Using a spray-out to help control weeds is a well-established practice, even when cultivation is used during seedbed preparation.

Glyphosate 540 or Glyphosate G360, plus Accelerate penetrant is the basis for any good spray-out. We also have a a range of companion herbicides to improve the control of specific weeds.

Companions for Glyphosate plus Accelerate:

The following table summarises a range of herbicides that can be tank mixed with glyphosate to improve the control of certain weeds that may not be well controlled when glyphosate is applied alone. This also helps reduce the risk of some weeds developing resistance to glyphosate.

Where time is of the essence, there are other companion herbicides that have zero or very short plantback periods. Both carfentrazone and oxyfluorfen have zero or very short plantback periods required. They are useful for improving the control of seedling weeds and certain other weeds like mallow that may not be well controlled by glyphosate alone.  But they are not as effective on established perennial weeds with larger root systems such as dandelions or docks.

Pests of the paddock

Check paddocks for pests before spraying out. Beware of slugs, especially in direct-drilled situations. Endure® slug bait can be mixed and spread with fertiliser, or broadcast alone, and is best applied pre-drilling or soon after. Consider adding Toppel® 500 to the sprayout to reduce the risk from pests like Argentine Stem Weevil, springtails and nysius fly.

Controlling weeds in new pasture

Best practice is to spray seedling weeds in new pasture just before the first grazing, once clovers have two true leaves, because weeds are smaller and easier to control and the new pasture will respond to the earlier removal of weed competition.

Pasture Guard® Nurture is ideal for control of seedling thistles, buttercups and a range of other common broadleaf weeds.

AIM® is ideal for controlling weeds like buttercup, chickweed, fathen, nightshade, shepherds purse and spurrey. Aim should always be tank mixed with Collaborate Spraying Oil.

A tank-mix of AIM and Pasture Guard Nurture is ideal for a wide range of seedling broadleaf weeds in new pasture including thistles and buttercups.

Pasture Guard® Elite is the preferred product where harder to kill weeds such as cleavers, cornbind, mayweeds, nettles, spurrey, storksbill, twin cress and willow weed also occur.

Be careful with pasture mixtures that contain plantain and/or chicory, herbicide options are limited. Talk to your Ravensdown agronomist for advice.

Always refer to product labels for full details of weeds controlled, recommended application rates, and plant-back periods.​