If anyone has any ideas, would be greatly appreciated.GIANT RATS TAIL
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GIANT RATS TAIL
Well since i have had very helpful ideas on my Bracken Fern problem, i may find some help on another issue we have in our paddocks.. GIANT RATS TAIL, now this is where i am having trouble in understanding as this is NOT a weed, but grass! Our surrounding property's are full of it, and no sooner had we purchased our property, we were warned of its danger to litterally take over ( and i have seen it happen) and it apparantly ruins the cattle teeth over the period of years, due to the hard seeds it bears. We were told to cut all the seeds and bag them and then burn them! But it would be impossible due to the scale of the plant. This grass is different as the roots system and base of the plant grows so big, it wont let any other plant shoot beside it.( This is how it takes hold). I can totally understand mulching and slashing every plant, but since it is not a weed but a grass that will compete with my other grasses ( and its already overtaking my rhodes grass in areas). If anyone has any ideas, would be greatly appreciated.
If anyone has any ideas, would be greatly appreciated.Marni
Almost the same story but with different players.
Many grasses used in farming are considered 'weeds' for one reason or another.
Serrated tussock is but one example in the cooler areas of the country.
These 'grasses' are not good grasses in the sense they are not as palatable as other grasses that stock really do like.
But the presence of these plants is again telling you a story and indicating that where they are occuring en mass your soil is-excuse the pun- CACTUS. Its been flogged, burnt, whatever. It has low organic matter content and is probably acidic.
And again look at the characteristics of the plant it begins the cycle of repair and is the first restorer of fertility. It is fast growing; stock hate the taste of it; large roots to bring fertility up. It will be a primary coloniser to be followed by others till eventually fertility is restored.
It is we and our past ferming practices who are causing the problems...the plants are just trying to fix it.
Adrians advice earlier will apply here as well to fix your problem sooner. There is also another nlog on this same palnt elsewhere in this forum.
Almost the same story but with different players.
Many grasses used in farming are considered 'weeds' for one reason or another.
Serrated tussock is but one example in the cooler areas of the country.
These 'grasses' are not good grasses in the sense they are not as palatable as other grasses that stock really do like.
But the presence of these plants is again telling you a story and indicating that where they are occuring en mass your soil is-excuse the pun- CACTUS. Its been flogged, burnt, whatever. It has low organic matter content and is probably acidic.
And again look at the characteristics of the plant it begins the cycle of repair and is the first restorer of fertility. It is fast growing; stock hate the taste of it; large roots to bring fertility up. It will be a primary coloniser to be followed by others till eventually fertility is restored.
It is we and our past ferming practices who are causing the problems...the plants are just trying to fix it.
Adrians advice earlier will apply here as well to fix your problem sooner. There is also another nlog on this same palnt elsewhere in this forum.
Marni
If you click on http://www.naturalsequencefarming.com/f ... .php?t=241
Mondo gives a really good idea of how he dealt with his 'fertility'/'weed' issues.
I have tried to replace the use of the word 'weed', with its more correct term, as it gives the wrong connotation to a much maligned group of plants....unnecessally so.
Many of the plants which are attributed as 'weeds' have a different term applied to them scientifically...they are collectively known as herbs. And what eats herbs?? Herbivores.....
These plants (herbs) and animals (herbivores) coexisted and evolved together. I think its important to remember these things when planning strategies for our farms. Hard hoofed animals did nor co evolve with our native plants...that's is why our past and present farming enterprises have decimated out native species of plants....they were all palatable to these foreign animals as they never had to coexist with them.
As I have said elsewhere it is sheer folly to think that we can continue farming these exotic animals and expect the native plants on their own to restore and repair the damage these exotics cause.
We NEED the exotic plants as well....but we need to manage them in a way which is both helpful and NOT deleterious to the landscape.
If you click on http://www.naturalsequencefarming.com/f ... .php?t=241
Mondo gives a really good idea of how he dealt with his 'fertility'/'weed' issues.
I have tried to replace the use of the word 'weed', with its more correct term, as it gives the wrong connotation to a much maligned group of plants....unnecessally so.
Many of the plants which are attributed as 'weeds' have a different term applied to them scientifically...they are collectively known as herbs. And what eats herbs?? Herbivores.....
These plants (herbs) and animals (herbivores) coexisted and evolved together. I think its important to remember these things when planning strategies for our farms. Hard hoofed animals did nor co evolve with our native plants...that's is why our past and present farming enterprises have decimated out native species of plants....they were all palatable to these foreign animals as they never had to coexist with them.
As I have said elsewhere it is sheer folly to think that we can continue farming these exotic animals and expect the native plants on their own to restore and repair the damage these exotics cause.
We NEED the exotic plants as well....but we need to manage them in a way which is both helpful and NOT deleterious to the landscape.