So spraying commenced (see also Weds 16th Dec). I wore a white overall that was to the correct standards of what I was using (glyphosate), green vinyl based gloves, a mask, a full helmut with screening visor and special white boots. There's a non-chemical changing room and a room where the suits/ kit/ equipment that can be used again are stored - each department has their own rack section. We mixed up the chemicals with the full kit on. My glyphosate had to mixed with an adjuvant - we used Codicide - a thickish pink liquid. It's a 50:50 mix.
We put out special yellow signs on either side of the beds we were spraying. Janina was spraying Systhane on dutch irises to treat the leaf spot that they had - a fungal disease. Her's was a bit different where her walking/ spraying speed doesn't make as much sense, as she needs to cover individual plants as thoroughly as possible. Repeat applications is required for this to be effective. I was using mine as a coverall herbicide - glyphosate works specifically if plant is in active growth, in this mild weather especially this winter - the annual weeds are almost perennial. Even though we put in a bit more than what we calculated we needed (on the logic that it was better to have more and use in other areas then have to mix up another small amount), I ran out and the coverage wasn't as consistent as I would have liked it to have been, but it will get sprayed again in spring.
We continued working on the Hybrid berries bed, we took out the irrigation pinned down by self made metal hoops, rolled it up, and took out all the fence posts, for the big ones we used a special fence post pulling tool that clamps on to the post and has a lever and grips the post in such a way, where the post will slide out with more minimal effort. The particular one we used is called 'Stake out'. Technique was to wriggle the fence to loosen it first if possible. If posts snapped in the mud - the best thing to do was with assistance from another person to use a spade on each side of post bit still in the ground, putting tension on it and at the same time to lever it out together with the spades.
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| Photo 1: Coiling up the irrigation |
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| Photo 2: Using the handy Stake-out tool. |