Author Topic: Bracken Removal (Read 8690 times)

Daveandthekids · « **Reply #15 on:** March 27, 2015, 08:03:08 am »

I hear you Devon Lady but we own the neighbouring fields on 3 sides of the field in question and our bracken is reaching into our neighbours immaculate grass field with hundreds of sheep in. I'm hoping he will be ok with proceedings. I assume the contractor has to notify neighbouring owners for permission before they carry out the job.
We had to mark the drawing showing river/streams within 160M, ownership of fields, springs etc. a buffer of 10M is taken into consideration near water, which is carried out by hand spraying.

Rhea · « **Reply #16 on:** March 27, 2015, 01:57:40 pm »

I'm in a similar position, had a field sprayed by tractor with Asulox in September. Cost for a ~3 acre field was £350 + VAT.

Since then we've been cutting and raking the bracken so it can be burnt and we can see what's going on underneath. Just waiting for it to start to reshoot in the next few weeks.....

Daveandthekids · « **Reply #17 on:** March 27, 2015, 03:31:42 pm »

Thanks for that Rhea. We are expecting £500 max for the helicopter.
Is your field on a steep slope?
How have you removed the dead bracken? And how long did it take. As stated ours must be 12" thick minimum throughout. Was it difficult to remove?

Rhea · « **Reply #18 on:** March 27, 2015, 10:04:36 pm »

Our plan was to get the bracken cut before Christmas, leaving enough time for the spray to take hold but removing the fronds in time for frost to damage the roots.

We don't have our own topping equipment yet, and have been let down by our contractor who was supposed to cut it. So, we are now in the process of raking/tearing it into piles to burn, but as ours was about the same height as yours when we started it's a knackering job. I now don't think we'll get it all cleared, but I'm convincing myself it's a scientific experiment and we can compare the cleared/non-cleared areas later in the year.

We are on a reasonable slope which has proved difficult for machinery, but mainly because the bracken is hiding the remains of old stone walls which understandably people are wary of with their machinery, especially when they get tipped over

Daveandthekids · « **Reply #19 on:** March 29, 2015, 11:18:39 pm »

Thanks for your help Rhea.
It's helped us to be realistic with our schedule if we can't get the local farmer to take a chance on the gradient!!
Where abouts in the UK are you?