Pulled docks, ragworth etc

Cyclist101

Curious as to what others do with docks, ragworth, thistles etc that you’ve pulled from the ground. Do you burn, bury, compost or something else?

Castlekeeper

Cyclist101 wrote: »

Curious as to what others do with docks, ragworth, thistles etc that you’ve pulled from the ground. Do you burn, bury, compost or something else?

Let them rot in a heap in a corner.

Cyclist101

Castlekeeper wrote: »

Let them rot in a heap in a corner.

How long would they need to rot for before the seeds in them wouldn’t be viable?

Say my name

Cyclist101 wrote: »

Curious as to what others do with docks, ragworth, thistles etc that you’ve pulled from the ground. Do you burn, bury, compost or something else?

I've a job tomorrow actually cutting and chopping dock and thistle plants and I'm going to put them into a slurry tank for the milking parlour. I wouldn't do that with ragworth.
I wouldn't put any roots or seeds in either.

If you've any plants with roots or seeds though put in a corner or burn. I wouldn't be using them for a compost in case of grow back but I especially wouldn't be using the ragworth plant in a compost due to it's toxicity.

In the case of thistles. I think by that any plant that grows spikes or stingers must be edible and full of nutrients. :pac:

Castlekeeper

Cyclist101 wrote: »

How long would they need to rot for before the seeds in them wouldn’t be viable?

I'm just talking of small heaps, like a few bags.
All I can say is for ragwort, I've never seen them grow back or spread from where I dumped them in a scart of briars in the same field. They'd only be at flowering stage and the seeds wouldn't have been developed.

Birdnuts

Ragwort main issue on my place in North Mayo and I burn piles when possible

Track9

Docks need to be burned.
I read someplace how seeds last 50 + yrs even when under water.

gozunda

Track9 wrote: »

Docks need to be burned.
I read someplace how seeds last 50 + yrs even when under water.

The seeds can survive in slurry and then germinate when spread on land. Right feckers they are.

_Brian

gozunda wrote: »

The seeds can survive in slurry and then germinate when spread on land. Right feckers they are.

Survive??
They seem to thrive under these conditions.

Castlekeeper

gozunda wrote: »

The seeds can survive in slurry and then germinate when spread on land. Right feckers they are.

Most seeds do, even hundreds of years, it's only when we create the conditions and opportunities for them that they become a problem/ are required by nature to rectify the problem.
That's the way the system works and why they're waiting.

80sDiesel

Shouldn't be pulling docks or thistles as you won't get all the root system.
Dig the docks up in the wetter months to avoid root breaking and cut the thistles in July just after they flower. All good to compost the thistles.

Lime Tree Farm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZHNfPRJURk


The smaller of the two is for sale at B&Q for €42 – if has a flimsy feel about it. Maybe for domestic lawns only –

the larger may be worth considering for occasional use (eg nasty Spear thistles before they catch hold)

Fiskars are expensive – but have quality tools.

_Brian

80sDiesel wrote: »

Shouldn't be pulling docks or thistles as you won't get all the root system.
Dig the docks up in the wetter months to avoid root breaking and cut the thistles in July just after they flower. All good to compost the thistles.

Digging one or two might be and option but it’s not an easy job where there is heavy infestation.
I’ve never heard of anyone pulling Docks or thistles, ragworth yes, I’ve done a combination of pulling and spraying to good enough success.

Muckit

80sDiesel wrote: »

Shouldn't be pulling docks or thistles as you won't get all the root system.
Dig the docks up in the wetter months to avoid root breaking and cut the thistles in July just after they flower. All good to compost the thistles.

I follow farmer P on YouTube and he has a special thistle/dock fork. Did a great job getting all the root with little or no clay.

Muckit

_Brian wrote: »

Digging one or two might be and option but it’s not an easy job where there is heavy infestation.
I’ve never heard of anyone pulling Docks or thistles, ragworth yes, I’ve done a combination of pulling and spraying to good enough success.

My father did it and l do it here with docks. Wait til after damp weather and especially where docks in clumps you can clean ground very quickly. Tis somewhat tedious but there's great therapeutic benefit!!

Muckit

Muckit wrote: »

I follow farmer P on YouTube and he has a special thistle/dock fork. Did a great job getting all the root with little or no clay.

https://youtu.be/iI_9B2bf-ro

Here it is. Watch from around 3min 20sec. Very impressive.

_Brian

Muckit wrote: »

My father did it and l do it here with docks. Wait til after damp weather and especially where docks in clumps you can clean ground very quickly. Tis somewhat tedious but there's great therapeutic benefit!!

Wow.
Literally never heard of it being dine.

gozunda

_Brian wrote: »

Survive??
They seem to thrive under these conditions.

Calm down Brian! - I'm glad I didnt try and claim otherwise

The point is thst docks do really well in slurry ...

I was thinking of this posted previously:

The problem with docks in grassland is that they are well adapted to modern farming techniques. They germinate throughout the year and grow from seed as well as root stocks. They compete strongly with the grass but have only 65% of the feed value of grass. They are also unpalatable to stock.

Seed
•One broad-leaved dock can produce 60,000 seeds
•One curled dock can produce 40,000 seeds
•Seed is spread by wind, water and slurry
•They are viable in the soil for up to 80 years
•There are 12.5 million seeds/ha in the top 15cm of soil
•Docks will produce seed even after cutting

Roots
•They have a tap root and secondary root systems
•Shoots grow from root sections
•The roots are very long

Docks are ideally suited to the conditions created in intensively managed grassland and particularly cattle regimes. Ideal conditions for grass growth are also ideal for docks: moist, fertile soils with moderate to high levels of nitrogen.

Dock and chickweed seeds can pass undamaged through silage, the stocks’ digestive system and slurry. They are therefore spread very effectively by modern farming practices.

In the slurry the seeds are effectively coated in nutrient ready to germinate and grow.

Additionally:

Dock likes nitrate rich acid soil. Liming to reduce pH will help grass growth and not suit dock

gozunda

Muckit wrote: »

I follow farmer P on YouTube and he has a special thistle/dock fork. Did a great job getting all the root with little or no clay.

I have one of those forks. They're some job - take a lot of the back break out of pulling ragworth tbh.

Muckit

gozunda wrote: »

I have one of those forks. There some job - take a lot of the back break out of pulling ragworth tbh.

Very good. Where did u get it if u don't mind me asking? Love to get one. Perhaps easy enough get? I haven't really looked!

gozunda

Muckit wrote: »

Very good. Where did u get it if u don't mind me asking? Love to get one. Perhaps easy enough get? I haven't really looked!

Got it online. Look up ragworth (rag) fork. Cant remember how much I paid for it - but it wasn't very much tbh.

Buford T. Justice XIX

Never heard of a rag fork before!

gozunda

Buford T. Justice VI wrote: »

Never heard of a rag fork before!

As far as I remember - theres more than one type of rag fork. The other thing is that it's a good idea to wear gloves when handling the ragworth. Some people can react badly to the plant and get burns on their hands etc

That said it's a good way of keeping older kids busy in the summer - with a bounty paid per bag of ragworth

Lime Tree Farm

One years seeding is seven years weeding.

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/312292434764

or

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fyna-lite-Multi-Weeda-Ragwort-Fork/dp/B011AFIPCI

_Brian

gozunda wrote: »

As far as I remember - theres more than one type of rag fork. The other thing is that it's a good idea to wear gloves when handling the ragworth. Some people can react badly to the plant and get burns on their hands etc

That said it's a good way of keeping older kids busy in the summer - with a bounty paid per bag of ragworth

It’s easiky absorbed through the skin and toxic to either liver or kidneys, can’t remember which.
That must be why my neighbor leaves his growing 🙄

MickeyShtyles

If yer near a B&Q they’re on sale at the moment (they were last week) for €30.

Lime Tree Farm

MickeyShtyles wrote: »

If yer near a B&Q they’re on sale at the moment (they were last week) for €30.

and €42 the Sunday before. I tied with the idea on the way into B&Q, put it back as I thought it was too flimsy for out the land or even the lawn. I had another look again on the way out and decided against buying it.

Would I buy it for €30, maybe, they say it's not a bargain unless you had been prepared to pay the full price.

gozunda

Lime Tree Farm wrote: »

and €42 the Sunday before. I tied with the idea on the way into B&Q, put it back as I thought it was too flimsy for out the land or even the lawn. I had another look again on the way out and decided against buying it.

Would I buy it for €30, maybe, they say it's not a bargain unless you had been prepared to pay the full price.

The one I have is tough and designed for field conditions. I've had it for about 12 years - and it has been deployed each year where needed. There was one 4 acre field which was very bad with heavy clay soil and the fork used to remove pre-flowering plants and it really has helped eliminate ragworth. Most of the garden variety tools tbh really arnt worth buying for that kinda thing tbh.