. Read the bit about removing the largest individuals first http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/Argyll_Bute_rhododendron_2008_best_practice.pdf/$FILE/Argyll_Bute_rhododendron_2008_best_practice.pdf

 

Guess my 1T hand winch is going to get a lot of work! But seriously, these things are massive, multi-stemmed. I expect plant hire will be involved to do a good job. Am I ever going to get a high enough spray cover to kill 200+ large Rhody or is this years on years of work? A little over the budget for what they could pay I think...any suggestions?

[TGB]

It could be done and dusted, (sprayed) in one year but suspect it may need another visit, if heavy mechanical assistance cannot be utilised.