Battle of the Rushes

[caithnesscrofter]

Hello... have been trying to find all the information I can on how to get rid of rushes organically and wonder if anyone has any advice? We've got 7 acres of our land that has not been drained or cultivated or grazed in over 100 years and and soft rushes have taken up home quite densely. I know a few common methods is burning then draining or using herbicides but would definately like to skip the herbicide route.. does anyone have any experience with getting rid of rushes?

[Stonehead]

Defra and Seerad both ask farmers not to remove rushes as they provide good cover for curlew, snipe, lapwing and other birds. They're also a good habitat for voles.

If you definitely want to be rid of them, Garden Organic has a paper on control methods.

[caithnesscrofter]

definately want rid. Planning to plant a forest garden on 2-3 acres of it which will be all perenial vegetables and edible, medicinal, & multi-purpose trees and shrubs and cultivated mushrooms plus to serve as a windbreak for cultivation of annual vegetables and herbs. The rest will be all native trees plus leaving good grazing space for the ever multiplying herd of animals of my brother-in-laws.LOL. I'm not clearing it to grow grass or a monoculture or anything like that. If anything, I would hope this arrangement in 10 years will improve the wildlife diversity.. that is part of the aim anyways. :-)

I've actually read this article you post. I keep finding conflicting information on the subject and am just wondering if anyone has first hand experience of what works and what doesn't.

[Stonehead]

It was the only really useful paper I've come across on rushes. I did some research a while back as croft we looked at buying had a vast amount of rushes. The rushes were the reason we didn't buy!

[caithnesscrofter]

well.. in my opinion.. the only reason it is marshy and full of rushes is because since it has been deforested it was used as sheep grazing.. but, this land has been vacant for 100 or more years and left.. the ground trampled and grazed to the bone. It is definately a result of extreme land degradation. Kinda like being able to tamp clay to make a manmade pond watertight. It's mainly become marshy because the rainwater cannot seep in because it's so compacted. A bit of drainage will sort that problem out but, it is the rush seeds that will continue to germinate that is the main problem. Our croft is on a rolling bit of land with a slight dip in the middle. One side is green, lush, grassy and rushless field and other side of the fence is marshy and rushes. The effect of what the previous crofter has done can be clearly seen by looking at the extreme differences in these two fields. I'd just love to know how he did it! LOL

[hedgewizard]

Thought of asking him??

I'd have thought that drainage was the key - rushes don't so well without wet feet so get your land drains in and plant thirsty beggars like willows first.

[caithnesscrofter]

don't know who he or she was...

I'll have to rid of them through cutting or some other measure before land drainage though.. and how to I keep it from reseeding.

[Stonehead]

Thought of asking him??

I'd have thought that drainage was the key - rushes don't so well without wet feet so get your land drains in and plant thirsty beggars like willows first.

Drainage is critical to stopping rushes getting established, but once they do get established improved drainage doesn't sort the problem due to the amount of seeds rush produce and how long the seeds remain viable.

We're talkings thousands of seeds per flower and a 20-year viability for seed. The seeds just lie there waiting for just enough dampness and, whoosh, they're back.

You have to cut them back monthly for several years to have a real impact unless you want to go down the chemical route. In fact, Garden Organic says rushes may be one of the very rare times when the most viable and realistic solution is chemicals.

[Camile]

What about sending in the pigs to root them up ?

and also a few goats because mine are eating a bit of it .. also would the chooks not eat some of the seeds if you let them in the field ?

Just a few thoughts ..
Camile