Which County Grows the Best Ragwort?

Frank-the-Wool · Aug 14, 2021

Jonp said:
Around Newport and Cardiff, especially the road verges and horse fields, forests of the stuff.
None in my sheep and cattle fields....(yet).... why's that then?

Because grazing with sheep in Spring gets rid of it as they eat the rosettes.
However although it is suggested that it does sheep little of no harm I would be careful about letting them graze areas where there is now mostly Ragwort as the poison is cumulative and will I believe lead to long term organ damage. It would be useful to see research into this.

delilah · Aug 14, 2021

Agrivator said:
If I was given enough convicts, with enough gloves and enough bags, I could clear the UK of ragwort in two successive seasons.

But the convicts together with Cwis Packham would need to be chained in pairs to minimize escapees.

Slightly unfair; most of our ragwort pulling is done by lads carrying out Community Payback sentences, I can happily leave them with a dumpy bag and trailer and they don't run away.
However as Kiwi Pete has pointed out the real issue is that if you don't have livestock why would you bother ? It is taking land out of production, and the failed economics of mixed agriculture, that is the root cause.

Willie adie · Aug 14, 2021

bluebell said:
seems to be drifting up the A12 chelmsford to colchester, everywhere really? never seen so much about? why oh why isnt this mentioned on the many TV countryside, farming programmes?

Did you not see the yon idiot on cuntyfile last Sunday he loves the sh!t

Paddington · Aug 14, 2021

One of the first things we noticed when moving from Hampshire to Shropshire years ago was the absence of ragwort on the verges. Starting to appear now.

Jonp · Aug 14, 2021

I thought that ragwort is covered by the weeds act 1959 in England whereby it is supposed to be prevented from spreading onto agricultural land.
Road verges etc running through farming areas not cleared by local authorities why?

Forkdriver · Aug 14, 2021

Jonp said:
I thought that ragwort is covered by the weeds act 1959 in England whereby it is supposed to be prevented from spreading onto agricultural land.
Road verges etc running through farming areas not cleared by local authorities why?

They have no money or budget, and as far as I know the Weeds act has never resulted in any prosecutions.
Pulling ragwort leaves bits of root which spring back with new plants. Spot spraying annually on small amounts is viable but you have to be at it all the time.

Cowmansam · Aug 14, 2021

The councils seem to be the worst offenders where ever you go followed by horsey people

Boysground · Aug 14, 2021

topground said:
Wiltshire. Warminster to Andover.

Some that’s mine! Not sure if I should put a smiley in, So fed up with it in one patch it’s just seen some glyphosate

Bg

bluebell · Aug 14, 2021

in the 2012 olympics held here in the good old UK, the mountainbike course was on the salvation armies farm down here at hadleigh essex, i couldnt help thinking at the time watching it on the TV with all the world also watching , the magnificent display of ragwort all round the track? A couple of hours with half a dozen people to hand pick it before hand, but no , thousands and thousands were spent there on other things?

Jonp · Aug 14, 2021

Man I was talking to a few days ago who is an avid countryfile sponge said they said 70 bug species live off ragwort...I've only seen the yellow and black cinnabar caterpillars on them. Is this true?
He keeps horses and camalids.

Rod Dumbreck · Aug 14, 2021

Jonp said:
Man I was talking to a few days ago who is an avid countryfile sponge said they said 70 bug species live off ragwort...I've only seen the yellow and black cinnabar caterpillars on them. Is this true?
He keeps horses and camalids.

We have to keep countering with the rest of the information. At least 7000 species are killed if a farmer is forced to spray his hay meadow, because small percentage of the 53 million seeds that blow from one plant have landed there.

Is this why there are no traditional hay meadows left?

steveR · Aug 14, 2021

delilah said:
If the folks designing ELMS only read one thing on here this week, that needs to be it. There is no 'public good' in taking land out of production.

Enforce Ragwort control on any land in ELMS??

steveR · Aug 14, 2021

Jonp said:
Around Newport and Cardiff, especially the road verges and horse fields, forests of the stuff.
None in my sheep and cattle fields....(yet).... why's that then?

Hard work I would suggest.

steveR · Aug 14, 2021

Jonp said:
Man I was talking to a few days ago who is an avid countryfile sponge said they said 70 bug species live off ragwort...I've only seen the yellow and black cinnabar caterpillars on them. Is this true?
He keeps horses and camalids.

Sounds like Buglife propaganda to me....

Not a care for anything else.

john432 · Aug 14, 2021

Agrivator said:
If I was given enough convicts, with enough gloves and enough bags, I could clear the UK of ragwort in two successive seasons.

But the convicts together with Cwis Packham would need to be chained in pairs to minimize escapees.

Forget the gloves

delilah · Aug 14, 2021

steveR said:
Enforce Ragwort control on any land in ELMS??

All ELMS area payments should go to PP. Defra will, quite correctly, wish to have a set of requirements, control of ragwort should be one.

uztrac · Aug 14, 2021

Frank-the-Wool said:
Having just had a few days away and travelled up into East Anglia I have been horrified by the very large areas of Ragwort that is now completely out of control.
I would say that Suffolk especially near the coastal areas would easily take the prize for the best crops and in significant areas of many hundreds of acres.

I reckon Norfolk holds the title.Mainly it seems to be on " Rewilding " bits of land. Is this the future of our countryside ?

goodevans · Aug 14, 2021

john432 said:
Forget the gloves

And make their sandwiches with it for a long term trial

john432 · Aug 14, 2021

goodevans said:
And make their sandwiches with it for a long term trial

Not forgetting the home brewed ragwort beer

Filthyfarmer · Aug 14, 2021

Cowmansam said:
The councils seem to be the worst offenders where ever you go followed by horsey people

Totally agree, used to keep it under control until the local council gave up on it. Gone past the point of no return around here I think

Which County Grows the Best Ragwort?

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0 %

Up to 25%

25-50%

50-75%

75-100%

100% I’ve had enough of farming!

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