The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Smallholding => Land Management => Topic started by: artscott on January 30, 2012, 07:23:55 pm

Title: Help with Fireweed- (Rosebay willowherb)
Post by: artscott on January 30, 2012, 07:23:55 pm

We have finally moved on to our new smallholding  and amongst all the 100s of things that need doing I have noticed that about 2/3 of the land is infested with the dead stalks of fireweed (rosebay willowherb).  Does anyone know of a cost/time effective way of removing or reducing this stuff.  Will goats eat it, I have read that parts can be eaten by humans so it cannot be poisonous.  Possibly pigs will root out the roots too.
With all the other stuff that needs doing in my decrepit place I am not going to get time to dig it out this this year and I want to at the very least stop it getting any worse.

thanks for any sugestions

Title: Re: Help with Fireweed- (Rosebay willowherb)
Post by: jaykay on January 30, 2012, 07:37:32 pm

Goats will definitely eat it and you can make great hay from it, to improve their winter diet.
But if you just keep cutting it, you'll get rid of it, it's really not difficult stuff to deal with  :)

Title: Re: Help with Fireweed- (Rosebay willowherb)
Post by: robert waddell on January 30, 2012, 08:01:10 pm

it will be good soil  if willowherb is growing there :farmer:

Title: Re: Help with Fireweed- (Rosebay willowherb)
Post by: FiB on January 30, 2012, 08:04:20 pm

And the stalks and seeds (fluff) are fantastic firestarters so gather the stalks whenever you are wondering the fields.....I have bundles and bundles in my shed!

Title: Re: Help with Fireweed- (Rosebay willowherb)
Post by: Andrew on January 31, 2012, 08:54:23 am

We had about 1/2 acre of rose bay and our flock of 6 Shetland sheep have totally eradicated it in 2 years.

Title: Re: Help with Fireweed- (Rosebay willowherb)
Post by: Rosemary on January 31, 2012, 09:03:52 am

My ponies love it  ;D Be glad - there are far worse things your land could be infested by ;)

Title: Re: Help with Fireweed- (Rosebay willowherb)
Post by: artscott on January 31, 2012, 11:49:24 pm

Thank you all for the reassurance, I’m glad it’s not going to be the problem I thought it was. Maybe I will try and find a couple of goats this spring to deal with it.

For the moment  just trying to get the house habitable, the steadings usable /safe and wondering where to put, veg, trees, chickens, etc, etc, etc. I Need a plan but at the moment it’s all just bubbling around in my head!