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blowin

These things are taking over my field . Pretty as they might be during their limited flowering season I desperately need to get rid of them . Roundup doesn't seem to have any effect . Digging is out of the question . Nothing seems to eat them and pigs won't even root them up . HELP !

patsonline · Joined: 23 Apr 2009 Posts: 39 Location: North Mayo

Join the club with many members blowin, I reclaimed a field that had an acre of flaggers intermixed with rushes. I had a machine turn it over and actually bury the Iris and rushes a metre deep after burning the arse out of them first, overdosing them on roundup. I put drainage pipes and chips in.
Then came the stone picking and power harrowing and seeding and rolling, and now it was very worth the effort....however the iris still poke through each spring as tiny little plantlets, but I am there waiting for them, they are easy to pluck out while they are small....but you have to keep on top of it!

dara · Joined: 01 Aug 2007 Posts: 178 Location: Mayo

I have a couple of big patches of flags that have spread some over the last two years of wet summers. I looked into it and to stand any chance of killing them you have to reduce the level of the water table to at least 4' below - which is impossible where they are. If you can top the hell out of them they do suffer and won't spread.

MrsL · Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 12:09 am Post subject:

Offer them to home dyers - the roots give a good black colour. If you can get at them. Rolling Eyes

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blowin · Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 12:46 am Post subject:

Do you know of a site or forum for people who might want to come and collect their own ? I have nearly an acre of dense roots !!! Might even get in a man with a digger if someone could take them all away !

MrsL · Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 8:39 am Post subject:

Ah. That's a lot...............

Will look into it; there might be some commercial bod who produces medieval dye for the likes of the Royal School of Needlework or something - not entireyl outwith the realms of possibility, and i'll ask around at the Guild next month. I have a notion there's something else they're used for, so will try and find that too.
Sorry not much help, I've enough of them here just in the ponds Laughing

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