Common Mullein in Clover Plot

[hokiehunter]

Does anyone know of a spray that will kill common mullein and not kill clover? I have areas of my clover plots that are close to 20% common mullein. All the herbicides I've looked into will kill the clover. Is there a solution other than spot spraying glyphosate? Even trying that, I'm afraid the thick fuzzy leaves won't absorb easily.

 

[Mortenson]

Mowing an option? Machete? Spot spray with a good brushkiller and oil. Guess it depends how big your plots are.

 

[Bill]

It's not listed on the label but I wouldn't be afraid to try and spot spray with a heavy mix of 2,4-db butyrac.
Never had it bad so like Mortenson says, "machete" I cut the long seed pod off and toss them in the burn barrel before they can spread.

 

[hokiehunter]

Right now they are just rosettes, but each one is about 18" diameter. I don't let them grow tall. They just take up about 10% of 3 access or so of plot it seems like. I do spray in summer with clethodim and butyrac 200, and it works great. But these seemed to persist through that.

Too many for a grubbing hoe.

 

[Tap]

I'd call Wes at Keystone Pest Solutions. He's pretty helpful when it comes to finding herbicides.
You timing for spraying may need adjusted earlier. If you're waiting too long into the season, that will have a negative effect on how well an herbicide works.
And sometimes we just need to bite the bullet and forget about saving the clover in order to get a weed under control. I have that issue with Canada Thistle. For years, I was slowly losing the battle by spot spraying with clover safe herbicides. Then I switched to spot spraying gly and I still wasn't winning the war. I finally switched to carefully spot spraying Clopyralid 3 (BTW, not labeled for mullein) and I'm finally getting the thistle under control, but I'm also killing the clover in the spot area. I usually over seed rye, or oats into the spot spray as I spray. It kinda works like mow 'n throw. Yeah, I'd rather have the clover than the rye or oats, but I'd rather have the rye/oats than the thistle. Sometimes you have to look at longer term goals, which in your case, is eliminating the mullein.
And spot spraying gets easier as you start to win the battle. I always use spray dye when I spot spray. It sure makes spot spraying more effective when you can see what you've missed spraying.

 

[hokiehunter]

That dye is a great idea. I'll give them a call. Thanks for the help!

 

[Tap]

That dye is a great idea. I'll give them a call. Thanks for the help!

A gallon of the stuff will last you a looong time. I use only an ounce or less per a 4 gallon backpack sprayer.

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[Mortenson]

It'll stain your hands for quite a while!

 

[Bowman]

Mullein is a biennial. Rosettes the first year, a tall stalk the second. So spraying did not work, Ok. I would not let them develop stalks. A light discing on the surface to chop the rosettes will not set back the clover, maybe even help. Once upon a time, I hired a guy to disc a logging field to plant No Plow. When I got back, all I had was a field of thistles. Next year, same thing but now with mullein. Absolute jungle, impassible. I had no equipment and did not live here yet. The next year, when I got greenup, I used a lawn mower 2 or 3 at least times. I rattled the mower so bad that I lost screws and it quit running. That was a real treat. Beat the mower running into rocks. Now I have some equipment and used a landscape rake to pull out whatever was growing and try to remove rocks. Multiple passes. Mullein is not that competitive. The mullein and thistle infestation is now gone, no chemicals. Joke: I will trade my rocks for your mullein.