Ragwort

Ragwort.  I hate it.

My Nemesis.  A source of harm or ruin.  Too effing right.

Loathsome, dangerous stuff to horses (and sheep).

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I have been battling it unsuccessfully over the years – many, many years especially in my lovely self-contained croft, Clothie.  This croft once had no ragwort at all, not even a hint, until I stupidly had ditches dug to drain the soil better and with that the ragwort seeds that had been lying dormant for years, centuries even, appeared.

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As it is still wet on the ground (and above actually), I went over to Clothie with the dogs in the pretence it was a dog walk, and picked a binbagful.

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In previous years, I have tried spraying using different specific ragwort pesticides with no visual results except leaving me thinking at times I was only watering it. So this year I am picking it out, roots and all and then it will be burned.

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I took my good camera and macro lens to make the resulting back ache worth my while.

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Clothie has a spectacular array of wild flowers and it is a very peaceful place.

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I realised my dog walk was not a success when I found Loki having a bit of a rest.

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BeAnne was busy doing her own thing, though.

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And so we went home to our welcome committee who were previously engaged. I am going to try and pull up a bag of ragwort every day, if I can.  I shall add it to my daily to-do list.

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9 thoughts on “Ragwort

  1. Rebecca Final

    For us Yanks, could you explain what a ‘clothie’ and a ‘croft’ are? The old structure is simply beautiful. It’s so sad that here in the states, when something gets old it gets torn down. I love the old stone structures in Scotland. I’ve only visited once, but I really think I need to come again. So beautiful.

    Reply
    1. Frances Post author

      “A croft is a small agricultural unit, most of which are situated in the crofting counties in the north of Scotland being the former counties of Argyll, Caithness, Inverness, Ross & Cromarty, Sutherland, Orkney and Shetland, and held subject to the provisions of the Crofting Acts. Many crofts are on estates.”

      Clothie is the name of one of my crofts. It is 5 acres and has a derelict house and barns on it.

      Reply
  2. jan

    Be careful with your back though, I do know what you go through with back pain. I too have had spinal surgery, but I didn’t have the Minions to recuperate with! Take care Frances

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  3. jane

    I’ve sprayed with roundup every year while they are just at rosette stage when possible by almost placing the spray nozzle directly on the leaves, and gradually the situation has improved.

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  4. jane

    Problem is Deb that the damn thing will re grow from even a little bit of root left behind. It causes organ failure.

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  5. Kerstin

    Have you tried salting?
    I have (semi)successfully got rid of nettles and a nasty kind of thistle by salting. Esp the thistles need (I think) to be “hurt” – I’m cutting into the roots w a … secateur? before salting. The theory is that the salt will “get to the roots” more efficiently that way.
    Salting certainly works better than trying to pull the nasty thistles…

    Reply

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