Ragwort -May look like a pretty flower but is more like a yellow invader.

At this time of the year, every year we spend a lot of time controlling weeds. If left unchecked our pastures would become full of unpalatable and unproductive plants and our tree plantings would be overrun by these exotic invaders.

The three big weeds for us are Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea), Thistles most commonly Spear Thistle (Cirsium vulgare) and Blackberry Rubus fruticosus.

Thistles and Ragwort are flowering now and the race is on to find any remaining plants we have missed, before they set seed. Both these plants produce hundreds of seeds from each flower and the seeds are easily transported in the wind.  Miss one plant now and the task will be bigger next year.

Spear Thistle

Because these weed seeds are so easily transported in the wind we are also relying on our neighbours controlling these weeds on their land. One landholder not managing their weeds will let the whole community down.