[sabrina]

Once again its popping up all over the place, we spray, pull and burn the stuff yet every year i end up with just as much. Both my neighbours just let it grow so i am fighting a losing battle but why when it is a band weed is nothing done. The neighbour to the right of us has horses and makes hay every year knowing she has the stuff. she does pull the big plants but never thinks of any small stuff. Other neighbour got a grant for hedging a couple of years ago and its full of plants that are just left to seed all over my paddocks. Its enough to turn a person to drink 

[rustyme]

Ragwort ....the bain of my life. I must pull thousands of plants every year . unfortunately , one plant can self sow upto 150 thousands seeds , and they stay viable in the soil for 10 years or more.  There are laws now that if you have it on your land you are obliged to get rid of it . If you don't the council ( I think ?) can do it and charge you . I was told by a vet .... get sheep and let them clear the fields !!! they will clear it in a few years ....you just need to pull the big ones. Like I say a vet told me that . He said that as long as you just get young sheep each year , and send them to market , you never have any problems .....You will be in my thoughts Sabrina , as I am pulling the plants on my land later in the year.....

cheers

Russ

[carl]

I am surrounded by horsey people, who have differing views on the stuff. Mostly they are paranoid and blitz the stuff. however, the people on one side ignore it, and it then spreads over on to us. I spend ages pulling, burning and spraying but it just keeps coming back. what also annoys me is that it is growing rife on the verges of most roads round us, so it will never go away.

[pegusus pig]

I lost a horse to the bl**dy stuff 3 days ago! totally uncalled for, previous owners allowing the mares and foals to graze in a field full off the stuff. Just hope they have a long painfull death like the horses they are slowly killing!! (not making death threats just sooo mad and upset) 

I could murder the people that allow it to grow without pulling it or allowing animals to feed on it. Sheep are affected by the stuff they just don't show the signs as they usually end up in the meat chain before the affects are seen, hence the vet saying young sheep and sending them away each year. there is a law "Ragwort control act 2003" the BHS, donkey sanctuary and a few others helped get it passed. You can complain to Defra they  have a page with all the information on it, also a form to fill to complain about people allowing it to grow, they can enforce that people take action to stop it from spreading.

I'm totally mad about the stuff, we are doing well so far with only a couple of plant appearing each year, no thanks to the farm next door.
Good luck with the pulling, with each plant pulled that allot less seeds to for spreading. 

[rustyme]

hello Emma,
           I am so sorry to hear about your horse. It must have been terrible !!!  I know sheep are affected by it , I mentioned what the vet said to explain the weird views even vets have of the stuff.....I will be getting sheep , but not for that reason . I will keep on with my endless yearly ragwort pulling season. Every animal has the right to life without being poisoned, and on my land they will all get that right .

cheers

Russ
 

[gavo]

Hello,

Friends of ours dealt with their problem with a flock of hebridean sheep. There is also a moth that likes to eat them - we get them appearing of any that turn up with us - the caterpillars are orange with black stripes - they love the stuff and soon kill it off.

Cheers

Gavin

[garden cottage]

browsing thro welfare of livestock for cattle by defra,which is not a great bedtime read re rusty injurious weeds,also included on list is spear thistle,creeping or field thistle,curled dock,broad leaved dock,common ragwort. any of these can attract an enforcement notice to the landowner to make you prevent weeds from spreading.can be liable to a fine.

[rustyme]

do I win a prize Neil I have got the lot !!!!!

cheers
Russ

[garden cottage]

perhaps a weed picking party at rustys

[rustyme]

  blimey a 365 day party..... or I could open a weed takaway ? err best not .. might attract the wrong sort  to that  ....anyway Amsterdam have beat me to it ....
 
cheers

Russ

[towerhill]

the caterpillars are orange with black stripes - they love the stuff and soon kill it off.

The moth is the Cinnabar Moth. You can buy in Pupae I think.

We find that using a Ragfork makes pulling the things easier.

cheers

Andrew

[rustyme]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinnabar_moth

I want some of those .....well lots of them !!!!!!


cheers

Russ

[pegusus pig]

Hi,
I wasn't having a go about the sheep rusty just hate the arrogance of people who cant be bothered to solve the problem, and the subject is still very raw at the moment.

blimey a 365 day party..... or I could open a weed takeaway ?

The BHS arrange Ragwort pulling parties, sounds like you could do with one, When i was a kid i remember the dreaded weed being sold as a flower in the local nursery's, pot them up you could make a fortune.  

Those caterpillars sound great, are there any rules in releasing them on neighbours property, If they kill off the flower then may be less chance of the seeds blowing over to neighbouring properties, (i.e mine)!  

[rustyme]

no probs Emma, I didn't think you were !!! I just re read my post and it didn't really explain what I meant !!! The catapillars really do sound good , I will have to see if I can find anywhere that sells the eggs .


cheers

Russ

[pegusus pig]

If you do find some where then please let me know, they'll do really well next door, food gallour!!