yellow burr weed

jenni · Post by **jenni** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 12:14 pm

i really hope yr right duane.there is a couple of hectares i'm going to have to spray because they are the cma sponsored tree lots if i try to be positive i will say that the catheads appear to bind the trash and i geuss this will be good protection for the slopes.it just means i'm not going to be able to graze country that has already had long rest.maybe nature is telling me to back off

Shirley Henderson · Post by **Shirley Henderson** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 12:29 pm

I remembered this discussion from an earlier post....

http://www.naturalsequencefarming.com/f ... sc&start=0

duane · Post by **duane** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 12:47 pm

Maybe Bobl if he's lurking could make a comment on how he went with this weed and what the outcomes were to help Jenni??

jenni · Post by **jenni** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 12:50 pm

i remember commenting on that thread and i know it is succeptible to competition i think i might go out in this rain and spread some grass seed

Shirley Henderson · Post by **Shirley Henderson** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 2:13 pm

HI Jenni, why don't you send bob a message and ask him. Also I am wondering what you want this land for. Decidous trees would be great.

I believe cats heads do not like shade either so why not do some trials such as plants that you want to compete. Is there a reason you want grass in particular?

Just curious.
Shirley

jenni · Post by **jenni** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 2:46 pm

Hi Shirley I never thought of deciduous trees. We run fine wool merinos so that's why I want grass it's remnant grassy box woodlands.medium steep Granite hills

jenni · Post by **jenni** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 2:50 pm

Oh but below that are clear sloping paddocks which have traditionally been cropped but are used for grazing now.our property actually resembles exactly the illustration of the 'concept of thirds' farm in peters book

Shirley Henderson · Post by **Shirley Henderson** » Tue Feb 16, 2010 7:56 pm

HI Jenni, I am glad to hear that you are following Peters methods. I tend to forget thet NSF is about farming sometimes as I am a land carer in a different way. I am into bush regeneration,. nevertheless the needs of the landscape are the same. Of course you need grass as you are caring for farm animals. Hopefully you can let us know how things go with the area you spray as opposed to the areas you do not. It will be very interesting to know the outcomes of both.
How about some photos?
Kind regards
Shriely

jenni · Post by **jenni** » Tue Feb 16, 2010 8:22 pm

I'm trying Shirley but I don't always get my way one way or another I will take some photos what would u be doing about large tracts of catheads through remnant bush in regen terms

Shirley Henderson · Post by **Shirley Henderson** » Tue Feb 16, 2010 8:40 pm

HI Jenni, I dont have the problem of burr-weed but I would have some ideas to try. This weed I believe usually grows on degraded or bare areas. I do have to contend with bare barren compacted areas at times. In that situation I would cover the area with branches from large woody weeds that have been cut down. They would drop their leaves there creating some mulch. The branches would bring a semi shade to the area. Also when it rains or there is any moisture to be had it would drip in the same spot as a constant. The semi shade, mulch and moisture would initiate other plants to germinate. It's amazing what seed bank is hiding in the soil. They can lie there for years. The branches also provide a roost for passing birds which would bring some fertility. The branches provide other habitat to insects. In general a small area of habitat begins and the moisture, temperature and fertility is changed. I would have to wait and see what happens. I cannot plant decidous trees in the reserve I work in but depending on your circumstances and needs it may be something you want.

jenni · Post by **jenni** » Wed Feb 17, 2010 7:54 pm

So today we have put a mob of sheep up on the hill and fed out silage and spread out grain over as much an area of catheads as we could. Hopefully some grain might germinate as well as being eaten. We decided to get the sheep in now while the fruit is still soft. We'll keep doing this for a couple of weeks.

Shirley Henderson · Post by **Shirley Henderson** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 6:21 pm

Jenni ,
you may wonder why I am chopping down woody weeds. In the reserve where I work there is lots of diversity. A long time ago it was totally cleared as farmland. When it was purchased as a reserve much of the flora returned from the seed bank in the soil. Along with the natives came weeds and many of them provide excellent habitat, soil stabilisation and of course the natural sequences are at work. As I work in bush regeneration it is my job to implement and oversee a bushcare program. I can work very slowly using the Bradley method to remove woody weeds such as African Olive, African boxthorn and Privet, opening up the once degraded areas to the many returning natives. There are areas that are completely Privet in the creek lines and there are no natives at all. I wouldn’t touch those as that is rainforest type habitat now. It is shaded cool and full of ferns. It shapes and holds the water way together. Instead of having the woody weeds removed from the area where we are working, I try to use them as mulch or as I said spreading them over the barren areas to assist natural sequences to occur. I understand that you could not possibly do that over your farmland as you need to make it accessible to your animals. I do however think if you had the branches or an alternative you could use the system I spoke of on top of hills, mounds and even in rows. Anywhere you start regeneration of other plants, and microclimates are a start. Once it begins it spreads. Hope this is useful to someone out there.
Kind regards
Shirley

jenni · Post by **jenni** » Fri Feb 19, 2010 8:06 pm

Thanks for yr input Shirley I really appreciate it. I have done some similar things with branches also and I don't disturb the Bathurst burrs and thistles in the gully above the dam. Great duck haven. Mum n dads house at the bottom of the slope, has great big elm trees and is surrounded by photinia and lots of lawn. All these are regularly trimmed and I take the loppings up the hill and try to place them strategically.the occasional dead animal goes up there too. You know one of the things I love about NSF is that many of the concepts aren't grand and I love that I don't need to be the master of my surrounds.I think you are right about having sort of hedges on the ridges. This will not hinder animal movement only mine but we can't really drive up there anywhere. I think doing nothing is a pretty important thing too. We have been learning how to graze better with a focus on strategic long rests and I think the country has improved.except for the catheads...

jenni · Post by **jenni** » Fri Mar 12, 2010 7:23 pm

I had my catchment management person out this week to inspect the tree lines and to my surprise she said not to touch the catheads!! So I'm not going to have to use any chemical after all. The sheep outdid themselves in cleaning up the catheads around the hill and after our recent 150 mm of rain(!!!) the grain we threw around has germinated nicely

duane · Post by **duane** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 6:01 pm

Jenni

How is that paddock going that you had the Amsinkia in??? Peter informs me that it can be difficult until you get the fertility and hydrology correct.