How to control bracken

Hi all

I went up to my little piece of land over the weekend. I haven't been for a month because of other commitments, but on seeing it on saturday I wished I'd made some time sooner.

We planted a load of new trees in the hedgerow over the winter, and they were coming on alright, but in the course of a month the bracken from beyond my boundary has totally invaded. My new baby trees were completely out of sight, and completed blocked of sunlight. Over the weekend we've partially liberated them, physically tearing out great lumps of bracken with our bare (ok gloved) hands, but of course it will soon come back.

I don't want to resort to the use of chemicals if I can at all help it, unless there is one that is very selective and only goes after bracken, because the plan is for the land to be a wildlife/wildflower haven, but at the same time I can't let the new trees be blocked out before they even get a chance to put up their own fight.

I thought about weed control fabric, but I doubt it would be much good in that situation because the ground is uneven plus I'd need more of it than I can really afford. My dad suggested I gather up all the old cardboard and old carpets and the likes (I don't know where he thinks I'm going to get that much old carpet from) and put that down to act as a weed barrier, but it doesn't sound practical to me.

Any ideas? I welcome unconventional ideas as well as the accepted standards, so don't be shy

 

I think the only sure way is to dig it out, getting the crowns fully out. How big an area are you talking about clueless? If large perhaps you could concentrate on a small area at a time. There is some heathland near where I live. Bracken is a real problem out competing all the other heathland species. The management they use to control it is to concentrate on particular areas each year with three mowings per season. It doesn't eliminate it completely but it controls it.

 

Unfortunately we are talking about a fairly large area. Certainly too big for one man and his spade when I can only get there about 3 days per month. Also, the bracken beyond my boundary, which is the biggest problem as it rapidly creeps over, is on an embankment that holds up the main road, so I might get into trouble is I start digging there.

The mowing idea is sort of an option. Not so much with a mower but I could get the strimmer into it. You've also given me another idea, the source of the problem is not on my land, so maybe I could find out who is responsible (national park or highway agency most likely) and have a word with them. They might tell me to go away, or they might just send one of their lot to sort it.

 

There is no way you can eradicate bracken. The roots are up to two metres deep. During the war waste land in the Thetford area was ploughed up to grow food, it always had to compete with the bracken. After the war the bracken took over again. It's nearly as much problem as Japanese Knotweed.

 

Be very, very careful with bracken. The spores are carcenogenic. Always use a face mask, especially when the plant is dead.

 

Thanks for that. I knew there were mildly poisonous, but didn't realise they were carcinogenic. I'll take the necessary precautions next time. Last weekend I was walk among the stuff pulling it out by hand. I wasn't wearing a mask.

 

There are two options

Strimming.... start in May when the fronds are knee-high, and not fully open, and keep at it, when ever they grow up again knock it back... never let the leaves open properly, so you are continually draining the energy reserves in the roots, but not letting the leaves put energy back in the roots. this way the stems never get too thick and so are easy to cut, stuff gets a chance to grow underneath, the bracken never gets to have spores, but will never completely go away.

The second way would be with chemical weed killer.. check with the manufacturers to see whether it is suitable for bracken.... a systemic weedkiller applied now... before the bracken goes brown and falls over... will be taken down into the roots. It might not be 100% effective... but will get lots of it.... then strim as above next year if needed.

In Scotland whole hillsides are sprayed with a selective weedkiller by helicopter... but I don't know what they use... but it does the job!

 

How do you tell the difference between ferns and bracken?? I am asking because I have a large plant in my garden that came up on it's own and I would like to know if I should get rid of it or not. Thanks for the help!!

 

Thanks Shiney, I didn't know that about carpet shops, I'll see if I can pluck up the nerve to phone a few.