Ragwort

O

Ottinmeg

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I'm about to take on a 3 stable, 3.5 acre set up but there are a lot of ragwort rosettes in the field. The YO has said he is going to get it sprayed but i'm happy to dig it out although there is quite a lot of it.Horses won't move there until its clear or i will clear an area and section it off while i do the rest.
What is the best way to get rid of it and if it is sprayed what is the best product to use and how long before the horses can graze it etc.
any info would be appreciated
 
I'm not an expert on the subject but I always heard that digging it out is the most efficient way to get rid of it as well as trying to prevent it coming back as the roots can be dug up and destroyed.

Would probably be best to get some local opinions as well.

Best of luck at your new yard!
 
If its green and growing genraly horses wont touch it if there is grass but you can never take the risk, if its sprayed and dies then it can be palitable to horses and is why its dangerous in hay also. The best way is to dig it out before it seads and burn it or you could spray and then remove the dead remains.. bloody stuff is everywhere so keeping padocks free of it is a yearly chore...good luck
 
I nearly posted about ragwort yesterday as I noticed it was starting to sneak up in my field. I dig mine with a ragfork and then burn it. We've also had some success with Barrier H. Ragwort used to be a real problem for us but now we just have to dig up the occasional few which appear - the ragfork definitely makes it easier!

My stepdad bought one of those thing for hooking a bucket onto a fence so that I can hook a bucket onto the wheelbarrow as a I poo-pick. That way I can multitask! Barrow for poo, bucket for ragwort. :)
 
If he sprays it be careful. I lost a field because the land owner decided to get it sprayed with the wrong stuff, and it became a lethal 6 acres full of wilted ragwort. Had to move. I'd section it and dig it up, if you think that's physically possible.
 
Definitely invest in a ragfork! As HollyWoozle says, it really does make the job easier and gets all the roots out. Worth every penny. By the way, I don't work for the Ragfork company, but it's an ongoing problem where we are, because the adjacent field belongs to someone in Hong Kong and never gets cleared!
 
We got advice from our local paddock expert. He said to have the field sprayed and then dig up the ragwort a couple of days later. He advised that simply digging up the ragwort, as we'd done in the past, always left a root or two that would grow back. Spraying kills the roots.
 
Another vote for Barrier H - I would section off the field and spot spray. Digging out ragwort can be back breaking work, and unless you get the entire root, will grow back next year.
 
Trouble with spraying is you have to be so so so careful you find every wilted plant and remove it.
Given you still have up remove them after spraying, you might as well just dig the bl**dy stuff up from the off and burn it.
 
Weezy said:
Dig, dig, dig! It has suddenly sprouted this week hasn't it!
Click to expand...

Tell me about it!!

I dug a few tiny plants up last weekend but within the week, we've had big plants appear from nowhere! It's awful stuff. You did one plant up, turn around and there's another behind you that you didn't spot before. I don't poo pick every day but I do walk the field most days to check for ragwort and dig it up.

Ragforks are the best invention!
 
Spray Dig Burn is the best way, but not always possible to do, so dig and burn is the next best thing.

Remember, ragwort is poisonous to humans as well as everything else, so wear gloves and a face mask please!!! - I got very ill after a mammoth ragwort pulling session a few years ago, and I remember last year someone on here posting that their OH had collapsed during a ragwort pulling party when he was burning it:(

Grazing sheep can also help to control it as they nibble right down into the floret and for some reason that kills the plant. If the sheep lasted long enough it would kill them too, so best not to use your favourite pet sheep if you go down this route (I am not trying to be facetious here btw).
 
Tell me about it lou!! i've been chasing round town this morning trying to find a ragfork!! finally found one and have got some spray as well. I will clear an area,via digging, up the top of the field and stick the horses on that and then spray down the bottom until it's all done.
Thanks for all the advice.
 
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