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Long term scrub clearance question
NormandyLiz
Posts: 788
My husband volunteers for a group that looks after an 11th century castle. The castle has been both ignored and deliberately dismantled over the year - let's say it's seen better days - but its importance is now being recognised and the task is to clear the scrub and keep it cleared, while preserving what is left of the building.
For anyone interested, this is the English page of the website, with some history and background:
https://chateau-de-bellencombre.com/le-chateau-de-bellencombre-english/
Scrolling down you'll find a photo of the sort of thing we're talking about, when just cleared.
The problem is that the scrub, of course, just keeps growing back. The current method is to use brush cutters and more manual tools to hack away at brambles, nettles, saplings (mostly sycamore) and anything else that has taken up residence in the last 1,000 years. Mature trees have been felled and they are not so much of a problem and the scrub.
I am wondering if this method is, in the long term, not counter productive. On the same basis as pruning, is just slashing scrub not going to encourage more growth? If so, has anyone any thoughts/experience of alternative methods of scrub clearance? The moat outside the main castle has goats in the summer, and they do a great job, but for various reasons they are not appropriate within the castle walls. There are restrictions on weed killers, and digging is not allowed (French culture department rules).
I'm not sure there is an easy answer but I thought I'd ask, given the wealth of experience the forum members must have in dealing with overgrown land.
For anyone interested, this is the English page of the website, with some history and background:
https://chateau-de-bellencombre.com/le-chateau-de-bellencombre-english/
Scrolling down you'll find a photo of the sort of thing we're talking about, when just cleared.
The problem is that the scrub, of course, just keeps growing back. The current method is to use brush cutters and more manual tools to hack away at brambles, nettles, saplings (mostly sycamore) and anything else that has taken up residence in the last 1,000 years. Mature trees have been felled and they are not so much of a problem and the scrub.
I am wondering if this method is, in the long term, not counter productive. On the same basis as pruning, is just slashing scrub not going to encourage more growth? If so, has anyone any thoughts/experience of alternative methods of scrub clearance? The moat outside the main castle has goats in the summer, and they do a great job, but for various reasons they are not appropriate within the castle walls. There are restrictions on weed killers, and digging is not allowed (French culture department rules).
I'm not sure there is an easy answer but I thought I'd ask, given the wealth of experience the forum members must have in dealing with overgrown land.
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Some of our large garden has been neglected and got out of control, and I got a quote from a garden clearance firm to deal with it. Basically what they wanted to do was bring in machinery and take everything done to ground level, but not deeper. ( which I could do myself, although it would take me a lot longer) However, I did see the results of their clearance on another piece of land, which, a couple of years later, looks pretty well as it did before they intervened.
Flat it ain't.
A couple of thoughts to see what you think: would a gas burner weed wand work on brambles and/or sycamore saplings? It would be slow work but if effective could be tried on the harder areas, such as up the walls. For flatter areas, would a weed suppressant membrane have any effect if left long enough?
Even if it's done in patches, gradually reducing the size of the worst of the work would be helpful.
I should say, the progress that's been made over the last 7 years, when the work started, is remarkable. A small team has literally uncovered what was previously unknown to people who were born in the village. It's getting to the point, though, that they are running to stand still.
I have an ongoing problem with brambles, on a much smaller scale, I have finally resorted to using glyphosate.
As you say, there are many years of neglect and as the saying goes, one years seeds is seven years weeds, so you have centuries of weed seed to look forward to.
Good luck in your endeavours.
They have a heavy duty brush cutter/strimmer, and access to a chain saw and shredder for the bigger trees that are still being cleared (i.e. not saplings).
It's possible there will be an extra push over the coming year as they are planning a big medieval event next year, with a local group of re-enactment enthusiasts pitching Normans vs Vikings, jousting, and various educational stalls - there's someone makes Viking jewellery and a volunteer who was a professional baker is going to show what baking was in the 11-12th centuries. I've got the easy job of taking photos.
I don't think burning would be a good idea, probably forbidden anyway because of starting a fire, especially in this heatwave.
I think that as soon as it has been cut right down you could pin down heavy duty weed suppressant fabric, bit by bit, on each cut down section.
Absolutely, no to glysophate. The cut and suppressant fabric idea might be the first to explore, though.
@Busy-Lizzie I've replied to your PM. Getting hotter here now but only about 32C around 5pm. No rain.