Yellow Fields

Mr.Boots

This may be a stupid question but......What is growing in the fields that are completly covered in little yellow flowers????
I seem to see them everywhere

gerky

Its probably rapeseed its about the time of year for it to be in flower.

Oldtree

dandylions are polific this year too

azi

Ragwort.

The_Conductor

Yes, rapeseed seems to be rampant this year in particular. Half the councils could make a fortune if they ever harvested it from along the roadsides, never mind the properly cultivated stuff. Allegedly you can use the oil in cooking too- me, I think I'll pass.

The_Conductor

azi wrote: »

Ragwort.

Just out of curiousity- are ragworth and buachalan the one and the same?

reilig

smccarrick wrote: »

Yes, rapeseed seems to be rampant this year in particular. Half the councils could make a fortune if they ever harvested it from along the roadsides, never mind the properly cultivated stuff. Allegedly you can use the oil in cooking too- me, I think I'll pass.

Don't know if you will see much rapeseed growing on the sides of the road, its more like buttercups or ragworth that grows there.

The fields that are covered in yellow flowers are most likely rapeseed. There is a huge increase in acreage of rapeseed planted in Ireland this year especially in the south of the country where there is a market for it in one of the many small scale biodiesel processing plants. Its certainly good for Irish agriculture, opening up a market that was never accessable before, leaving less ground uncultivated meaning that there is less grassland for cattle and sheep and therefore less sheep and cattle in the marketplace which means higher prices for farmers and less profits for the multi billion euro meat industry.

Also the left over cake from processed rape seed can be fed to animals. It works in everyone's favour.

Dan

rliston

smccarrick wrote: »

Just out of curiousity- are ragworth and buachalan the one and the same?

yes, buachalan is the irish name

muggyog

Have to agree with smccarrick, rapeseed is indeed spreading to roadsides. Had to spray it in my mothers enclosed yard in the centre of Carlow. Chose spray because there wasent enough to run the car:D

Heres the little blighters

doctor evil

Mainly ragwort where I am.

The_Conductor

doctor evil wrote: »

Mainly ragwort where I am.

Report it in that case- its a notifiable weed under the noxious weeds act (which as far as I know is still in force).......

Sam Kade

Mr.Boots wrote: »

This may be a stupid question but......What is growing in the fields that are completly covered in little yellow flowers????
I seem to see them everywhere

Oilseed rape

doctor evil

Still in force but I doubt the Co Co will bother themselves to take action. Its because of all the building seeds get dispersed or awaken in the ground.

emaherx

Ragworth wouldn't be in flower yet.
and if there was enough of it to make a field yellow then it really is a problem.

Mr.Boots

Cool, thanx guys.
Thought it was either rape seed or spuds myself, but rape seed it must be so.