Ragwort

Qualitymark

Ragwort used to be a notifiable weed, but it now seems to be everywhere - even growing along the borders of roads maintained by councils. Is it considered ok to let it grow on land now? And what happens if it's folded into silage?

Manoffeeling

Plenty on hse land. I was up in Phoenix park last week, Michael d could pull a few......

bbam

Manoffeeling wrote: »

Plenty on hse land. I was up in Phoenix park last week, Michael d could pull a few......

I'd say it's not the only thing you could pull up there in the park.

amacca

Qualitymark wrote: »

Is it considered ok to let it grow on land now? And what happens if it's folded into silage?

I dont know about the legal situation but for your own sake its best to control it before it gets out of hand.....If its not widespread pulling making sure to take the root works wonders......I only pull about 40-50 per year now in about the same no of acres after being infested with the yellow b@stards

afaik its a noxious/poisonous weed to cattle that becomes palatable to them when its let wilt and wither a bit...presumably if you let it into silage in quantities large enough it will poison cattle

the fear of god was put into us when I was young anyway...not to leave even one lying around where cattle could get at it

CJhaughey

If you pull it, make sure you take it away and compost or burn it.
Plenty of dumb feckers well meaning but ignorant people pull it and leave it in the field, once the plant starts to die it will release seed.

amacca

CJhaughey wrote: »

If you pull it, make sure you take it away and compost or burn it.
Plenty of dumb feckers well meaning but ignorant people pull it and leave it in the field, once the plant starts to die it will release seed.

yeah when we had a lot years ago we used to compost it.....very fertile soil there now:D

Wigster

I think it's has been the lack of verge cutting that has caused this steady increase over the past few years.

aneala

It's serious stuff in silage. 1 plant can contaminate the whole bale. Check out the link. http://www.sac.ac.uk/mainrep/pdfs/tn570ragwortpoisoning.pdf

I'm on the road for work everyday and it's gotten to epidemic proportions now. Nearly every motorway and national route verge is covered in it.

whelan1

Qualitymark wrote: »

Ragwort used to be a notifiable weed, but it now seems to be everywhere - even growing along the borders of roads maintained by councils. Is it considered ok to let it grow on land now? And what happens if it's folded into silage?

3rd thread in a week, ffs lads to a search before posting:rolleyes:

Farmer Pudsey

Wigster wrote: »

I think it's has been the lack of verge cutting that has caused this steady increase over the past few years.

We can blame whatever we want the main blame is ourselves as we accept neighbours that have it growing in fields and do nothing about it. I do not see the IFA shouting and roaring about it as it is on alot of farms. Also the councils are only supposed to cut the verges of main roads. We are responsibe for the verges of by roads. They are always cut around me it is the ragworth plantation on the farm next store is my problem.

Should we report farmers that do nothing about ragworth year after year. also it amazes me the amount of farmers that will not pull the 10 or 20 that are along there roadside ditch.

I know that waste ground around towns and villages and the sides of public roads is an issue however we need to clean up our own act as well

Arrow in the Knee

Only have a small amount of Ragwort left to be pulled.