Himalayan Balsam - Bad or Good?

[Beefriendly]

Local Authorities spending excessive amounts on poisoning the water courses just to be PC with Balsam?

How are they killing the balsam by poisoning the water courses?

 

[DanBee]

Steve, I also read about those fines...the Himalayan balsam and Knot weed also grows on a lot of national trust and council owned land but never hear of any of them being fined or sent to prison, so wonder why that is?

The penalties are for intentionally spreading it; as a landowner you are entitled by the legislation to simply ignore certain invasives if you choose to do so, HB being one of them.

 

[DanBee]

Surely it can be easily pulled up (by righteous activist-volunteers) without the need of Local Authorities spending excessive amounts on poisoning the water courses just to be PC with Balsam?

We have some of that around here in the hedgerows and on verges. They wait until it is in flower, pull it and leave it where it drops. Utterly futile as a control method. I don't see the big deal in hedgerows since it is competing principally with bracken and nettles.

 

[Hivemaker.]

The penalties are for intentionally spreading it; as a landowner you are entitled by the legislation to simply ignore certain invasives if you choose to do so, HB being one of them.

Thank you, Dan, didn't know this, well worth knowing, the river spreads it very nicely downstream, all on its own, naturally.

 

[MartinL]

How are they killing the balsam by poisoning the water courses?

You have it the wrong way around;

They kill the HB with weed-killer.
The weed-killer in turn kills everything it comes into contact with.
When they spray banks, the excess/overspray contaminates the watercourse.

 

[masterBK]

Giant Hogweed is also a good bee plant and brings about photosensitivity in those that have the nerve to touch it resulting in blisters & severe skin inflammation. Good for keeping trespassers off your land!

 

[Beefriendly]

You have it the wrong way around;

They kill the HB with weed-killer.
The weed-killer in turn kills everything it comes into contact with.
When they spray banks, the excess/overspray contaminates the watercourse.

You need to have a license to spray close to a water course to avoid this very issue.

 

[madasafish]

You need to have a license to spray close to a water course to avoid this very issue.

Try telling that to the local landowner spraying Japanese knotweed near a local small stream, and then excavating the earth and taking it away. (You need a licence to do that)

The fact that there is a house for sale just opposite and you have to notify prospective buyers of its presence is just a mere co-incidence..

(Within 2 miles of our house - ongoing now)

 

[Beefriendly]

Try telling that to the local landowner spraying Japanese knotweed near a local small stream, /QUOTE]

Suggest you inform the EA on 0800 80 70 60 ASAP. Its manned 24/7 and is there for reporting such incidents. They might be short staffed but they have to investigate any reported incident.

 

[bingevader]

Not too bad by us, but the local town is heavy with it.
Yep, the bees love it, but is anyone else of the opinion that it doesn't make great honey?!
Contentious I know, but I find it sweet but lacking in flavour compared to a good wildflower or single source honey.
As for it being a foreigner, sycamore has been with us for over 400 years as is still met with disapproval by the woodland folk!

 

[Jafer2]

What about goldenrod? In america they love the stuff and produces loads of nectar in autumn for the bees?

 

[madasafish]

What about goldenrod? In america they love the stuff and produces loads of nectar in autumn for the bees?

I understand you need the correct type of golden rod. I tried it - it SPREADS. The stuff I grew - and was nearly swamped by - was ignored by the bees. Dug it all up last year and planted heleniums...(which is another story)

 

[Jafer2]

I understand you need the correct type of golden rod. I tried it - it SPREADS. The stuff I grew - and was nearly swamped by - was ignored by the bees. Dug it all up last year and planted heleniums...(which is another story)

Sweet thanks for the heads up. I bought some seeds from America so assume its the correct variety... not the british one

 

[enrico]

Not too bad by us, but the local town is heavy with it.
Yep, the bees love it, but is anyone else of the opinion that it doesn't make great honey?!
Contentious I know, but I find it sweet but lacking in flavour compared to a good wildflower or single source honey.
As for it being a foreigner, sycamore has been with us for over 400 years as is still met with disapproval by the woodland folk!

It was always a good source of winter food for my bees, I have just bought some seed, not called HB but that's what it is!
E

 

[Swarm]

It provides the bees with forage but they will ignore it if they have access to something better.
It doesn't belong here.

 

[madasafish]

It provides the bees with forage but they will ignore it if they have access to something better.
It doesn't belong here.

Nor do:
cedar trees, (goodbye cedar hives)
tomatoes,
plum and sour cherry trees
potatoes
Elm
Horse chestnut
Cypresses
Dougla Fir
Sequoia
Larch (European)

and so on

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/vi...ldlife/british-trees/common-non-native-trees/

 

[Beefriendly]

It was always a good source of winter food for my bees, I have just bought some seed, not called HB but that's what it is!
E

Out of interest, Enrico, what are they calling the seeds that aren't HB but are?

 

[Curly green fingers]

Stinking willie isn't a very good one either .

 

[Swarm]

Nor do:
cedar trees, (goodbye cedar hives)
tomatoes,
plum and sour cherry trees
potatoes
Elm
Horse chestnut
Cypresses
Dougla Fir
Sequoia
Larch (European)

and so on

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/vi...ldlife/british-trees/common-non-native-trees/

So the answer is not to learn from mistakes? Too many people who couldn't care less.

 

[enrico]

Out of interest, Enrico, what are they calling the seeds that aren't HB but are?

They were called impatiens glanduli fera and came in red or white. I got a packet of both.
In small letters it says , common name Himalayan balsam,
E