The problem is that airborne spores are very fine and can cause respiratory problems if you breathe them in, swallowing them with food should not be an issue. Strike that, it seems the plant can be poisonous and there is a possibility of cancer from ingesting either plant or spores, not only from inhaling spores.
If you are going to cut bracken down, first look up when it spores, the last thing you want to do is start hacking it around and breathing heavily with your labour when it is releasing spores - do it at any other time of year!
If you are going to attack bracken in a field, get the owners permission first.
I have been told that just trampling it regularly will keep it away, again trample when it isn't making spores...
Another thing I learnt from (painful) personal experience, is to ALWAYS wear stout gloves when working with bracken. The leaves are soft and pleasant but the stems have incredible sharp fibres in them. When they split they can cut really deep.
(despite my own very good advice, which I give myself constantly, I cut myself again on bracken this morning!!)
We cut the bracken using Scythes, enabling the person cutting to remain standing, we realised there were spores they weren't a concern, when used as pig bedding never were any problems, and I am a senior so I think I am the answer to any kind of perceived disease, the bracken had to be carried from the cutting area, a few 100 yards, never picked up by hand, a fork or pike the answer.
I never get in trouble with large amounts of braken (I also use a scythe... it's way easier to cut than grass!). Because then it's a proper operation with all the tools and stuff I need.
It's the solitary one popping up here and there that gets me. I think, Oh, I won't go for the gloves, it's only one, I will just pull it, and ZACK!
it seems bracken can be made into a very good compost and is being used as a peat free alternative ! so get it cut when it's at its best next month and make some big heaps of free compost
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The pigs used to love to snuggle down in the bracken even the little piglets that we bred, could only see their snouts.
Aw! The picture of it!
It is a sickle - a small half round scythe. Heugh is the Scottish name - sorry!
I still have one hanging in my garage! Useful for cutting bracken and long grass.
It is a sickle - a small half round scythe. Heugh is the Scottish name - sorry!
The problem is that airborne spores are very fine and can cause respiratory problems if you breathe them in, swallowing them with food should not be an issue. Strike that, it seems the plant can be poisonous and there is a possibility of cancer from ingesting either plant or spores, not only from inhaling spores.
If you are going to cut bracken down, first look up when it spores, the last thing you want to do is start hacking it around and breathing heavily with your labour when it is releasing spores - do it at any other time of year!
If you are going to attack bracken in a field, get the owners permission first.
I have been told that just trampling it regularly will keep it away, again trample when it isn't making spores...
Another thing I learnt from (painful) personal experience, is to ALWAYS wear stout gloves when working with bracken. The leaves are soft and pleasant but the stems have incredible sharp fibres in them. When they split they can cut really deep.
(despite my own very good advice, which I give myself constantly, I cut myself again on bracken this morning!!)
We cut the bracken using Scythes, enabling the person cutting to remain standing, we realised there were spores they weren't a concern, when used as pig bedding never were any problems, and I am a senior so I think I am the answer to any kind of perceived disease, the bracken had to be carried from the cutting area, a few 100 yards, never picked up by hand, a fork or pike the answer.
I never get in trouble with large amounts of braken (I also use a scythe... it's way easier to cut than grass!). Because then it's a proper operation with all the tools and stuff I need.
It's the solitary one popping up here and there that gets me. I think, Oh, I won't go for the gloves, it's only one, I will just pull it, and ZACK!
it seems bracken can be made into a very good compost and is being used as a peat free alternative ! so get it cut when it's at its best next month and make some big heaps of free compost