Balsam

[Swarm]

Can't see anyone promoting dispersal here, simply a discussion of whether it's flowering yet and where.

 

[cht78]

Not this particular thread.....but severasl others on the site and beyond......somebody here just said ...'its growing under trees so doesnt outcompete with anything....this is the startliung ingnorance im so shocked by...

 

[cht78]

Sorry re read that... a little harsh....but really it is a very damaging plant....a walk down a river bank in lancashire will show that...mile upon mile of balsam stands...eroded banks...and all the native flora gone!

 

[victor meldrew]

A stream by my apiary has it's balsam and has had for donkeys' years , yes it has spread but no erosion of banking whilst other flora are still prospering
Provides a late Summer crop here plus Winter feed .
I'm not complaining .
Shaving river banks clean only increases flooding further down stream !
the balsam moderates the flow , I've never seen it create a blockage or local flooding !
I feel it's a case of 'Give a dog a bad name '
It disappears without trace at the first frost, is susceptible to drought .
Native plants(annuals ) get a head start on it, many of them have flowered and seeded before the balsam gets going properly .

VM

 

[cht78]

I think bluebell woods replaced by balsam, and lots of cases of erosion on the lune and ribble go some way to diminishing your argument

 

[victor meldrew]

I think bluebell woods replaced balsam, and lots of cases of erosion on the lune and ribble go some way to diminishing your argument

My very local observations

VM

 

[cht78]

local observations are all we can make I suppose...perhaps im doing it too....maybe its worse here than elsewhere else in the country....but it it really is a huge problem here

 

[madasafish]

Not this particular thread.....but severasl others on the site and beyond......somebody here just said ...'its growing under trees so doesnt outcompete with anything....this is the startliung ingnorance im so shocked by...

That was me.. Nice to be insulted so freely.

Sorry but round here it does no harm.. As for where you live, it may well be different..

Ignorance is a two edged insult when you don't know my local conditions

 

[cht78]

I did apologise for the ignorant tag...apologies again....

but contact your local wildlife trust and ask if it does no harm....I bet you would be surprised

an interesting stat...Himalayan balsam has spread at the rate of 645 km²per year in the UK.

 

[victor meldrew]

No species on these islands are older than 10,000 years therefore in the grand scheme of things we are all, every life form, exotic invaders !
Ever seen shots of the honey hunters ? the places shown are seemingly wall to wall balsam but other vegetation obviously grows .
Nobody mentions rose bay willow herb these days but I remember it being cited as being an intrusive invader brought here on the uniforms of soldiers returning from WW1.
Given time , pests will develop to control balsam as will pests to control Japanese knot weed .

VM

 

[YorkshireBees]

Some woods locally where we walk the dog sometimes. have been almost totally taken over by HB! It likes damp / dark conditions and in the space of 2-3 years it has spread like wild fire. The trust that owns and maintains the woods has a 'Balsam Bash' even each year asking anyone walking through the woods to pull as many plants out and place them on the paths to be cleared away whilst using the woods. Obviously this takes place before seeding time.

I also noticed a few plants at the edge of an even nearer woodland that is always full of bluebells and personally would monitor and remove any HB I find as it is too invasive / aggressive.

 

[cht78]

You MAY be right given enough time....but right NOW its a big problem...I find the fact that we have an army of volunteers and this project http://www.cabi.org/default.aspx?site=170&page=1246 among others trying desparatly to control it.....while I have found several examples of beekepers activly encouraging it (on the net and real life) quite shocking.......really are the wildlife trusts DEFRA and CABI alll wrong?

 

[cht78]

Some woods locally where we walk the dog sometimes. have been almost totally taken over by HB! It likes damp / dark conditions and in the space of 2-3 years it has spread like wild fire. The trust that owns and maintains the woods has a 'Balsam Bash' even each year asking anyone walking through the woods to pull as many plants out and place them on the paths to be cleared away whilst using the woods. Obviously this takes place before seeding time.

I also noticed a few plants at the edge of an even nearer woodland that is always full of bluebells and personally would monitor and remove any HB I find as it is too invasive / aggressive.

Thankyou I was begining to worry I was alone!

 

[Swarm]

cht78,
I understand your concerns, Balsam is spreading alarmingly fast. In some areas locally, Bridgend and Neath valleys are good examples, there are vast swathes of the stuff. I can't say I've seen any associated soil erosion and the suggestion surprises me really, considering the plant is a very shallow rooted annual. That said, it has been a blessing late in the season, especially these past four awful summers, ensuring good stores.

 

[VEG]

i love the stuff get a great crop off it each year.

 

[cht78]

cht78,
I understand your concerns, Balsam is spreading alarmingly fast. In some areas locally, Bridgend and Neath valleys are good examples, there are vast swathes of the stuff. I can't say I've seen any associated soil erosion and the suggestion surprises me really, considering the plant is a very shallow rooted annual. That said, it has been a blessing late in the season, especially these past four awful summers, ensuring good stores.

Hi thanks its good to see there are people who recognise the problem....the soil erosion comes in winter...it outcompetes other plants including evergreens and perennials...they protect the soil over winter..the huge stands of HB however leave bare soil very open to erosion.

Its the same way deforestation erodes soil in other coutries

 

[madasafish]

It's too late to remove HB as ditto for rhododendrons/buddleia/varroa/gray squirrels/imported bees/horses/jersey cows/Spanish oaks/and the Euro.

They are a fact of life...

 

[victor meldrew]

HB I find as it is too aggressive.

I've never been beaten up or threatened by HB.

Sorry couldn't resist
I don't buy the deforestation analogy

VM

 

[cht78]

It's too late to remove HB as ditto for rhododendrons/buddleia/varroa/gray squirrels/imported bees/horses/jersey cows/Spanish oaks/and the Euro.

They are a fact of life...

Absolutly and im not suggesting people direct their bees in the opposite direction, but please dont encourage it!

and to the member who says its here to stay, thats probably right, but biological control research is well underway, so it may well be slowed

 

[VEG]

The same way that they have tried to get rid of knotweed lol. All they can do is knock it back for a short while. I am more than happy for my bees to work it. I have masses of the stuff near my bees. I also remember it being there when I was a young lad as well. As for directing bees the other way lol the bees go for what they want.