HIMALAYAN BALSAM

Himalayan balsam is on the move again! 

This beautiful but domineering plant is re-appearing in many of the spots in and around Huttons Ambo where it flowered last year. If you were one of the many volunteers who pulled balsam last year, I hope that you notice that there’s not as much showing now!

However, please don’t rest on your laurels – it takes a few years of pulling in the same place before no more seedlings come back. Now is an ideal time to start pulling again (or for the first time!), because it’s starting to come into flower but isn't setting seed yet. Here are a few points to remember.

•       Check the land manager doesn’t mind. The Huttons Ambo Estate has said it’s happy for people to pull balsam along rights of way. 
•       Make sure that you can pull the plant up safely You will make more progress if you choose a small isolated patch 
•       Pull along the edge (or edges) of a patch, in particular where it will push the plants back from their most likely route of spread (e.g. watercourse, road or other right of way)
•       Persist with a particular patch, rather than dipping into different areas each time
•       Follow the guidance in the box below.

You will make more progress if you:

•            Choose a small isolated patch
•            Pull along the edge (or edges) of a patch, in particular where it will push the plants back from their most likely route of spread (e.g. watercourse, road or other right of way)
•             Persist with a particular patch, rather than dipping into different areas each time
•             Follow the guidance in the box below.

For further guidance, see http://www.northyorkmoors.org.uk/learning/focus-on/focus-on-himalayan-balsam