Himalayan balsam

[Bury the Trash]

Perhaps I'll stick to my first thought, strimmer with a blade and get it cut before the seed heads explode and then spray any regrowth. Just thought, am i breaking any "rules" using roundup on the two metre margins? This guy's watching me like a hawk

Cutter bar head would be faster like a hedgtrimmer one , bit heavier tho.can reach farther as well under a fence or like down a river bank

 

[Farfrae]

Just resurrecting n this thread as I've bought some land full of Himalayan Balsam. Just trying to establish what is the cheapest chemical control. A lot of it borders grassland and the river so need to be careful there. One website says that fairly dilute Glyphosate will work with the added advantage of being cheaper and less likely to kill any grass underneath etc.

Anyone tried MCPA?

I am specifically trying to get on top of this but for anyone trying to get rid of Japanese Knotweed (yes I have a bit of that as well!) I have been very impressed with Icade.(although technically I don't think it is licensed for grassland).

 

[Longlowdog]

Crushing with rollers works quite well for Himalayan balsam if done for 2 or 3 years and before flowers form to spread yet more seed. Local council uses glyphosate even near rivers (to within 1 meter) with LERAP 3 star nozzles and operators with backpack sprayer tickets to do so.
Stem injection with neat glyph' works very well for JKW, I just use a 2ml sheep autoject gun and jag each stem when they are big enough to be hollow and actively growing. Bruising and spraying may be an option for larger areas.

 

[Steevo]

Any BLW spray works well for Himalayan balsam and isn’t expensive.

It’s not hard to kill, but it’s a pain to stop it appearing again as more seeds float downstream.

 

[Kidds]

Glyphosate on the river bank is allowed as long it is the Aqua version. Check current rules of course.

 

[bluebell]

its a bit like the other rapidly spreading weed, the yellow peril? you do your bit and keep it under control, wipe it out? on your land, but its all the other lot? whats the yellow one called? common in pony paddocks, poisonus to livestock if eaten? seen rapidly increasing along motorwayss?

 

[roscoe erf]

its a bit like the other rapidly spreading weed, the yellow peril? you do your bit and keep it under control, wipe it out? on your land, but its all the other lot? whats the yellow one called? common in pony paddocks, poisonus to livestock if eaten? seen rapidly increasing along motorwayss?

ragwort

 

[cambsfarmer]

The local wildlife trust have obtained funding to pull it along our stream banks and they have pretty well eradicated it in 2 or 3 years. It def. doesn't like cows.

 

[farmerm]

Needs tackling from the source to the sea... pulls easy but waste of time when more seed is going to arrive each year from upstream

 

[steveR]

HB seems to come and go here on the banks of the one brook on the farm. I used to try and control it a bit but gave up as the stuff just spreads from the waterside. However, it seems to have all but disappeared this time... No idea why.