Author Topic: 'deadly' nightshade in barley crop (Read 3509 times)

colliewoman · « **on:** September 11, 2012, 02:05:32 pm »

hi all, I have sketchy info here but have been asked to ask the question anyway...

A friend has been offered barley straw and the grain, a whole crop's worth for his cattle. He get's 1st dibs every year BUT..
This year it is full of what i have been told is deadly nightshade. i am very doubtful of the species ID as I have never seen one anywhere near but apparently the barley grain is riddles with the berries and the barley straw is full of the plant $:-\$

Now I know what I would suggest he says but thought I would check 1st.
Are the nightshades toxic when dried?
I know I wouldn't feed deadly nightshade for sure, neither would I feed potato or tomato greens. I am assuming that the whole thing is a no-go.

If this was used It would be fed to cattle (grain and straw) and his hens (straw).
I usually have some of his straw for the goats but ain't going to have anything of this batch!

Any suggestion (other than for the bloke who grows the stuff to sort it out BEFORE he harvests it

).

Thankies

SteveHants · « **Reply #1 on:** September 12, 2012, 08:44:54 pm »

Aint deadly nightshade a hedgerow plant?

Beewyched · « **Reply #2 on:** September 12, 2012, 08:48:09 pm »

Quote from: SteveHants on September 12, 2012, 08:44:54 pm

Aint deadly nightshade a hedgerow plant?

I thought so too

Fleecewife · « **Reply #3 on:** September 12, 2012, 11:09:47 pm »

You need a proper ID of the plant. The most common straggly weed in cereals is cleavers/sticky willy - it has small green or brown slightly spikey, hard bobbles, 2-3mm across. Deadly nightshade has shiny black berries about the size of a pea, which I have always assumed are squashy.

Can you get a photo?

If he refuses the crop then there won't be the offer next year. Obviously if it really is deadly nightshade then it will be toxic, but I have never heard of that in a field crop.

colliewoman · « **Reply #4 on:** September 13, 2012, 12:02:05 am »

This is just the trouble, I have been given nothing to ID.

What most people here call deadly nightshade is actually woody nightshade .
Deadly nightshade a more bushy upright plant with glossy black berries
Woody nightshade a hedgerow climber with shiny red berries.
The only thing I have ever seen here that I 'think' it could be is black nightshade as it is a common weed of arable land.

None of the above would I feel happy about feeding if it were me $:-\$

I think I will say just that, as I can't ID without a description at least!

FW thanks for that, I will check with him, but if he doesn't know what goosegrass is I would be surprised. Tis one I hadn't thought of though

Ah well thankies all