Last week Linda, Jerry and Jak tackled balsam at the Brooks Grain Lane end of Quakers Lane and this week we reunited with the addition of Eleanor to start at the top end and work down.
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| Last week's work area |
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| This week's work area |
Himalayan Balsam arrived in the UK in 1839. It quickly escaped from Victorian gardens via waterways and is now widespread across the UK. At first glance it's a nice looking plant with pink flowers but the RHS class it as a non-native invasive plant. Flowers appear in mid-June and ideally the balsam needs to be either pulled or cut before the seeds have a chance to distribute themselves. They do this by an explosive propulsion of their seeds which can fly many metres away! See the
RHS for more information about balsam.
Ryburn CROWS try to do as much as we can to eradicate balsam from a few footpaths that we know are well used. However, there are not very many of us and it can be back-breaking work. You can help us by pulling balsam as you walk our lovely network of footpaths and bridleways, but do wear gloves and be careful not to overstretch. Unfortunately balsam often likes to grow where there are native plants like brambles and nettles!
Quakers Lane is a bridleway. Please consider riding down there to help to smash up the roots of the balsam.
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| Last week - before |
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| Last week - after |
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| Very well established plant |
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| Starting to flower |
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| Winning the size prize, glove for comparison |
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| Pulled and placed on the path so it can be stepped on to squash the roots |
Today's work was funded by donations to CROWS for which we are very grateful.
