It’s Thistle season and i’ve been out drone spraying Variagated and Saffron Thistle. its important to get on top of them before they get too big or past the rosette stage.🌺
Sheep and fine Wool producers are concerned about these two thistle species degrading wool quality and taking over valuable grazing land.🐑 Both properties being treated are hilly and rocky, making it a perfect situation for a spraying drone.💦⛰️
✳️Variagated thistle thrives on nitrogen rich soil, common around sheep yards and camps from the stocks urine and poo.💩🫢When Variagated thistle is treated, it goe’s into stress mode and releases toxins making it poisonous to humans and stock. For this reason it’s important to observe withholding periods for stock until it’s safe to re-enter the paddock.🐑🚫
✳️Saffron Thistle spreads by seed and is often a contaminate of grain, hay and wool. It can also spread by movement of stock and farm vehicles. 🚜🐑
Like many thistle species, Saffron is a “shearers nightmare” because of the sharp spines which attach to the wool and splinter off into the shearers hands when shearing. 😬
MCPA and Clopyralid (Lontrel) are the go-to chemicals for thistle spraying and a “Course” to “Very Course” nozzle setting is required for aerial application.🧪💦
Depending on the population density and growth stage a water rate between 50 and 70 litres per Hectare is ideal for drone spraying. 🚁💦
My trusty P30 just effortlessly applied the product flying over sharp rocks, fallen trees and gullies whilst climbing hill sides like magic.🚁🪄💦
I’m always amazed how drones can make a difficult job so much safer and easier.
If your interested in my drone services, don’t hesitate to contact me or request a quote.
Hope to fly with you soon😉
