Ragwort

X344chap

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Central Scotland
notifiable may have been the wrong word
The Weeds Act 1959, is the earliest, which lists noxious weeds whose spread must be controlled.

Included under this Act are:

  • Common Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea)
  • Broadleaved Dock (Rumex obtusifolius)
  • Curled leaved Dock (Rumex crispus)
  • Spear Thistle (Circium vulgare)
  • Creeping Thistle (Circium arvensis)
They are all native species but were deemed problematic in the post war drive for agricultural efficiency and self sufficiency in food. As mentioned above Ragwort is the most notorious and it was the threatened repeal of the Weeds Act that fired the public debate which eventually led to the Ragwort Control Act 2003.
The Ragwort control act 2003 only permits the minister to develop a code containing guidance - in short it does nothing. The Weeds Act 1959 also did nothing. Its up to landowners what they do - but its good practice and good neighbourlyness not to allow weeds to spread to your neighbours.
 

Exfarmer

Member
Location
Bury St Edmunds
Hello!
New problem...we recently bought a small holding and our field has ragwort.
After enquiring into dealing with the ragwort, we were advised to cut it, and when it begins to grow again we can get it sprayed....
...we bought the old (very old) tractor the previous owners were selling with the property so we thought no problem!
The tractor had a breakdown after an hour of cutting (the radiator pipe split and we've ordered a new one but it's coming from France which may take a while).
Question - what do we do? Leave the field and write it off until next year or hire someone to come and cut the rest of the field?
I am a bit worried because our neighbours have sheep grazing in the field next to ours, how toxic is ragwort?
All advice greatly appreciated!!
The worst thing you can do is let it seed. If you cant top it I would ask the neighbour if he could do it! I would certainly do my neighbours for free so it does not blow over.
If you top it Whatever happens do not let animals near the field for at least 6 weeks before it has all died away.
Pulling it is fine especially with a spud ( small fork) however it does leave bare patches for a new plant to grow.
Spraying in the spring is the best
 

jpd

Member
Location
rep of irl
False. Its only Common ragwort which is a problem and can get you into trouble under the weeds act. Just because its a plant with a yellow flower does not mean it is Common ragwort. Lovely horsey neighbors of my mothers field reported her for having a field full of Common Ragwort. After a 250 mile round trip meeting with the inspector he agreed with me there was no Common ragwort in the field it was lots of other plants with yellow flowers the nearest to Common ragwort being the Hoary ragwort. As such no case to answer and a warning letter to the horsey neighbor explaining the harrassment should not continue.
please illustrate the difference please
 

mrsmojos

Member
Livestock Farmer
Its not a notifiable weed. How big is the field and how bad with ragwort is it? 2 folks with a bag can pull a lot of it in an hour. Burn the pullings.
The field is 4.5 acres and there is a 'lot' - especially around the boundaries, big and tall and full flower. Too much to pull. I think the previous owners had not used the field for a long while. Very overgrown with self seeded trees scattered around. I've attached a pic that shows the size of ragwort - hope that helps.
 

mrsmojos

Member
Livestock Farmer
Oops - see attached
 

Attachments

  • VID_20210823_110524353_exported_16796.jpg
    VID_20210823_110524353_exported_16796.jpg
    502.2 KB · Views: 0

Slowcow

Member
Bribe or blackmail some friends! The problem won't get any better, especially if its over grown with scrub, a few years ago we bought some ground that had ALOT in the trees, pulled a 8 t silage trailer full the first year, half that the second, pickup load the 3rd, few stalks since!
 

Highland Mule

Member
Livestock Farmer
The field is 4.5 acres and there is a 'lot' - especially around the boundaries, big and tall and full flower. Too much to pull. I think the previous owners had not used the field for a long while. Very overgrown with self seeded trees scattered around. I've attached a pic that shows the size of ragwort - hope that helps.

You should clear that in a day or two, if you try to work hard.
 

Grassman

Member
Location
Derbyshire
Looking at the picture go in with a flail. No point worrying about spreading seed as there will be enough in the ground for the next 100 years already.
Just keep animals out for 6 weeks minimum then be prepared to spray for the next 100 years👍😀
 

Turnip

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Aberdeenshire
Bribe or blackmail some friends! The problem won't get any better, especially if its over grown with scrub, a few years ago we bought some ground that had ALOT in the trees, pulled a 8 t silage trailer full the first year, half that the second, pickup load the 3rd, few stalks since!
Yep, put some beer in the middle of the field and invite them to pull ragworth, has worked in the past. Ended up with two fires, one for the plants and another for the burgers and sausages.

It could be your welcome to the neighborhood party.
 

renewablejohn

Member
Location
lancs
please illustrate the difference please
Just google and you can soon spot the difference in the flower heads. I cheated in respect of the inspection as I took a Common Ragwort from Lancashire to help the Inspector compare with the Hoary Ragwort in Lincolnshire. Didnt actually need the comparison as the Inspector new his stuff and the difference was like chalk and cheese.
 

renewablejohn

Member
Location
lancs
Would suggest you go and treat yourself to a new toy. Non of this messing about pulling just use a Fiskars Xact. Best tool I have ever bought mainly for ragwort pulling but conned by the better half when she realized it could also be used for pulling weeds on the lawn.
 

agrimax

Member
Location
Co Down
It's not at the seeding stage yet. Find someone with a double chop harvester and trailer and have it cut and lifted. Spray off the regrowth as it comes back ...
 

manhill

Member
Its not a notifiable weed. How big is the field and how bad with ragwort is it? 2 folks with a bag can pull a lot of it in an hour. Burn the pullings.
that's it's weakness, easy to see at the flower stage and can be uprooted. Bit of exercise never hurt anyone. Could be a nice job for community service punishment!
 

Brisel

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Midlands
Pull as much as you can now, and burn it (take care when pulling it not to to agitate the seed heads and allow seeds to blow everywhere, as the plants will be dying and preparing to release seeds at this time of year). A small garden fork is helpful to loosen the soil around the root, makes getting it all out intact much easier. If you can't pull it all try at least to remove the seed heads and burn them, you don't want millions of seeds blowing everywhere, as they will be soon if you do nothing.

Then spray in the spring with Forefront T, its about the only grassland spray that really has an impact on ragwort in all its stages of growth, its expensive but it does work. Then pull anything that escapes the spray next summer, and from then on. Forefront can only be used on grazing land, so you can't use it if you plan to make hay or silage from the ground.
Is 2,4D no good, in your experience? Headland Polo 2,4D and MCPA mixed with Cimmaron (metsulfuron, no longer approved for grassland) did a very good clean up for general grassland broad leafed weeds for me. Forefront T needs careful use where the manure from grazing animals on that pasture is used afterwards.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 79 42.0%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 66 35.1%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 16.0%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 7 3.7%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

  • 1,290
  • 1
As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
Top