Dry Rot
Well-Known Member
There are a lot of misunderstandings about ragwort.
First, it is the OCCUPIER who is responsible for it's control, not the owner. (See below).
Second, pulling is really a waste of time. Spraying when the plants are at the floret stage in the spring AND in the summer is the only effective solution. That might have to be repeated for several years and any flowering plants that are missed should be pulled.
If you notice an infestation, you need to contact the occupier first. If that doesn't result in action, you should write to your local office of DEFRA with full details of location, name and address of the occupier, etc. Their officers have a duty to investigate the complaint. If there is no action, either follow the laid down complaints procedure (see the DEFRA web site) or write to your MP.
The second link below gives lots of useful advice which applies throughout the UK although aimed primarily at Scotland.
If you keep chasing the officials they will eventually take action. I am not one of those to give up and my latest complaint went up to the Minister before the ragwort was dealt with! But is WAS dealt with! The absentee landowner drove up from England to deal with the problem rather than be fined £2,000!
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eliz2/7-8/54/contents
The following site will also be of interest, especially to those in Scotland:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/915/0076371.pdf
First, it is the OCCUPIER who is responsible for it's control, not the owner. (See below).
Second, pulling is really a waste of time. Spraying when the plants are at the floret stage in the spring AND in the summer is the only effective solution. That might have to be repeated for several years and any flowering plants that are missed should be pulled.
If you notice an infestation, you need to contact the occupier first. If that doesn't result in action, you should write to your local office of DEFRA with full details of location, name and address of the occupier, etc. Their officers have a duty to investigate the complaint. If there is no action, either follow the laid down complaints procedure (see the DEFRA web site) or write to your MP.
The second link below gives lots of useful advice which applies throughout the UK although aimed primarily at Scotland.
If you keep chasing the officials they will eventually take action. I am not one of those to give up and my latest complaint went up to the Minister before the ragwort was dealt with! But is WAS dealt with! The absentee landowner drove up from England to deal with the problem rather than be fined £2,000!
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eliz2/7-8/54/contents
Weeds Act 1959
1 Power to require occupier to prevent spreading of injurious weeds.
(1)Where the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (in this Act referred to as the Minister) is satisfied that there are injurious weeds to which this Act applies growing upon any land he may serve upon the occupier of the land a notice in writing requiring him, within the time specified in the notice, to take such action as may be necessary to prevent the weeds from spreading.
(2)This Act applies to the following injurious weeds, that is to say
spear thistle (cirsium vulgare (Savi) Ten.),
creeping or field thistle (cirsium arvense(L.) Scop.),
curled dock (rumex crispusL.),
broad-leaved dock (rumex obtusifoliusL.), and
ragwort (sensecio jacobaeaL.);
and to such additional injurious weeds as may be prescribed by the Minister by regulations.
1 Power to require occupier to prevent spreading of injurious weeds.
(1)Where the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (in this Act referred to as the Minister) is satisfied that there are injurious weeds to which this Act applies growing upon any land he may serve upon the occupier of the land a notice in writing requiring him, within the time specified in the notice, to take such action as may be necessary to prevent the weeds from spreading.
(2)This Act applies to the following injurious weeds, that is to say
spear thistle (cirsium vulgare (Savi) Ten.),
creeping or field thistle (cirsium arvense(L.) Scop.),
curled dock (rumex crispusL.),
broad-leaved dock (rumex obtusifoliusL.), and
ragwort (sensecio jacobaeaL.);
and to such additional injurious weeds as may be prescribed by the Minister by regulations.
The following site will also be of interest, especially to those in Scotland:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/915/0076371.pdf