Hello B[L]OG Friends …..

In summer the focus is on protecting the Moss from encroaching invasive plants, mostly the beautiful Himalayan balsam. It is a reportable non-native invasive species.

June sees the first flowers. July the first seed explosions. A single plant can ping up to 2,000 seeds up to a distance of seven meters (22 feet)! Luckily the seeds are only viable for up to two years so with three years pulling it can be eliminated.

Nature Scot’s website has really good information on how to identify and how to manage Himalayan balsam. https://www.invasivespecies.scot/himalayan-balsam

If you spot the plant in your garden and need advice please email us via the Contact Page.

The threat to the Moss is that himbal prefers damp ditch banks and spreads by floating seeds along the watercourses. Its seeds can also be carried by animals, including people. It has incredible powers of regeneration so it can re-root if pulled up and left on the ground. For several years we’ve been clearing the plant along the Well Burn from the Well Green in Scotlandwell southwards. Scottish Water have been very helpful in allowing access to their compound opposite the curling pond. We also found a patch on the golf course and keep monitoring this area but so far so good. Loch Leven’s trail path is saturated with himbal which could travel along farmers’ ditches towards the Moss. So we’ve been clearing the first section of ditch from the Grahamstone junction.

Thank you.

Blogged by Lesley B.