I thought mairs tail was a weed and a nuisance. I am therefore wondering why
people would want to feed it with so much manure. Cerebral self pleasuring
might be in order on "UK Horticulture/Botanists EDU" but on plain old "uk
rec gardening" a bit of plain old Anglo Saxon common sense is all that is
called for when dealing with weeds, no B.S.
Julian

In article ,
"Julian Mamo" writes:
| I thought mairs tail was a weed and a nuisance. I am therefore wondering why
| people would want to feed it with so much manure. Cerebral self pleasuring
| might be in order on "UK Horticulture/Botanists EDU" but on plain old "uk
| rec gardening" a bit of plain old Anglo Saxon common sense is all that is
| called for when dealing with weeds, no B.S.

I don't think that people do, but it thrives in wet, poor soils,
largely because it is a lot tougher than most garden plants.
One of the partial solutions to such weeds is to improve the soil,
so that the plants can compete with the weed rather better.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Julian Mamo" wrote in message
...
I thought mairs tail was a weed and a nuisance. I am therefore wondering
why
people would want to feed it with so much manure. Cerebral self pleasuring
might be in order on "UK Horticulture/Botanists EDU" but on plain old "uk
rec gardening" a bit of plain old Anglo Saxon common sense is all that is
called for when dealing with weeds, no B.S.

To whom are you replying?

Franz

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

In article ,
"Julian Mamo" writes:
| I thought mairs tail was a weed and a nuisance. I am therefore
wondering why
| people would want to feed it with so much manure. Cerebral self
pleasuring
| might be in order on "UK Horticulture/Botanists EDU" but on plain old
"uk
| rec gardening" a bit of plain old Anglo Saxon common sense is all that
is
| called for when dealing with weeds, no B.S.

I don't think that people do, but it thrives in wet, poor soils,
largely because it is a lot tougher than most garden plants.

I go along with that. What beats me is why this does not result in a world
overrun with equisetum to a degree comparable with bracken.

[snip]

Franz

In article , Franz Heymann notfranz.
writes

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

I don't think that people do, but it thrives in wet, poor soils,
largely because it is a lot tougher than most garden plants.

I go along with that. What beats me is why this does not result in a world
overrun with equisetum to a degree comparable with bracken.

It likes poor wet soils, but doesn't seem to grow where it is
overshadowed by tougher bigger plants. And it doesn't like being mown
regularly. It seems to spread vegetatively, so once you've eradicated it
in an area, it doesn't get back very easily. So I guess the combination
of habitat and lack of competition against other native plants keeps it
within bounds.

Is the *world* over-run with bracken? Chinese friends of ours had their
first drive into the Dales, and came back full of wonderment at the
'vegetable' growing wild on the hillsides - all the bracken, which they
had not seen in such abundance.
--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

"Kay Easton" wrote in message
...
In article , Franz Heymann notfranz.
writes

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

I don't think that people do, but it thrives in wet, poor soils,
largely because it is a lot tougher than most garden plants.

I go along with that. What beats me is why this does not result in a
world
overrun with equisetum to a degree comparable with bracken.

It likes poor wet soils, but doesn't seem to grow where it is
overshadowed by tougher bigger plants. And it doesn't like being mown
regularly. It seems to spread vegetatively, so once you've eradicated it
in an area, it doesn't get back very easily. So I guess the combination
of habitat and lack of competition against other native plants keeps it
within bounds.

Is the *world* over-run with bracken?

I used the word in a figurative sense. {:-((

Chinese friends of ours had their
first drive into the Dales, and came back full of wonderment at the
'vegetable' growing wild on the hillsides - all the bracken, which they
had not seen in such abundance.

Actually, the amount of bracken here in the Dales is insignificant in
comparison with that in the Lake District. It is breathtaking to look at
from a distance, in all seasons. However, it is encroaching on grazing land
at an alarming rate.

I once had a small garden close to a patch of bracken. I used to collect
barrowloads of the stuff for composting. It metamorphosed quite fast and
made an excellent compost.

I am always surprised that it is not harvested commercially for composting.
It is surely easier to collect bracken than to excavate peat. I can only
think that the supposed carcinogenic property of bracken is putting folk
off. To which I would reply that firstly, practically everything appears to
be carcinogenic to some extent or other, and secondly, I have never heard of
experiments to test whether or not the carcinogen survives the composting
process.

Our ecofanatic friend Malcolm might try spending some time investigating
the pros and cons of exploiting this resource.

Franz

In article , Franz Heymann
writes

"Kay Easton" wrote in message
...
In article , Franz Heymann notfranz.
writes

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

I don't think that people do, but it thrives in wet, poor soils,
largely because it is a lot tougher than most garden plants.

I go along with that. What beats me is why this does not result in a
world
overrun with equisetum to a degree comparable with bracken.

It likes poor wet soils, but doesn't seem to grow where it is
overshadowed by tougher bigger plants. And it doesn't like being mown
regularly. It seems to spread vegetatively, so once you've eradicated it
in an area, it doesn't get back very easily. So I guess the combination
of habitat and lack of competition against other native plants keeps it
within bounds.

Is the *world* over-run with bracken?

I used the word in a figurative sense. {:-((

Chinese friends of ours had their
first drive into the Dales, and came back full of wonderment at the
'vegetable' growing wild on the hillsides - all the bracken, which they
had not seen in such abundance.

Actually, the amount of bracken here in the Dales is insignificant in
comparison with that in the Lake District. It is breathtaking to look at
from a distance, in all seasons. However, it is encroaching on grazing land
at an alarming rate.

I read somewhere that it is increasing annually in the UK by the area of
the Isle of Wight = c.200,000 acres.

I once had a small garden close to a patch of bracken. I used to collect
barrowloads of the stuff for composting. It metamorphosed quite fast and
made an excellent compost.

I am always surprised that it is not harvested commercially for composting.
It is surely easier to collect bracken than to excavate peat. I can only
think that the supposed carcinogenic property of bracken is putting folk
off. To which I would reply that firstly, practically everything appears to
be carcinogenic to some extent or other, and secondly, I have never heard of
experiments to test whether or not the carcinogen survives the composting
process.

Our ecofanatic friend Malcolm might try spending some time investigating
the pros and cons of exploiting this resource.

LOL! The one thing I am not is an "ecofanatic" :-)

I have actually spent some time reading up and corresponding with others
about how to get rid of the stuff. Aerial spraying works, but is not
sufficiently selective in my view.

--
Malcolm Ogilvie

"Franz Heymann" wrote in
:

I once had a small garden close to a patch of bracken. I used to
collect barrowloads of the stuff for composting. It metamorphosed
quite fast and made an excellent compost.

I am always surprised that it is not harvested commercially for
composting. It is surely easier to collect bracken than to excavate
peat.

I've wondered about that.

I use both bracken and ferns (which grow like weeds in the wet here) as
mulch and in compost. Seems to be good stuff.

I'd guess it's because the places where bracken grows most freely are often
quite rocky, so hard to get machinery in to take the harvest?

--
gardening on a north-facing hill
in South-East Cornwall
--

in article 0, Victoria
Clare at wrote on 9/9/03 2:37 pm:

"Franz Heymann" wrote in
:

I once had a small garden close to a patch of bracken. I used to
collect barrowloads of the stuff for composting. It metamorphosed
quite fast and made an excellent compost.

I am always surprised that it is not harvested commercially for
composting. It is surely easier to collect bracken than to excavate
peat.

I've wondered about that.

I use both bracken and ferns (which grow like weeds in the wet here) as
mulch and in compost. Seems to be good stuff.

I'd guess it's because the places where bracken grows most freely are often
quite rocky, so hard to get machinery in to take the harvest?

I wonder if it's anything to do with the fact that it's said to contain
carcinogens? I know this has been discussed on here from time to time in
the past but can't remember just how 'bad' a problem this is with bracken.
--

Sacha
(remove the 'x' to email me)

"Malcolm Ogilvie" wrote in message
...

In article , Franz Heymann
writes

"Kay Easton" wrote in message
...
In article , Franz Heymann
notfranz.
writes

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

I don't think that people do, but it thrives in wet, poor soils,
largely because it is a lot tougher than most garden plants.

I go along with that. What beats me is why this does not result in a
world
overrun with equisetum to a degree comparable with bracken.

It likes poor wet soils, but doesn't seem to grow where it is
overshadowed by tougher bigger plants. And it doesn't like being mown
regularly. It seems to spread vegetatively, so once you've eradicated
it
in an area, it doesn't get back very easily. So I guess the combination
of habitat and lack of competition against other native plants keeps it
within bounds.

Is the *world* over-run with bracken?

I used the word in a figurative sense. {:-((

Chinese friends of ours had their
first drive into the Dales, and came back full of wonderment at the
'vegetable' growing wild on the hillsides - all the bracken, which they
had not seen in such abundance.

Actually, the amount of bracken here in the Dales is insignificant in
comparison with that in the Lake District. It is breathtaking to look at
from a distance, in all seasons. However, it is encroaching on grazing
land
at an alarming rate.

I read somewhere that it is increasing annually in the UK by the area of
the Isle of Wight = c.200,000 acres.

I once had a small garden close to a patch of bracken. I used to collect
barrowloads of the stuff for composting. It metamorphosed quite fast and
made an excellent compost.

I am always surprised that it is not harvested commercially for
composting.
It is surely easier to collect bracken than to excavate peat. I can only
think that the supposed carcinogenic property of bracken is putting folk
off. To which I would reply that firstly, practically everything appears
to
be carcinogenic to some extent or other, and secondly, I have never heard
of
experiments to test whether or not the carcinogen survives the composting
process.

Our ecofanatic friend Malcolm might try spending some time investigating
the pros and cons of exploiting this resource.

LOL! The one thing I am not is an "ecofanatic" :-)

You unfortunately have the same first name as the ecofanatic of whom I
spoke. That Malcolm is an inveterate ill-mannered spammer. See for example
the thread with the improbabble sounding title of "Animals need your help
here's your chance to make a difference - Add your name to incorporate
animal welfare into the EU Constitution", which he spammed to a
semi-infinite number of newsgroups, as is his wont.

I have actually spent some time reading up and corresponding with others
about how to get rid of the stuff. Aerial spraying works, but is not
sufficiently selective in my view.

I have a vague recollection to the effect that the National Trust tried to
eradicate a largish patch of it on a fell side in the vicinity of Derwent
Water. After the eradication, the soil quite rapidly eroded, leaving a
scree surface.

If I am wrong in this, there is no doubt an urgler around who will correct
me.

Franz

"Malcolm Ogilvie" wrote in message
...

In article , Franz Heymann
writes

[snip]

Actually, the amount of bracken here in the Dales is insignificant in
comparison with that in the Lake District. It is breathtaking to look at
from a distance, in all seasons. However, it is encroaching on grazing
land
at an alarming rate.

I read somewhere that it is increasing annually in the UK by the area of
the Isle of Wight = c.200,000 acres.

Indeed. So have I. (I had forgotten the actual number which is why I stuck
to a qualitative expression in my previous post. Thanks for the reminder)

[snip]

Franz

In article ,
Sacha writes:
| in article 0, Victoria
| Clare at wrote on 9/9/03 2:37 pm:
|
| "Franz Heymann" wrote in
| :
|
| I once had a small garden close to a patch of bracken. I used to
| collect barrowloads of the stuff for composting. It metamorphosed
| quite fast and made an excellent compost.
|
| I am always surprised that it is not harvested commercially for
| composting. It is surely easier to collect bracken than to excavate
| peat.

Not by machinery which is, unfortunately, the issue. Peat is extremely
easy to dig off blanket bogs and similar.

| I've wondered about that.
|
| I use both bracken and ferns (which grow like weeds in the wet here) as
| mulch and in compost. Seems to be good stuff.
|
| I'd guess it's because the places where bracken grows most freely are often
| quite rocky, so hard to get machinery in to take the harvest?

It is also much less dense, and therefore needs more energy (i.e.
money) to collect.

| I wonder if it's anything to do with the fact that it's said to contain
| carcinogens? I know this has been discussed on here from time to time in
| the past but can't remember just how 'bad' a problem this is with bracken.

So does peat :-)


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Victoria Clare" wrote in message
. 240.10...
"Franz Heymann" wrote in
:

I once had a small garden close to a patch of bracken. I used to
collect barrowloads of the stuff for composting. It metamorphosed
quite fast and made an excellent compost.

I am always surprised that it is not harvested commercially for
composting. It is surely easier to collect bracken than to excavate
peat.

I've wondered about that.

I use both bracken and ferns (which grow like weeds in the wet here) as
mulch and in compost. Seems to be good stuff.

I'd guess it's because the places where bracken grows most freely are
often
quite rocky, so hard to get machinery in to take the harvest?

I think it must be a combination of that and the cancer scare.

Franz

In article , Franz Heymann
writes

"Malcolm Ogilvie" wrote in message
...

In article , Franz Heymann
writes

[snip]

Actually, the amount of bracken here in the Dales is insignificant in
comparison with that in the Lake District. It is breathtaking to look at
from a distance, in all seasons. However, it is encroaching on grazing
land
at an alarming rate.

I read somewhere that it is increasing annually in the UK by the area of
the Isle of Wight = c.200,000 acres.

Indeed. So have I. (I had forgotten the actual number which is why I stuck
to a qualitative expression in my previous post. Thanks for the reminder)

Perhaps I add my humble apologies for posting this to the horsetail
thread against your express wishes :-)

--
Malcolm Ogilvie

In article , Nick Maclaren
writes
| I wonder if it's anything to do with the fact that it's said to contain
| carcinogens?

So does peat :-)

I'm beginning to wonder what doesn't (
--
Jane Ransom in Lancaster.
I won't respond to private emails that are on topic for urg
but if you need to email me for any other reason,
put jandg dot demon dot co dot uk where you see deadspam.com