Barrier H - Ragwort Problem

[glamourpuss]

I am fighting a loosing battle with the ragwort in my field. Before I got my field it was pretty neglected and the ragwort has really taken hold. In all honesty it just too much to pull up now.

Anyone used Barrier H? I'm thinking of splitting the field for 2 weeks. One half I have nearly cleared by physically pulling the evil stuff up. I thought if I sprayed the plants on the other half and kept the ponies off there until I had cleared the dead stuff that would work.

If not Barrier H what else?

 

[xena_wales]

I'm using Barrier H. Glyphosate (Roundup) also works, but kills the grass around the plant and also takes ages to kill them. There's also a product called Ragtime, but I've not tried that.

 

[Mike007]

It is very difficult to kill ragwort whenit is fully grown in the summer,you need to spray in early spring when the plants are at their weakest.Also please wear gloves when pulling ragwort,you can absorb the toxins through the skin!

 

[glitterfuzz]

we have used Pastor but we also had a problem with docs and thistles. You will probably need to spray spring and autumn for a couple of years to get a good result as ragwort is a 2 year plant and only flowers in the 2nd year. Seeds can also lay dormant in the soil for up to 20 years, once you have had a ragwort problem you will need to keep spraying/pulling every year - as said above - best done in spring when the plants are at their rosette stage

 

[DuckToller]

I was fighting a losing battle three years ago, and pulled so much ragwort one day that I did my back in and spent a week unable to put my socks on! I also found that however hard I tried, I couldn't get every last bit of root up and I would find several plants growing in a small circle, which I suspect is where I had pulled up the main plant and several side shoots had sprung up from the bits of root.

I started using Barrier H and after 3 years I am now having to hunt to find a few little plants in my field. So it's worked for me, although at this time of year if the plants are large, you would need quite a lot of squirts to kill a big one (or chop off most of the plant and spray what's left). Little rosettes only take a few squirts though. Don't do it in the wind - it goes everywhere, including up your nose!

I've found it best to spray on a sunny morning as it quickly turns black (probably takes 30 mins?) and you can see where you have been and not do the same ones twice! It does kill the grass immediately round it, but that grows back quite quickly.

 

[glamourpuss]

Thanks everyone.
I've just spent the morning spraying one half of my field. I was amazed at how quickly it made the plant go black and wither

I'm going to do it again in a couple of days when I can see what plants are dying back.
So far though I'm mightily impressed, although I do feel a bit sick from the smell