What's flowering as forage in your area

[The Poot]

Each day I lose a little more faith, what a wonderful sight to behold this morning. Access to the mountainside where I walk my dogs is via two gates and last year, notices were attached reminding everyone that Bluebells are protected and to not go picking them.
This morning I found a much wider path that continued further than it did. In fact, it continued to the crest and then down to the more level, meadow area where they went on to mow that entire area. There is no grass yet, all they did was remove the entire insulating blanket of bracken, leaving the Bluebells chopped down to about three inches and looking a bit yellow, having been exposed.
We have walked and enjoyed this area for more than forty years and it has never been mowed, now it's mutilated. I'm fuming.

Who chopped it - farmers, councils or contractors?
Any chance of “educating” them? (Not with a cricket bat, but to prevent reoccurrence?)

 

[Swarm]

It's common land, on OS maps the paths are marked unmaintained. Perimeter paths are well trodden and branch off in places to different parts of the hill. Some of the smaller off shoots become swamped by ferns in Summer and the community council has cleared areas where they encroach on the main paths. At present there is a blanket of bracken over the open area between two areas of woodland and Bluebells under the lot. A 'path' runs down the centre but this disappears each Summer and I usually have to clear the ferns to get through. Last year they hired a team of contractors who took a machine over the main path up to this point. They did this when the ferns were getting tall, as you'd expect. What are they cutting in March???? Not even the brambles have done much yet. They can't harm the Bluebells that go on into the woods below but you don't see those so well. I've no idea if they will flower now that they are all topped but I still can't understand why it was done. Doing the path would be bad enough because it's simply a narrow line through a field of Bluebells. The path is now about five feet wide and then they turned off and had a field day.
I'm contacting my local councillor to find out who issued the contract. I intend to educate as this can't be allowed to happen again, I will take the opportunity to mention verge cutting timings in general as well. Somewhere between protection notices on both access gates to this site and just before the protected subject is about to come into bloom, the message has gone missing.

 

[JamezF]

I'm not sure, though I can probably check with a friend whose company used to do some bracken management up on Exmoor next time I see him, but I believe that if bracken is being controlled to prevent it spreading then it is ideally cut several times a year. This could perhaps be the first cut in such a case. If that's so then it may be that there are fixed dates for making the cuts which have unfortunately overlapped with the growth of the bluebells this year and it is perhaps worth pointing out to whoever is responsible for the work that their timings may need to be altered as a result.

James

 

[Erichalfbee]

I'm not sure, though I can probably check with a friend whose company used to do some bracken management up on Exmoor next time I see him, but I believe that if bracken is being controlled to prevent it spreading then it is ideally cut several times a year. This could perhaps be the first cut in such a case. If that's so then it may be that there are fixed dates for making the cuts which have unfortunately overlapped with the growth of the bluebells this year and it is perhaps worth pointing out to whoever is responsible for the work that their timings may need to be altered as a result.

James

Our Bracken is still last years dead stuff. No sign of new fronds yet.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

had to be done before the end of March as the moratorium to protect nesting birds comes in on the first

 

[Swarm]

I'm not sure, though I can probably check with a friend whose company used to do some bracken management up on Exmoor next time I see him, but I believe that if bracken is being controlled to prevent it spreading then it is ideally cut several times a year. This could perhaps be the first cut in such a case. If that's so then it may be that there are fixed dates for making the cuts which have unfortunately overlapped with the growth of the bluebells this year and it is perhaps worth pointing out to whoever is responsible for the work that their timings may need to be altered as a result.

James

It's not bracken management, they left far more untouched, just took the mowers where they could get to. No signs of any new growth, it's usually June before it's at any height and that is the time community council used to mow the main access paths but no further. The only path going through the Ferns/Bluebells is a trodden one that's never been maintained.
I know last year it was contracted and they were a bunch verge cutters. I think it was the same team who mowed a grassed area when a load of Daffodils were in bloom They need supervision or strict instructions or both because these guys are not sympathetic, they just mow.

 

[E&MBees]

It's not bracken management, they left far more untouched, just took the mowers where they could get to. No signs of any new growth, it's usually June before it's at any height and that is the time community council used to mow the main access paths but no further. The only path going through the Ferns/Bluebells is a trodden one that's never been maintained.
I know last year it was contracted and they were a bunch verge cutters. I think it was the same team who mowed a grassed area when a load of Daffodils were in bloom They need supervision or strict instructions or both because these guys are not sympathetic, they just mow.

Very similar situation here. Contractors mowed a large area covered in orchids in the local woods. When I challenged them, the answer was ‘the land owner told us to do it!’

 

[Newbeeneil]

had to be done before the end of March as the moratorium to protect nesting birds comes in on the first

End of March is the end of local government budget. If they have money left over they have to spend it or they won't get next year. When I ran a company doing council work our busiest time was March.

 

[B_north]

Very similar situation here. Contractors mowed a large area covered in orchids in the local woods. When I challenged them, the answer was ‘the land owner told us to do it!’

The same thing happens out here. We have lived on this farm for almost 40 years and the ditches are mowed along the small road for access every summer. For three years the local council got behind times and was not able to mow till late fall. In 2020 the number of prairie lilies was outstanding and I saw for the first time a large number of Corallorhiza striata ( Striped Coralroot) and Cypripedium paviflorum ( large yellow lady slipper) both native orchids. The Lady Slipper is considered very rare and the Coralroot rare. Now they are back to form, mowing early summer and the lady slipper has not been seen since. Council doesn't seem to care even though delaying mowing does not change the outcome of the mowing process I have no idea why.

 

[Nannysbees]

Gorse, damson and laurel in bloom. Willow still going strong.

Cherry on the way.

Hawthorn in leaf, as are quince and medlar. Apples thinking about it.

Forget me nots out and some borage is blooming too.

Early for borage apart from the plants I've sown in the greenhouse the ones that have self seeded are just peeping through in the borders

 

[Wilco]

Early for borage apart from the plants I've sown in the greenhouse the ones that have self seeded are just peeping through in the borders

I thought so too. South facing garden down South... Bit of a microclimate at times. I like forage for the bees but would prefer the borage to be a little less successful!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

End of March is the end of local government budget

it is also when the moratorium starts on disturbing nesting birds

 

[Newbeeneil]

it is also when the moratorium starts on disturbing nesting birds

I know I read post 2725!

 

[Nannysbees]

I thought so too. South facing garden down South... Bit of a microclimate at times. I like forage for the bees but would prefer the borage to be a little less successful!

I plant dozens of borage plants as well as the self seeding ones. I have designated borders for wildflowers and borage

 

[Skinfaxi]

I plant dozens of borage plants as well as the self seeding ones. I have designated borders for wildflowers and borage

Hello
Borage is great. Have you tried phacelia tanacetifolium. It is grown as green manure or cover crop.The bees are all over it.

 

[Wilco]

Lesser celandines are very popular today.

 

[Nannysbees]

Hello
Borage is great. Have you tried phacelia tanacetifolium. It is grown as green manure or cover crop.The bees are all over it.

Yes!!!!!! First time this year, my neighbour has offered us some of his raised borders as it's too much for him so we have planted a mixture of borage,phacelia and wildflowers, excited to see how it will look

 

[Wilco]

Quite a bit of comfrey growing near the sheep. Have permission to grab a bit if anyone desperately wants me to post it (you can cover the postage).

 

[JamezF]

Have you tried phacelia tanacetifolium.

Hmmm. How early can it be persuaded to flower, say from a late summer sowing? I could perhaps use it as a cover crop for my empty veggie beds, but I'd probably want to be removing it about now to make way for summer crops. For example, I plan to plant out my onions tomorrow.

James

 

[Erichalfbee]

I have onions from seed and onion sets ready to go out. Sprouting nicely in small modules.
We have minus 7 forecast tomorrow and I’ve just shut the hens up in a hailstorm.
The only thing I’m planting is myself firmly in front of the wood burner with the Saturday papers and a beer or two.