The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Smallholding => Land Management => Topic started by: jamesm2289 on April 19, 2017, 08:52:26 am
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Helloooo :wave:
We've recently hired a man with a tractor and mulcher on to clear a really overgrown field (6 acres or so) full of gorse, brambles, small trees, nettles, japanese knotweed - all sorts was in there so we can fence it off and get some grass back in there for grazing. It was probably last grazed about 15 years ago.
However, the mulcher has left a lot of the remains of the gorse and some of the brambles and japanese knotweed is coming back through. It's also left the field with huge ditches and tracks that we'd like to even out.
What is the best way to keep these weeds down and give the grass a chance to grow back?
We have tamworth pigs we could put on there to turn it over a bit more (reluctant to do this as there is a fair bit of decent grass in there that they would turn too.
Are we going to have to bite the bullet and buy a small tractor to deal with it? Do we need to re-seed to get the grass coming back through?
Any help would be great!!
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my experience of clearing similar overgrown land is that the grass grows back by itself fairly quickly as long as the 'competition' is kept under control - if you have something to graze it (sheep? - though goats would likely be better) they will help to keep the brambles and other edibles under control and encourage the grass to spread sideways. re-seeding might be faster but until you've dealt with the knotweed and gorse it may be pointless.
the gorse will come back unless you weedkill it or pull up the roots, but with very persistent mowing you may control it.
japanese knotweed is a bit more problematic - it is edible but persuading animals to eat it during the growing season when there's better tasting stuff about is the challenge (although I've heard that cows are quite partial to it) - weedkiller may be best, but it's difficult to eradicate. I heard that putting pigs in JKW is a bad idea as they break up the roots and spread them around.
not sure about the ditches and tracks - get the tractor back with a roller when the ground is less soft? A tractor and topper (or a rough terrain ride on mower) might be the best non-weedkiller control strategy - or the afore mentioned goats.
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Mulching the knotweed probably wasn't a good idea. Even the tiniest bit of root or stem can grow into another plant. Don't bother spending any money on new seed etc until you have got rid of the weeds, unless you can find some animals that will eat them is going to take you 2-3 years to get rid of the knot weed. Spray with grazon once it is 3ft tall, and repeat a few times in the same year. Then repeat again the following year. You could also include a dose of glyphosate into the stems in the autumn. Dunno about gorse. Burn anything that has already been cut off you can.
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Gorse and Knotweed are both really difficult to eradicate even with chemical treatment, and as others say the knotweed can grow from a little and spread if you attack the tops
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If its Japanese knotweed not Balsam then you really need to get the professionals in. Mulching it takes the tops off while the root could be in the ground? Worth getting a survey done then messing with chemicals. Get it fully evaluated and take it from there. There are injectable options but may take a few years to kill. You need someone to take root depths as you could be under the impression its gone.
Unsure your location whether the JK has come from river, railway or dumped soil?
Meanwhile keep the ground clear of everything else but JK is a serious nuisance and removing it off site is illegal.
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If you have goats or acess to some put them out asap, a few weaned calls could allso help It's going to be hard work and an ongoing project with a fork and barrow I'd say
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I'd use a selective weedkiller on the whole field, Agritox would do it. Which should take care of the bramble, thistle (if any) dock and nettles. So if you treat it you'll just be left with the knotweed and gorse and grass of course. I've no idea how much you have but I'd get a backpack sprayer and spot spray them with gyposate. You'll need to keep applying again and again to clear it
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Don't forget any spraying will require a certificate
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I cannot agree enough with backinwellies and Foobar, by cutting it and spreading it you have caused an environmental offence, the EA will have a heart attack if they see it. You will need to get all the cuttings picked up(please use disposable gloves to go in the bags when finished) and bagged then send it to a licensed land fill £££
JPK needs to be treated yearly and the best way is by stem injection, very time consuming but worth it in the long term, the average treatment time is 5 years. with a watching brief after that. You can get treatment insurance though a licenced contractor.