Rush control on the farm
Patrick McGurn, Countryside Management Branch, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD)
There is a misconception that nature conservation involves letting areas of farmland go to rush. Although a low cover of soft rush in species-rich grassland is often desirable, when it becomes too dominant it reduces the wildlife and agricultural value of the field. This is when rush control is needed. For agri-environment scheme participants, 15 July marks the date when rush control can begin.
Cutting is an acceptable measure of control, which will have the least effect on the overall plant diversity in the field. Wiping with a selective herbicide can also be effective. This requires a skilled operator and can have disastrous effects if carried out wrongly. Under agri-environment schemes, rush control by a weed wiper is only possible on unimproved pastures.
Research carried out in Northern Ireland by Mercer found that waiting until July for cutting was a more effective method of rush control than cutting before July. Where the first cut was in July, two cuts for two successive years eliminated about eighty percent of the rushes.
Under agri-environment schemes, rush control cannot be carried out until 15 July to ensure ground nesting birds such as skylarks and meadow pipits are not disturbed.
Therefore, the best way of controlling rush is to cut after this date with a second cut around four to six weeks later. In some dry years a third cut may be possible. Recent research has also shown that cutting as close to the ground as possible speeds up depletion of food reserves for rush, which improves control. Removal of the vegetation also gives a better control as rushes grow back more strongly where the swath has been allowed to lie than in the clean spaces in between. However, this is often difficult and disposal of the cut rush can be problematic.
A good cutting programme of regular cutting at the right time will help to keep rush at an acceptable level for both the farmer and the associated wildlife.
For further information about rush control, contact Countryside Management staff at your local DARD office.