The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Smallholding => Land Management => Topic started by: Skyfall on July 30, 2014, 10:48:00 am
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I know everyone's properly fed up of hearing about it,,, but I just acquired 12acres riddled with the stuff, I've got some barrier h coming but I have pulled 50bin bags of it so far and I have no where to burn it, the field is split into 3 and I am only using one ATM for my horses am I safe to burn the ragwort at one far end of the field not being used? Then when it's ash pick that up and try and dispose of it? Thanks louise
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Ye, just burn it, dont know if you have been told but l will say anyway :innocent: Wear gloves ! Very important, its nasty stuff.
Dont need to remove ash. Good luck, its a back breaking job, but gotta be done. :thumbsup:
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Yeah I know all the ins n outs lol just always been on yard where it's been taken away and burnt just need to know it's safe to do so with horses in field next to it and that I can still use the field that it will have been burnt in afterwards got my sheep coming next month and they will be moving into that field x
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Erm, is wearing gloves critical? I dug up a few plants last week and probably handled it. I wasn't aware of any issues with contact, only ingestion.
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Erm, is wearing gloves critical? I dug up a few plants last week and probably handled it. I wasn't aware of any issues with contact, only ingestion.
I've often pulled it up by hand - never had any problems, didn't even know there was ingestion problems - I wouldn't bend down and sniff the bloody thing, nor suck my fingers afterwards :roflanim:
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It's a long back breaking job, but worth it in the end! A few years ago, we acquired a paddock mainly because of the stables and other outbuildings already in place, and the fact it was almost bordering some of our existing land. The paddock was a sea of yellow and from a distance resembled a rape field in full bloom!
Access with machinery is virtually impossible, but with a lot of time, patience, and sheer brute force, we cleared it over a couple of years by fencing off areas and tackling each sub-division.
Oddly enough, this morning I shifted some hay from one barn to a smaller barn at the paddock. On walking the field - which incidentally has been rested and left completely untouched for the last 12 months, I pulled out no more than half a dozen ragwort.
Tip - Dip the heads in paraffin or diesel to ensure you 'lock-in' any of the seed and prevent them being carried unburnt on the updraught from the fire. You've probably already noticed that once pulled, the flower heads wilt but they'll still go to seed if left too long before burning.
Following a burn, you could spread any resultant ash over the field with a good harrowing.
I wouldn't use Barrier H on anything other than the ragwort when in its rosette stage, i.e. any which haven't developed a flowering stalk. It will kill the mature growth but again, the flower head may still go to seed.
Next and subsequent years, target the rosettes early and for any stemmed growth, pull it preferably when the soil is damp or alternatively, dig it out using a rag fork.
Have faith and good luck :thumbsup:
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Thanks midtown I'm literally exhausted pulling it all, had a rare day off from it today but it's needed. I've started setting myself square patches to get done in a day and the field is looking so much better from the road already it's also riddled with thistles so been pulling these aswel I'm living on antistamines ATM lol wish I could just torch the whole field and start from scratch
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Erm, is wearing gloves critical? I dug up a few plants last week and probably handled it. I wasn't aware of any issues with contact, only ingestion.
I think it's all to do with 'best practice'. I suppose there are some folk who (could) suffer various allergies from handling some plants. One site I remember looking at which I might add tried to deter folk from getting rid, used scaremongering tactics by stating if it was absolutely necessary to pull ragwort, the it was imperative to wear a coverall, gloves, and a face mask! :innocent:
The poisonous element of ragwort has to to be ingested and processed by the liver. It is only then it becomes a risk due to the cumulative build up within the liver.
While most but not all, horses and other livestock will generally avoid the bitter taste of the growing plant, if cut and found in hay for example, the dried plant becomes palatable - but retains its toxic element.
If I find the odd one, then I'll pull it - I'm not going off to search for a pair of gloves first! And like Doganjo, I've no intention sniffing it, sucking my fingers, nor for that matter making a brew from the flower heads. :roflanim:
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It was the vet that insisted it was best to wear gloves , especially if there was a lot to pull up.
Its all down to personal preference, the choice is up to each individual !
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Midtown - does the dunking the seed heads in petrol work for spear thistles too? We've got rid of the ragwort (though no-one else bothers so some blows in each year) and the spear thistles are down to manageable proportions, but as you say, they do still continue to ripen after they're dug out, and even after they have been through the bonfire if tiny bits are left round the edges. I've tried hitting them with the blow torch, but the seeds seem to look on that as a bit of help with ripening :rant:
Skyfall - it's a horrible job but you will feel immense satisfaction once it's done :farmer: :thumbsup:
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Can't see why it shouldn't work with thistle but, it's important to note the heads should be dipped in diesel or paraffin, not petrol!
Petrol will evaporate too quickly, whereas the other two being oil based tend to stick and 'hold' better.
My favoured method of burning is to make a sandwich. A layer of old hay or straw, a layer of ragwort (heads dipped in diesel), another layer of hay or straw, another layer of ragwort, another layer of hay or straw, etc - then torch it! :thumbsup:
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Can't see why it shouldn't work with thistle but, it's important to note the heads should be dipped in diesel or paraffin, not petrol!
Petrol will evaporate too quickly, whereas the other two being oil based tend to stick and 'hold' better.
My favoured method of burning is to make a sandwich. A layer of old hay or straw, a layer of ragwort (heads dipped in diesel), another layer of hay or straw, another layer of ragwort, another layer of hay or straw, etc - then torch it! :thumbsup:
You been arrested for arson yet? :roflanim: :roflanim: :roflanim:
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It was the vet that insisted it was best to wear gloves , especially if there was a lot to pull up.
Its all down to personal preference, the choice is up to each individual !
Everything iv'e read says that humans can't absorb the toxin through skin BUT as a member of the daisy family you can have an allergic reaction which causes dermatitis and as such I always try to wear gloves
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You been arrested for arson yet? :roflanim: :roflanim: :roflanim:
:roflanim:
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Well obviously we have read different articles , like l said , its up to each individual.
Farmers didnt think standing in sheep dip was an issue !
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liverpool vet school did some work and could measure the toxin in the blood stream after pulling ragwort without gloves for a short while. Because it damages the live you may/not have any signs immediately but the affect would be cumulative...just like alcholol!
Do you need to pull your ragwort?? if you've several paddocks couldn't you get them topped with the toppings baled & removed, and then spray the regrowth? Fertilizer or lime as needed after topping would help the grass come in stronger & crowd out the ragwort too.
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I have been fighting the battle against ragwort for years as every single paddock I have rented has been full of the stuff which I have mainly hand pulled with gloves. I now own my own land and the first year managed to get someone to spray, followed by sheep which cleared up that years plants but two summers later I am back to square one as I have not been able to get someone to come and spray.
Depending which source you look at gives you a different story about toxicity in humans, one paper said it is absorbed through the skin but as it is not converted by gut acid is metabolised and harmless.
I also appear to have Marsh ragwort which is not on the injurious weeds list and apparently can be controlled by mowing in June. Depending on which source you look you are told something different about being poisonous so I am still pulling, with gloves
http://www.floodplainmeadows.org.uk/files/floodplain/Marsh%20Ragworth%20Trial%20RSPB%20Leaflet.pdf (http://www.floodplainmeadows.org.uk/files/floodplain/Marsh%20Ragworth%20Trial%20RSPB%20Leaflet.pdf)
http://adlib.everysite.co.uk/adlib/defra/content.aspx?doc=99304&id=99308 (http://adlib.everysite.co.uk/adlib/defra/content.aspx?doc=99304&id=99308)
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I cleared an acre in a paddock I rented once.
I didn't know to wear gloves. :o
If you are pulling them, wear gloves!!!
But did you actually feel any bad effects by not wearing gloves?
Yes, I felt truly terrible for days. I don't think it can have been psychological, because I had no idea it might be bad for me. I didn't go see a doctor.
liverpool vet school did some work and could measure the toxin in the blood stream after pulling ragwort without gloves for a short while. Because it damages the live you may/not have any signs immediately but the affect would be cumulative...just like alcholol!
Oh good, I'm not going mad then ;)
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The school is called Leahurst, they did lots of seminars on all aspects of animal and land management.
We used to live nearby, thats were l heard the info about the ragwort.
This year is bad, not seen so much before, must be the weird weather ?
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Well I'm still pulling been taking photos throughout the whole process I am almost done one field YIPPEEEEE I have a contractor coming next week or early the week after when he's finished harvesting to come a top the overgrown field he's said to try and pull as much of the ragwort as I can out it isn't as bad as this field though but harder to see any smaller shoots with it being 3/4ft high, had a few days off though as not felt great back too it today tho. My body has literally been eaten alive by some kind of bug down there tho I'm covered in huge blistered bites that itch so blooming bad :(
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Ragwort seed was imported with the earth the previous owners of our farm used to make the bund around the slurry pit and lagoon. They never let it seed and neither have I. Thirty-five years on I still find new plants when I check it every month through the summer!
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This year I've used barrier H - it does work but needs quite a big dose on anything over rosette size. Used one bottle and to expensive to buy another (although I would use again earlier in the season). So in another field I used glypho - again it does work but difficult to spray only the rag not surrounding grass when plants are beyond rosette stage. So, i'm back to pulling. It's coming out quite nicely at the moment due to the good soaking we had at the weekend.
We are in the process of sheep proofing all our land so we can rotate sheep and horses hopefully this will help get on top of new growth in the future . :fc:
Do any of you use rag forks? They certainly make the job less back breaking but I find they snap the roots more than pulling does and i'm sure i've been told that plants can regenerate from a small bit of root left in the ground?
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We have been busy lifting ragwort as well. Been at it for 17 years now, spraying , pulling, digging and still it grows. I hate the stuff ! >:(
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The old way was to graze with cattle, who avoid it and leave plants standing proud of the grass. Sheep and horses then avoid them too.
If you wanted to kill the plants, would it work to do the cattle-graze thing, then weed-wipe?
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Do you need to pull your ragwort?? if you've several paddocks couldn't you get them topped with the toppings baled & removed, and then spray the regrowth? Fertilizer or lime as needed after topping would help the grass come in stronger & crowd out the ragwort too.
Cutting is not recommended. Although it may reduce seed production, it can promote perennialization of ragwort, i.e. it will come back the following year more vigorously.
Should also bear in mind, until the plant has died off completely with no evidence of its presence remaining, any remnant will become palatable to livestock.
Rabbit scrapes, mole hills, poached and bare areas of soil, imported soil, etc, all provide ideal conditions for ragwort. Fertilising and lime may help, but I'd also be inclined to consider over-seeding where conditions dictate.
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