Topping a field with Ragwort

BnB

I have about 10 acres that I really want to top before I spread a bit of manure on it. But I didn't realise how much ragwort was in it until I pulled into the field last Saturday evening to do the job. Anyway I pulled the plug because there was still a few cattle in the field and I didn't want them eating it off the ground.

Cattle are out now and as I see it, I have 3 choices:

• Pull the ragwort before I top it. Possibly the best thing to do - But I just don't have time. I am working full time and I would never get a chance to spend a full day pulling ragwort with Topping to do, Manure to Spread, Fencing to do, a water problem to sort out.... etc
• Top it, and get the kids to run around the field afterwards for a few hours and pick the Ragwort off the ground. (My kids are probably too young to be able to pull it while it's growing) - I'm leaning towards this one.
• Leave it to hell and spray the field in the Spring.

What do you think ?

Base price

In my opinion, take the responsibility yourself and pull it. Do not expect children to handle it at any stage. It is a noxious weed. Can you not find time to top, spread fert and sort out the water problem during these long evening. It is only 10 acres after all.

Sam Kade

Top it and keep the cattle out until the toppings wither.

Justjens

Sam Kade wrote: »

Top it and keep the cattle out until the toppings wither.

....and spray next year.

BnB

Base price wrote: »

In my opinion, take the responsibility yourself and pull it. Do not expect children to handle it at any stage. It is a noxious weed. Can you not find time to top, spread fert and sort out the water problem during these long evening. It is only 10 acres after all.

Well - The kids bit was a bit tongue in cheek. That said, the two oldest are 10 and 12, I'd have no problem sticking gloves on them and getting them to help out.

RE 10 acres. That's just the field I'm talking about. The whole farm is about 80 arces. Not huge I know, but it doesn't leave much spare time with a full time job.

whelan2

they are very easy to pull at the minute after the wet weather, you'd be surprised what you could clear in an hour

BnB

Sam Kade wrote: »

Top it and keep the cattle out until the toppings wither.

Thanks Sam - How long should that take roughly ? I have a good bit of grass elsewhere after silage so I was thinking it will probably be 4 or even 5 weeks before I have to move cattle back in.

Miname

Base price wrote: »

In my opinion, take the responsibility yourself and pull it. Do not expect children to handle it at any stage. It is a noxious weed. Can you not find time to top, spread fert and sort out the water problem during these long evening. It is only 10 acres after all.

That's a bit ott base price. I'm in the same predicament and when your working full time and trying to rear a family the evenings would want to be a week long.

Sam Kade

whelan2 wrote: »

they are very easy to pull at the minute after the wet weather, you'd be surprised what you could clear in an hour

I pull them every year before the seed ripens and sure enough they'll be back the following year :mad:

BnB

whelan2 wrote: »

they are very easy to pull at the minute after the wet weather, you'd be surprised what you could clear in an hour

I spent about two hours at it Saturday evening (when I gave up on the topping). From looking at the progress I made in that two hours, I'd say I'd have about another 10-15 to do.

Sam Kade

BnB wrote: »

Thanks Sam - How long should that take roughly ? I have a good bit of grass elsewhere after silage so I was thinking it will probably be 4 or even 5 weeks before I have to move cattle back in.

They'll be well gone by then, I'd say a fortnight in this weather would have them well rotted.

whelan2

Sam Kade wrote: »

I pull them every year before the seed ripens and sure enough they'll be back the following year :mad:

they shouldnt be, although they are a 2 year plant, once the roots come up they should be gone

Sam Kade

whelan2 wrote: »

they shouldnt be, although they are a 2 year plant, once the roots come up they should be gone

I can't figure out how they grow back there might be only 5-6 plants every 5 acres and no plants in neighbouring fields.

MickeyShtyles

Sam Kade wrote: »

I can't figure out how they grow back there might be only 5-6 plants every 5 acres and no plants in neighbouring fields.

Birds I would imagine??

Melodeon

Thread title and opening post say Ragweed, but all the replies appear to be talking about Ragwort.

Perhaps the thread starter could clarify which is correct please?

Nekarsulm

Old double chop and a trailer. Topped and collected at the same time. Tie a sheet of plastic across the tail board to keep in as much dock/ragwort seeds as possible.

Base price

Miname wrote: »

That's a bit ott base price. I'm in the same predicament and when your working full time and trying to rear a family the evenings would want to be a week long.

I don't agree.
I also worked full time off farm, leaving the house at 7am to make the morning commute to work. Left work at 5.30pm to sit in traffic for an hour and a half on the return journey home. Reared two children and had a herd of 80 sucklers (between pbr and commercials) brood mares, foals, yearlings and young stock in for breaking/riding.
In my opinion it really depends on your mindset

C0N0R

Nekarsulm wrote: »

Old double chop and a trailer. Topped and collected at the same time. Tie a sheet of plastic across the tail board to keep in as much dock/ragwort seeds as possible.

Stick a sign at the gate saying vintage silage harvesting and you could make a few pound

BnB

Melodeon wrote: »

Thread title and opening post say Ragweed, but all the replies appear to be talking about Ragwort.

Perhaps the thread starter could clarify which is correct please?

From looking at the links you posted its Ragwort. (I think I've always called that Ragweed). I changed the thread title accordingly.

Sam Kade - Does that change your advice any bit ? Top it and leave it to rot for a few weeks....

BnB

Base price wrote: »

I don't agree.
I also worked full time off farm, leaving the house at 7am to make the morning commute to work. Left work at 5.30pm to sit in traffic for an hour and a half on the return journey home. Reared two children and had a herd of 80 sucklers (between pbr and commercials) brood mares, foals, yearlings and young stock in for breaking/riding.
In my opinion it really depends on your mindset

Well I have only fallen into managing the farm at short notice over the last 6 weeks. Maybe by this time next year I'll be more organised, but for now, I am still playing catch up.

Username John

Base price wrote: »

I don't agree.
I also worked full time off farm, leaving the house at 7am to make the morning commute to work. Left work at 5.30pm to sit in traffic for an hour and a half on the return journey home. Reared two children and had a herd of 80 sucklers (between pbr and commercials) brood mares, foals, yearlings and young stock in for breaking/riding.
In my opinion it really depends on your mindset

Full time job...
3 hours / day in traffic...
80 suckers...
Young stock...
Breaking-in horses...
Oh - and two kids...

Sure I suppose some people would say that's busy - me, I dunno...

Sam Kade

BnB wrote: »

From looking at the links you posted its Ragwort. (I think I've always called that Ragweed). I changed the thread title accordingly.

Sam Kade - Does that change your advice any bit ? Top it and leave it to rot for a few weeks....

Nope, it's ragwort I was referring to.

BnB

Nekarsulm wrote: »

Old double chop and a trailer. Topped and collected at the same time. Tie a sheet of plastic across the tail board to keep in as much dock/ragwort seeds as possible.

I like the idea of that as it'd leave the field very clean but I don't have the harvester and I don't have the trailer and the Mammy would have a heart attack if I said I wanted to buy some machinery, even if it was only small money. (It's her farm)

Either way, the same field is probably a bit high for it anyway. Tis grand running around with the mower but hauling a harvester & trailer around might be a bit much.

Sam Kade

BnB wrote: »

I like the idea of that as it'd leave the field very clean but I don't have the harvester and I don't have the trailer and the Mammy would have a heart attack if I said I wanted to buy some machinery, even if it was only small money. (It's her farm)

Either way, the same field is probably a bit high for it anyway. Tis grand running around with the mower but hauling a harvester & trailer around might be a bit much.

Also where would you dump it, only creating another heap of dung that will harbour ragwort seeds.

Wildsurfer

Base price wrote: »

In my opinion, take the responsibility yourself and pull it. Do not expect children to handle it at any stage. It is a noxious weed. Can you not find time to top, spread fert and sort out the water problem during these long evening. It is only 10 acres after all.

Jaysus I spent my youth picking ragwort without any gloves and never did any harm, top it, get the kids out to help and definitely spray or you'll be at the same craic next year

Farmer Pudsey

I imagine that you are planning to top it with a disc mower. Not ideal if you want the ragworth to wither fast. A topper that will shred it will be better it will also set grass growth back a week. Ideal you need for cattle not to go back into field for 4+ weeks.

Top with a standard topper. Leave fertlizer for 7-10 days before spreading this will delay grass recovery. Then when cattle go in do not let them graze it bare this time. Then as cattle leave spray straight away. The new growth should decay fairy fast and anyway you can lenghten grazing rotation and skip it turn for two weeks. Ragworth is a biennial. This years seeds do not germinate until late next summer. You may have to spray 2-3 time before you finally get rid of it. If there is still growth in the spring spary it early in the year you will have to spray late summer next year aswell.

Base price

Wildsurfer wrote: »

Jaysus I spent my youth picking ragwort without any gloves and never did any harm, top it, get the kids out to help and definitely spray or you'll be at the same craic next year

As I did in my childhood but Health and Safety Regulations were unheard of in those days.
Different times now.

whelan2

Nekarsulm wrote: »

Old double chop and a trailer. Topped and collected at the same time. Tie a sheet of plastic across the tail board to keep in as much dock/ragwort seeds as possible.

where do you tip it? If topping or cutting would the roots still not be there to grow next year?

jimini0

Base price wrote: »

As I did in my childhood but Health and Safety Regulations were unheard of in those days.
Different times now.

Pulling buachalans those were the days. The ould lads in the neighbourhood used to get all the kids out pulling them. 1p a buachalan. We had them in bunches of 100. No gloves or anything. You would be pulling and it would snap and back on your hole you went. Ah Jesus fun times

Nekarsulm

whelan2 wrote: »

where do you tip it? If topping or cutting would the roots still not be there to grow next year?

Have a few odd corners that stuff gets dumped in. Your gonna have to either spray them, or get sheep.

BnB

Thanks for all the advice. Much appreciated. I'm going to top them this evening and leave them to rot for a few weeks. I won't need the grazing for about 4 weeks so I should be ok.

Starting early next year I will start a run of trying to eradicate them altogether.

A few people mentioned Sheep. I don't think I can see myself getting into sheep any time soon. I think the Mammy would have a heart attach if I told her I wanted to buy 50 ewes. But just out of interest. I just read there on the Teagasc Website that Sheep are not (or very little) effected by Ragwort. So if I was to let Sheep into that field now that the Cattle have grazed, would they clean it off for me, ragwort and all ?

Nekarsulm

No, they like to eat them at the rosette stage.

whelan2

Nekarsulm wrote: »

No, they like to eat them at the rosette stage.

Fussy feckers

johnbusiness

personally speaking if the Dept of Ag took a zero tolerance to landowners/occupiers wit ragworth on their land the problem would be solved overnight if a fine was imposed on sfp

whelan2

johnbusiness wrote: »

personally speaking if the Dept of Ag took a zero tolerance to landowners/occupiers wit ragworth on their land the problem would be solved overnight if a fine was imposed on sfp

Alot of ragwort is on the sides of motorways, dont see the council's doing anything about it.

Base price

whelan2 wrote: »

Alot of ragwort is on the sides of motorways, dont see the council's doing anything about it.

I remember when I was a child the local Garda would call to farms who didn't pull ragwort.
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1936/en/act/pub/0038/print.html#sec3

Capercaillie

whelan2 wrote: »

Alot of ragwort is on the sides of motorways, dont see the council's doing anything about it.

Although ragworth is of serious concern to livestock, it is an essential plant to numerous wildlife species. It would not be good if it was totally eradicated. I have it growing on my place (only very small amounts) and I leave it be.

emaherx

Capercaillie wrote: »

Although ragworth is of serious concern to livestock, it is an essential plant to numerous wildlife species. It would not be good if it was totally eradicated. I have it growing on my place (only very small amounts) and I leave it be.

It's an invading species and not ment to be part of our eco system. We shouldn't have any species that depend on it. In the UK there are caterpillars/moths/butterflies that will devour them so they can be controlled more naturally.

Capercaillie

emaherx wrote: »

It's an invading species and not ment to be part of our eco system. We shouldn't have any species that depend on it. In the UK there are caterpillars/moths/butterflies that will devour them so they can be controlled more naturally.

Common ragworth is a native species.

Base price

Capercaillie wrote: »

Common ragworth is a native species.

I never realised that there were different species

whelan2

emaherx wrote:

It's an invading species and not ment to be part of our eco system. We shouldn't have any species that depend on it. In the UK there are caterpillars/moths/butterflies that will devour them so they can be controlled more naturally.

Have been pulling them this last few weeks and maybe 5% have those caterpillars on them

Capercaillie

Base price wrote: »

I never realised that there were different species

4 species.

Jimlh86

johnbusiness wrote: »

personally speaking if the Dept of Ag took a zero tolerance to landowners/occupiers wit ragworth on their land the problem would be solved overnight if a fine was imposed on sfp

We have 9 acres that a railway line runs along one side, it's the cause of me pulling ragworts every year on that side of the land. Pain in the hole I'd pull it myself but I can't get up to it

Birdnuts

emaherx wrote: »

It's an invading species and not ment to be part of our eco system. We shouldn't have any species that depend on it. In the UK there are caterpillars/moths/butterflies that will devour them so they can be controlled more naturally.

Got cinnabar caterpillars munching on them in my place in North Mayo most years. Do a reasonably good job on stopping it spreading much from one prone field. I pull them too if I see them anywhere else - though this summer has been so bad there that I've seen a lot less of both the moth and ragwort in general.

ganmo

Noxious weed act...but try and get the dept to do anything in time. It really needs to be enforced better

johnbusiness

Well I got the dept to deal with a serious problem of ragworth. A neighbour had sixty acres of really out of control ragworth for the last few years.keept at him to cut or spray it but he always put it on the long finger making excuses well this year I had enough .told him to cut it or I would get dept on to him. he called my bluff so dept paid him a visit ragworth now cut.

Qualitymark

Cinnabar moth caterpillars on ragwort in a garden last week.

whelan2

Qualitymark wrote: »

Cinnabar moth caterpillars on ragwort in a garden last week.

wonder if the dept came out and you said you were relying on these guys to get rid of the ragwort what would they say? Btw does the plant die after they eat it?

Qualitymark

whelan2 wrote: »

wonder if the dept came out and you said you were relying on these guys to get rid of the ragwort what would they say? Btw does the plant die after they eat it?

Well, the owner of plant and caterpillars seems far from a farmer (or gardener) - waving chest-high grass and gracious avenues of buddleia

They'd eaten one plant almost completely. There's another fine healthy ragwort a few feet away, perhaps they'll move to that. They were eating the seeds as well as the leaves.

BnB

Qualitymark wrote: »

Cinnabar moth caterpillars on ragwort in a garden last week....

Impressive looking guys (Although it helps that they're wearing the aul' club colors (Black n' Amber)

I wonder if you can buy 'em by the ton....???

Qualitymark

BnB wrote: »

Impressive looking guys (Although it helps that they're wearing the aul' club colors (Black n' Amber)

I wonder if you can buy 'em by the ton....???

Discussed here http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?625396-Cinnabar-moths-any-point-in-introducing-to-control-ragwort