Bracken

[happyflyer]

Looking to buy a place in NW Kent.

Soil is sandy and there bracken trying to grow in some of the fields, has been topped,rolled etc each year.

Any advice regards bracken control or more trouble than it worth etc please

 

[Loftyrules]

You can control it with chemicals as well as topping it and you will get on top of it. If you leave it, it will gradually spread and take over the field.

 

[BlackRider]

you need to be careful with bracken, it is like ragwort and the signs of poisoning are only visible when the liver is irreparably damaged.

Althoug I'm sure I read somewhere that some natives - dartmoor? can tolerate it.

 

[Evie91]

Don't know how much you have, but just after it's been raining it's quite easy to pull up by hand. Wear gloves though as it can slice your fingers!
I've small patches of bracken in the paddock (we back on to woodland). I knew it was no good for horses but wasn't sure if they would find it palatable. First time in the paddock my normally very choosy tb made a beeline for it and seemed to be really enjoying it (I was hoping one mouthful would be enough to put her off). I shooed her off and pulled it out. Had a couple of bits crop up since but that's been it. Really easy to pull out, just seems to slide out of the ground if the ground is wet.

 

[exmoorponyprincess1]

Exmoors can tolerate bracken - ours love it but we don't allow them to nibble it very often...mostly because they only encounter it out hacking and should really be concentrating on going forwards rather than doing a meals on wheels impression!!