Crushing Bracken
- Thread starter muddy42
- Start date
Do you drag her sideways or lengthways?
Home Loader
Well-Known Member
@muddy42 we use a Bracken roller the lad next door has had better results especially when the plant height gets low, with a log he cut a grove around at each end the the tied a loose loop round so it roll half heartedly then tied a rope to each loop and a extra loop in the middle for a towing eye. We now share for the big stuff our roller and the smaller his log.
shbangsteve
Well-Known Member
Pro clova is best or a strong dose of Forefront. Will backen grass but not kill it. I'm sure a local farmer will help you out to get some if you can't buy it direct of a local farm co-op
Madness comes in many forms...you should see how much pest control he does ... 1 man conservation army
I have actually walked over 6 miles this morning pulling Balsam - up and down - in and out of the river - totally totally ... totally knackered
Not labelled for bracken
shbangsteve
Well-Known Member
According to the chart, susceptible but with limited data. I've tried Forefront and it will give reasonable kill at the right stage. Asulox is the best but hard to get hold of and restricted in use, certainly here. Not sure about Ireland
Glyphosate works well on Bracken but best done earlier, we sprayed about this time of year no wind with little chance of over-spray due to the coverage of Bracken and nothing at all growing underneath. Its only a hobby shoot for Muntjac but the ground cover of brambles and Bracken makes any other time of the year out of winter a waste of time, you just can see anything.
countrryboy
Well-Known Member
I went up and had a go with that flake of Harrow again.
Tied an old log on top for some extra wieght.
Wot a difference it made.
Guessing whole thing is about 50kgs ish.
Harrow on its own wascprob around 20 tov25kgs I'd guess.
That's 1 pass, bracken about 4-5ft high
Im fairly happy the way it's folded over
Not looking to wipe it out just break it up, create some sunny areas etc, as that is a flushing point of a wee drive ( which never works that well)
Hopefully u can see the Harrow, just 1 of those very old fashioned 1s, I think their would be 2x3? rows of them.
Ruff and ready but working ok
Tied an old log on top for some extra wieght.
Wot a difference it made.
Guessing whole thing is about 50kgs ish.
Harrow on its own wascprob around 20 tov25kgs I'd guess.
That's 1 pass, bracken about 4-5ft high
Im fairly happy the way it's folded over
Not looking to wipe it out just break it up, create some sunny areas etc, as that is a flushing point of a wee drive ( which never works that well)
Hopefully u can see the Harrow, just 1 of those very old fashioned 1s, I think their would be 2x3? rows of them.
Ruff and ready but working ok
countrryboy
Well-Known Member
Sorry was easier bruising it now than building a time machine.
Sometimes u just got to do wot u can when u can fit it in.
Up here bracken was still emerging last month up on the hill.( granted that stuff would be well up, but a lot on the hill is still below knee hieght)
I had to spray round the hill pens and extra time as I was to quick spraying 5 weeks ago.
Amazing how much had emerged in last 3 weeks.
I did mean to hit it earlier i will next year now harrow is in the wood.
But it will still knock it back a good bit for next year and it opens it up for birds for this year..
Plus be a bit safer for driving into obstacles and blow trees
Sorry was easier bruising it now than building a time machine.
Sometimes u just got to do wot u can when u can fit it in.
Up here bracken was still emerging last month up on the hill.( granted that stuff would be well up, but a lot on the hill is still below knee hieght)
I had to spray round the hill pens and extra time as I was to quick spraying 5 weeks ago.
Amazing how much had emerged in last 3 weeks.
I did mean to hit it earlier i will next year now harrow is in the wood.
But it will still knock it back a good bit for next year and it opens it up for birds for this year..
Plus be a bit safer for driving into obstacles and blow trees
I totally agree there is never a correct time - with us the bracken is ancle height on the hill but head high in the woodland. I also think it depends on whether you are looking to slow the bracken down long term or just make a path. I dont mind a system where I do paths annually. If there wasn't bracken there would be willow herb or nettles etc. I towed a gate around at the weekend and it worked well @VSS thanks for the idea. I think what would be even better would be two gates one tied ontop of the other. Plus I found turning round 180 degrees a bit tricky without catching the drag rope on the rear wheels. I might make it double-ended so I can unclip from one end and reattach to the other.
countrryboy
Well-Known Member
Sounds like u had a succesful day.
Aye I was surprised how poorly my harrow performed without the extra wieght on made a big difference.
Just takes a wee bit tinkering
Could u use a longer rope and tie it to rear rack ( or a piece of string/bungy onto rope to rear rack) so u could reverse and pull the rope out the way save jumping off all the time.
An other option if u slide a solid/alky pipe over rope or rigged a solid bar possibly gate would reverse with bike??
Or it might hank?
Aye I was surprised how poorly my harrow performed without the extra wieght on made a big difference.
Just takes a wee bit tinkering
Could u use a longer rope and tie it to rear rack ( or a piece of string/bungy onto rope to rear rack) so u could reverse and pull the rope out the way save jumping off all the time.
An other option if u slide a solid/alky pipe over rope or rigged a solid bar possibly gate would reverse with bike??
Or it might hank?
I would be a bit nervous about pulling the rear rack off! Longer rope yes.
Also very expensive
keep up the good work. I can assure you that pulling it up does work. I was at the same stage as you few years ago. You start getting a real hawk eye for spotting HB. Go back in two weeks and check for flowers or wander down the opposite bank of even wade in the water. Next year there will only be a few plants and the year after that none.
I still have to patrol because I have seed coming downstream. I blame the logging companies who move seeds around on their wheels and bring them to the headwaters. SEPA and the council do nothing.
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