|
The list as follows is my no means a definitive
list. It trys to highlight the main weeds that
commonly effect horse pastures. They need
controlling as some may be poisonous and other
may just be unpalatable or of poor nutritional
value.
I have tried to add links to each weed of some
of the best advice I have found on line on how
to control them. If you have a problem where
you are still not sure how to control then I
suggest you approach either Garry
Holter (see menu to the right) or
contact a local agronomist. (While we have
highlighted sites that we have found useful we
can take no legal responsibility for the advice
that they may give.)
Nettles
These are one on the most easily recognised of
the weeds. Best controlled when growing
vigorously, between early May and mid
September. Horses will sometimes eat nettles
but you have to make sure that they are not
taking over a paddock.
More info on controlling
nettles
Docks
Curl leaved dock and broad leaved dock are both
classed as injurious weeds (see bottom of
page). Serious infestations may need to be
sprayed in April /May and in August /September.
If there are docks in the field that you are
going to rework make sure you have killed them
effectively first. A common mistake is to
plough or rotovate a field with docks in. This
chops up the roots the pieces of which may
start to grow again making the problem much
worse in the following field.
Controlling docks
Creeping Thistle
Another on the injurious weeds list. These
require spraying when at an early bud stage
(June/July) well established thistles may need
repeat spraying to control them.
Control of thistles
Spear Thistle
Another on the injurious weeds list. They are
dark green in the spring; they have prickly
spines on the leaves, which are arranged as a
circle at ground level. If spraying it should
be done in May/June before the flowering stem
emerges.
Control of thistles
Chickweed
This is a weed that if it takes hold will
smother the grasses and is very unpalatable. If
spraying it out then it is best done at
seedling stage.
Control of chickweed organically
Buttercups
Both the creeping and the meadow buttercup are
mildly poisonous if eaten fresh but are all
right if eaten in hay. They tend to be most
common in wet or over worked land. They can be
sprayed out but in general either sorting out
the drainage or encouraging the grass to grow
will help smother them out naturally.
Organic control of creeping
buttercup
Ragwort
This is the most serious and well known problem
for horse owners. It is on the injurious list
of weeds and is poisonous for horses. Cutting
it can encourage it to grow more vigorously.
The options are either spraying it off or
pulling it out before it self seeds and then
destroying the plants away from the field.
More info on control of
ragwort
To protect against certain weeds, which are
either poisonous or hard to eradicate some, are
listed under the Injurious weed order. Whilst
the regulations are not often implemented.
Neighbours who get fed up with weed reservoir
on a nearby field could use the order to get
something done. The best option is to make sure
that these weeds are either not present or
under control in your fields.
|
