Balsam destroyers alive and well

[jenkinsbrynmair]

It only takes a dry spell to cause balsam to wilt and die and at the first real frost it blackens and disappears totally .
VM

That's its problem, shallow rooted but vigorous, i've seen ittotally take over parts of the riverbank to the exclusion of all other plant life, come winter, it dies off leaving bare earth with no deep root systems to stabilise (unlike Knotweed which the Victorians left on railway embankments because it stabilised them) come a big flood (and in our area the little mountain streams turn into raging torrents - one lad drowned last winter in a 'moderate' flood three miles from the source) and you get serious erosion.
Away from the rivers it has a beautifyong effect especially on waste land. and a couple of acres of Balsam can look stunning. But we cannot leave it spread unabated because it will take over everything.
As in everything - Moderation

 

[Sean.]

UK Himalayan balsam, seems like one either likes it or loathes it, i dislike it, and grey squirrels, although them squirrels are good to eat.

You can eat it to
eatweeds.co.uk%2Fhimalayan-balsam-seed-curry-recipe&ei=ASnUUZjLDMKPO6rUgdAI&usg=AFQjCNG854e9PAP2vSu8-edZGWobxqQCXg&bvm=bv.48705608,d.ZWU

 

[Chris Luck]

Some is lurking on the ancient chemin near our bees - bearing in mind apparently it doesn't exist here in this area of France!
Doesn't seem to be spreading though - must be the soil/weather or something, just a small patch been there for years!

Oh yes it does exist in your part of France and is popping up all over the place.

I'm not going to get into a discussion about it's negative impacts on here regarding other species and the overall nature of specific habitat structures but it along with other introduced species requires at the very least severely limiting with eradication if at all possible.

Monoculture and modern crops are another issue and there are many environmental arguments to be had there as well.

Chris

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Monoculture and modern crops are another issue and there are many environmental arguments to be had there as well.
Chris

Nothing wrong with monoculture - my lawn is nothing but dandelions

 

[crazy_bull]

That's its problem, shallow rooted but vigorous, i've seen ittotally take over parts of the riverbank to the exclusion of all other plant life, come winter, it dies off leaving bare earth with no deep root systems to stabilise (unlike Knotweed which the Victorians left on railway embankments because it stabilised them) come a big flood (and in our area the little mountain streams turn into raging torrents - one lad drowned last winter in a 'moderate' flood three miles from the source) and you get serious erosion.
Away from the rivers it has a beautifyong effect especially on waste land. and a couple of acres of Balsam can look stunning. But we cannot leave it spread unabated because it will take over everything.
As in everything - Moderation

This is the problem, in the winter after it has died off it leaves bare soil wchich contaminates the water courses, silts up spawning beds and causes nitrification in places.

C B

 

[VEG]

how can something be classed as native when it patently isn't??

its called sarcasm

It is also survival of the fittest as in nature, yes it was introduced here but so were so many other things. I have no problem with it in my area but can understand other people have a problem with it.

 

[Queens59]

Nothing wrong with monoculture - my lawn is nothing but dandelions

We must have had the same designer