Sycamore disaster

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jess.hewlett

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Our field is absolutely covered in millions of sycamore seeds, we have no idea where they have come from and have been on our hands and knees picking them up, blowing them with a leaf blower, but its simply hopeless there are just too many! What is there we can do?!
 
Ride on mower & scalp them if long enough - do you mean the flyers, or the seedlings?

You could get them tested (see details via BHS) but 4-6 weeks unless you pay extra for quick turnaround over2-3 days.
I would go & get them urgently tested first to see if toxic. Still cheaper than a callout & initial drugs for an equine.
 
I made mine a small pen which I made sure was clear. I then stripped grazed each day, clearing the new bit as I went. It made it much less of a difficult task. Admittedly if there's a lot of wind you have to start again but it's much easier than trying to clear the whole field.

It's an odd time of year to get them. Are you sure that's what they are?

There's also a test which might be helpful now. It's around £40 and can test the toxins in the seeds.
 
we.ve put them in a field where there aren't any for now but the field is much too grassy and big too keep them in there for long, might have to consider that thank you, definitely them, and yes it is an odd time!! We are going to send them off to get tested, thank you so much!!
 
jess.hewlett said:
the flyers! Thank you so much, will get them tested ASAP!
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If it's the helicopters then I should think they have been there all winter. Certainly our sycamores have been bare of any seeds since late autumn.

Re the test....I can't see the RCVS saying that it's safe to graze horses in paddocks with seeds or seedlings under any circumstances, no matter what the Hypoglycin levels were.....it would simply open them up to law suits.
 
Yes i think they have been there all winter but the horses havent been in there, do you happen to know if they lose their toxicity over time, they look pretty dead.
 
jess.hewlett said:
Yes i think they have been there all winter but the horses havent been in there, do you happen to know if they lose their toxicity over time, they look pretty dead.
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I honestly don't know, nor can I find any information about it. There is some question whether the Hypoglycin A found in ackee fruit decays on exposure to light...but no certainty.
I'm surprised your helicopters haven't grown into seedlings...we've got to mow off two fields, but I can't find any seeds left.
 
If flyers then rake or hoover them up.
You can't get them tested, it's for seedlings, of which I have loads :(

Next door neighbour has had both monster trees felled but I have huge patches of seedlings in 2 paddocks and scattered ones over the other paddocks:(
 
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