The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: Sudanpan on July 07, 2012, 06:36:54 pm
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One of our regular walks with the dogs is on the Towans by Gwithian Beach near Hayle. The area is a mix of duney grassland with pockets of gorse/bramble/ivy/marram grass and suchlike - there is also a healthy population of rabbits so the grass is kept very short! Apparently the history of the area includes being the national explosives centre (!) in connection with all the mining in the area.
So, today I noticed an HUGE amount of ragwort all over the shop - I am certain this is unusual as I am sure I would have noted it before. Does ragwort thrive on mild damp conditions?
Just curious really :eyelashes:
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There seems to be a lot of it about this year...
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We cleared our fields of it the first year we were there, unfortunately the neighbours don't control theirs so I will be ragging again tomorrow. Only a couple of dozen though so won't take long.
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Thistles are in abundance too.
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I've got problems with it this year - not sure if it's directly weather related that the rainy summer has helped it grow but it has certainly prevented the contractors getting in to spray it early enough because you need a dry day with low wind to spray and for it to stay dry overnight so the chemical gets into the leaves ::) 2 dry days together didn't happen often enough for my first 2 fields to be sprayed at the usual time, and they then needed left 6 weeks before I could book the 2nd 2 fields, and since I put in the request we've not had 2 dry days let alone together ::) so I still have it and am pulling the bigger ones by hand as by the time the sprayer comes they'll be too strong and possibly even flowering otherwise :o
My driveway has stacks of it waiting for disposal and I'm hardly touching it in one field yet - not to mention I can't even get the barrow in the gateway emptly let alone out again laden so it's even harder work than usual :(
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Funny, we've got hardly any this year. There's one plant in the ponies field that I'm waiting to get a bit bigger before I hoik it out. Mind you maybe it's just not flowering yet - that's when you really see it - everything else is late flowering :(
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Okay, well between farrowing and digging holes fr fences, we have been ragwort picking. Remember that this is our first year of living here, and that among our questions to the former owners was one asking about the instances of Ragwort in the fields to which their answer was '5 or 6 plants in the 6 years we have lived here'...
I have two builders' sacks FULL of ragwort plants I have removed in the last week (many quite mature).
I stopped counting at 600 plants.
This wasn't the only thing they lied about... ::)
Anyway, pulling ragwort it is good for the waist and this rain has made it as easy as it ever will as few of the plants require spade work. :thumbsup:
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I noticed today, driving through Aberdeenshire, that the recent rain has pressed all grass down to the ground - with tall weeds sticking up everywhere - some ragwort, some thistle, and probably a few others that are simply better adapted to this wet weather than grass! Will be difficult to make silage like this.
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Okay, well between farrowing and digging holes fr fences, we have been ragwort picking. Remember that this is our first year of living here, and that among our questions to the former owners was one asking about the instances of Ragwort in the fields to which their answer was '5 or 6 plants in the 6 years we have lived here'...
I have two builders' sacks FULL of ragwort plants I have removed in the last week (many quite mature).
I stopped counting at 600 plants.
This wasn't the only thing they lied about... ::)
Anyway, pulling ragwort it is good for the waist and this rain has made it as easy as it ever will as few of the plants require spade work. :thumbsup:
It could be worse, we have 40 acres that had been left for 40 years....probably millions of plants. Which means despite having 40 acres and hay equipment, we buy in hay for the horses :-OOOO
Sheep wise we pull everything we can see and then make hay. So Im pretty sure their hay is free of it, but its that 0.1% of doubt that means i cant risk it as horses like cattle are more susceptible than sheep as % of bodyweight.
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I haven't noticed much this year and it usually grows behind where we live. Maybe it just hasn't flowered yet.
One thing I have noticed has gone mad this year is sticky weed, My girls love it.
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I've always pulled all the ragwort I've spotted, in the paddock, drive anywhere but next door was rented out to sheep and they didn't bother and I seem to have more than ever this year. One good thing is the field has been sold and the new owner has horses so she will be addressing the problem so hopefully next year things won't be so bad.
I have also see it in other field about the place where they grow barley etc and they certainly don't pull it so I guess it will always be about.
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I thought it was a legal requirement to control Ragwort? We had a farmer next to us with a field of it and just after mentioning it to him the whole area was cut and sprayed. Nothing grows there now, not even weeds.
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I had heard that the local council can issue an order for the control of ragwort and if that is done then it is a legal requirement to comply however it is not illegal to allow it to grow if this has not been issued if that distinction makes sense. Bit like a ragwort restraining order!
Could be wrong though ;)
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Ragwort Control Act 2003 This Act of Parliament exists to create a code for managing ragwort. It amends the Weeds Act 1959 (http://www.ragwortfacts.com/weeds-act-1959.html). There is a great deal of misinformation on the internet about this Act. The practical implications for an individual are of little consequence, unless they are prosecuted for failing conform to a ministerial order made under that act. It DOES NOT place any legal obligation on anyone to control ragwort.
???
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I had heard that the local council can issue an order for the control of ragwort and if that is done then it is a legal requirement to comply however it is not illegal to allow it to grow if this has not been issued if that distinction makes sense. Bit like a ragwort restraining order!
Could be wrong though ;)
If thats the case I think our local council should issue an order on itself - the grass verges are full of ragwort. We keep on top of ours for the sake of our horses but when its just on the other side of the hedge you feel as though you're fighting a losing battle year after year. Might just have to start pulling on the verges too!
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Makes sense that the council wouldn't issue itself with an order which is no doubt how they get away with it!