Are these prickly-problems affecting your house … or your horse? Weed out injurious weeds once and for all.
What is a noxious or injurious weed?
Injurious weeds are native to the UK and the marmite of the plant world. Some people see them as essential flowers that contribute to biodiversity, whilst others see injurious weeds as a problem to be exterminated for damaging crops and causing harm to our horses, ponies and cattle.
Like them or not, five injurious weeds - also known as harmful or noxious weeds - exist in the UK.
These include:
- common ragwort
- broad-leaved dock
- curled dock
- spear thistle, and,
- creeping thistle
Spreading injurious weeds
Injurious weeds are bad for grazing animals and crops, so it is important to stop them spreading onto agricultural land. You can also make a complaint against a person, or business for allowing injurious weeds to spread without due diligence!
A word about ragwort
Although creeping and spear thistles are prickly, only ragwort is a welfare problem for horses, ponies and other animals who call a farm their home. Ragwort is pretty but also pretty deadly! Last year, TCM wrote an article showing how ragwort can ravage a horse.
Natural England and DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) clearly state: “If you own horses, ponies or livestock, you must not allow them to graze on land where you know ragwort is present.” In fact, those who knowingly let animals suffer from eating harmful weeds could be prosecuted. And rightly so!
Are injurious and invasive weeds the same?
Injurious weeds and invasive weeds are not the same. While injurious weeds are native to the UK and contribute to biodiversity, invasive (alien/non-native) species have been brought into the UK where they reduce biodiversity.
Invasive weeds, like Japanese knotweed, tend to cause more problems with established structures, puncturing and ruining buildings, concrete, drains, sheds and more. Worse still, Japanese knotweed and other invasive weeds can reduce your homes' value, tamper with your mortgage, not to mention cost you thousands to have it removed.
If injurious or invasive weeds grow in your paddock or property, contact us today to get rid of them for good! Call now - Tel: 0330 6781077
