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Pulling Ragwort

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  • 04-07-2020 10:55pm
    #1
    Tomjim
    Registered Users Posts: 1,350 ✭✭✭


    Every year I pull ragwort before it goes to seed, however the ragwort is not going away

    One problem is that 50% of the ragwort breaks at the butt and so I am not getting all the roots.

    My question is that I thought that ragwort would die off after 2 years and would not come back even where I am not pulling the roots up. Is this correct?


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    #2
    Wildsurfer
    Registered Users Posts: 1,382 ✭✭✭Wildsurfer


    Tomjim wrote: »
    Every year I pull ragwort before it goes to seed, however the ragwort is not going away

    One problem is that 50% of the ragwort breaks at the butt and so I am not getting all the roots.

    My question is that I thought that ragwort would die off after 2 years and would not come back even where I am not pulling the roots up. Is this correct?

    Spray it 2 years in a row early spring or late Autumn and you'll save yourself a lot of back ache.


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    #3
    Danzy
    Registered Users Posts: 13,262 ✭✭✭✭Danzy


    Maybe let it get stronger, grab it low.

    That could be soil differences so maybe different approaches .


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    #4
    tanko
    Registered Users Posts: 9,209 ✭✭✭tanko


    Wildsurfer wrote: »
    Spray it 2 years in a row early spring or late Autumn and you'll save yourself a lot of back ache.

    What do you spray with?


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    #5
    dodo mommy
    Registered Users Posts: 338 ✭✭dodo mommy


    tanko wrote: »
    What do you spray with?

    Sprayed a few fields with agroxone in April no sign of ragworth this year thank God.


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    #6
    Rows Grower
    Registered Users Posts: 7,829 ✭✭✭Rows Grower


    5 litres of white vinegar add a cup of salt, punch a few holes in the cap and squirt it on any weed.

    Almost instant result as in they'll be dead the next day but you'll see results after a few hours. A small bit of washing up liquid into the mix will help it cling if there's a chance of a shower.

    "Very soon we are going to Mars. You wouldn't have been going to Mars if my opponent won, that I can tell you. You wouldn't even be thinking about it."

    Donald Trump, March 13th 2018.



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    #7
    Tomjim
    Registered Users Posts: 1,350 ✭✭✭Tomjim


    Rows Grower wrote: »
    5 litres of white vinegar add a cup of salt, punch a few holes in the cap and squirt it on any weed.

    Almost instant result as in they'll be dead the next day but you'll see results after a few hours. A small bit of washing up liquid into the mix will help it cling if there's a chance of a shower.
    But would that be dangerous for cattle if left there and not pullled


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    #8
    Rows Grower
    Registered Users Posts: 7,829 ✭✭✭Rows Grower


    Tomjim wrote: »
    But would that be dangerous for cattle if left there and not pullled

    I can't say for definite Tomjim, but have you ever heard someone working in the chipper asking would you like RoundUp or Gallop on that?

    "Very soon we are going to Mars. You wouldn't have been going to Mars if my opponent won, that I can tell you. You wouldn't even be thinking about it."

    Donald Trump, March 13th 2018.



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    #9
    cj maxx
    Registered Users Posts: 13,365 ✭✭✭✭cj maxx


    Tomjim wrote: »
    Every year I pull ragwort before it goes to seed, however the ragwort is not going away

    One problem is that 50% of the ragwort breaks at the butt and so I am not getting all the roots.

    My question is that I thought that ragwort would die off after 2 years and would not come back even where I am not pulling the roots up. Is this correct?

    Don't pull it in hard dry ground. After the rain lately would be good time.
    Just grab the stalk down low and pull.
    Spraying might be easier but I didn't have one and cleared a few fields over 2years.
    And wear gloves


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    #10
    whelan2
    Registered Users Posts: 29,085 ✭✭✭✭whelan2


    There's a fork you can get for digging it up. You have to get the roots up


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    #11
    _Brian
    Registered Users Posts: 18,475 ✭✭✭✭_Brian


    Even after recent rain it’s hard going.

    About ten years ago my back got wrecked in a car crash and I was off my feet for a significant time. When I was back out and about I couldn’t lift or pull.

    I used a 10l sprayer and roundup. But I spot sprayed them when they were small so there was no danger to cattle afterwards.

    I pulled some this week and I’d say 1/3 broke off. I’ll be out in this field earlier next year and spot spray as many as I can.


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    #12
    emaherx
    Registered Users Posts: 5,961 ✭✭✭emaherx


    whelan2 wrote: »
    There's a fork you can get for digging it up. You have to get the roots up

    Yea, a ragfork, I bought one this year and it's a great job can be used to pull them up as soon as you see the rosettes too.


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    #13
    Mooooo
    Registered Users Posts: 8,611 ✭✭✭Mooooo


    Rows Grower wrote: »
    I can't say for definite Tomjim, but have you ever heard someone working in the chipper asking would you like RoundUp or Gallop on that?

    It's the dead plant that's the danger, not what's put on it to kill it


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    #14
    whelan2
    Registered Users Posts: 29,085 ✭✭✭✭whelan2


    Mooooo wrote: »
    It's the dead plant that's the danger, not what's put on it to kill it

    Its the dying plant that's the danger. They wont eat the dead ones. It becomes palatable when dying.The ones you pull have to be disposed of away from where the cattle are. That's why when you spray you cant let cattle back in until they are fully dead- the ragwort not the cattle :D


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    #15
    I says
    Registered Users Posts: 1,936 ✭✭✭I says


    Get sheep in over the winter.


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    #16
    banoffe2
    Registered Users Posts: 421 ✭✭banoffe2


    will the mixture of white vinegar and salt work on all weeds or just ragworth - just curious, thanks


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    #17
    TooOldBoots
    Closed Accounts Posts: 604 ✭✭✭TooOldBoots


    Whatever you do don't cut or top them as that spreads them. The cuttings take root within weeks, you'd end up 3 plants where there once was 1.
    If your badly infested wait for after heavy rain then pull them.
    I cleaned up 30 acres of a neglected farm I bought years ago. I took it one field at a time over a couple of years. Got the young fella to crawl the tractor and transport box ahead and threw the ragwort into the box as I went along pulling.


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    #18
    Gods Gift
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,713 ✭✭✭Gods Gift


    Mini digger.


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    #19
    patsy_mccabe
    Registered Users Posts: 10,684 ✭✭✭✭patsy_mccabe


    I've our place cleaned of them from just pulling. I reckon you will reduce 90% year on year from just pulling. I've so few now, that it's a novelty to pull one.

    'The Bishops blessed the Blueshirts in Galway, As they sailed beneath the Swastika to Spain'



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    #20
    bogman_bass
    Registered Users Posts: 5,057 ✭✭✭bogman_bass


    emaherx wrote: »
    Yea, a ragfork, I bought one this year and it's a great job can be used to pull them up as soon as you see the rosettes too.

    Same as that. Got it from whites agri in lusk. The big think is that you can get them early and not leave the root behind


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    #21
    emaherx
    Registered Users Posts: 5,961 ✭✭✭emaherx


    bogman_bass wrote: »
    Same as that. Got it from whites agri in lusk. The big think is that you can get them early and not leave the root behind

    Same place I got myself.


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    #22
    Tomjim
    Registered Users Posts: 1,350 ✭✭✭Tomjim


    Has each plant a lifetime of 2 years so if you pull a plant for 2 years (even if you don't get all the roots) this means that plant is gone and it won't come back the third year


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    #23
    Ae Fond Kiss
    Closed Accounts Posts: 60 ✭✭Ae Fond Kiss


    Tomjim wrote: »
    Every year I pull ragwort before it goes to seed, however the ragwort is not going away

    One problem is that 50% of the ragwort breaks at the butt and so I am not getting all the roots.

    My question is that I thought that ragwort would die off after 2 years and would not come back even where I am not pulling the roots up. Is this correct?

    I find it comes back if any bit of root is left. It helps if the ground is a bit softer when pulling, less roots breaking.


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    #24
    emaherx
    Registered Users Posts: 5,961 ✭✭✭emaherx


    Tomjim wrote: »
    Has each plant a lifetime of 2 years so if you pull a plant for 2 years (even if you don't get all the roots) this means that plant is gone and it won't come back the third year

    No it will grow back if you leave any root at all.

    I've pulled every plant that has appeared on my farm for years. Yet there is still some every year. But definitely more manageable every year.


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    #25
    Ae Fond Kiss
    Closed Accounts Posts: 60 ✭✭Ae Fond Kiss


    A few years back after the wet summers 2007-12 and 2015 I had it in a lot of poached fields, hilly ground.

    I got weighed what I pulled in 2015, 3.5 tonnes! The following year got a few teenagers locally with me. They weren't pulling at the butt and at it half heartedly. You could see the areas of the field they were in the following year.

    Hard to get ragwort pickers or stone pickers like in 30 years ago!


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    #26
    ruwithme
    Registered Users Posts: 1,183 ✭✭✭ruwithme


    Just looked up the ragfork on whites agri. Nice pink handle on it.lads that have one, do you have to twist it when its in the ground to stub out the roots??


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    #27
    emaherx
    Registered Users Posts: 5,961 ✭✭✭emaherx


    ruwithme wrote: »
    Just looked up the ragfork on whites agri. Nice pink handle on it.lads that have one, do you have to twist it when its in the ground to stub out the roots??

    I ordered that one, but a blue one arrived. Friend of mine ordered and he got a pink one, don't think they are too bothered about the colour.

    You don't twist, it's got a big heel that you lever the weed out with.


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    #28
    GinSoaked
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,049 ✭✭✭GinSoaked


    ruwithme wrote: »
    Just looked up the ragfork on whites agri. Nice pink handle on it.lads that have one, do you have to twist it when its in the ground to stub out the roots??

    Just get an old fork, put a long shovel handle on it and with an angle grinder cut off the two outer prongs.


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    #29
    whelan2
    Registered Users Posts: 29,085 ✭✭✭✭whelan2


    ruwithme wrote: »
    Just looked up the ragfork on whites agri. Nice pink handle on it.lads that have one, do you have to twist it when its in the ground to stub out the roots??

    Sure if it's pink no one will rob it and it will be easily seen


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    #30
    _Brian
    Registered Users Posts: 18,475 ✭✭✭✭_Brian


    GinSoaked wrote: »
    Just get an old fork, put a long shovel handle on it and with an angle grinder cut off the two outer prongs.

    But a fork only has two prongs!


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    #31
    Snowc
    Registered Users Posts: 613 ✭✭✭Snowc


    _Brian wrote: »
    But a fork only has two prongs!

    I eat me dinner with a 6 prong fork there is a few different types out there now


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