Floating Pennywort

[marshman]

https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/environment/floating-pennywort-river-ant-norfolk-broads-warning-1-6928070

I was aware of this news but now its out in the EDP we should all very worried!

 

[marshman]

Bu**ered that up! Can someone clever delete that - not sure what went wrong !!! Sorry tech error!!!

[Vaughan]

Here we go again!

More Death Weed on the northern rivers!

Will we all need to go into lockdown, to prevent it spreading?

[LizG]

It's actually a serious problem on many waterways, I suspect slow moving ones more so!

[marshman]

I remember 15 years working with a volunteer group trying to clean up the river Waveney near Diss - it was so thick you could not walk through it at that time.  They still have it.

That and parrots feather seem to be the worst we have - I know its not the end of the world and it doesn't kill people but there are plenty of places where this stuff just clogs the streams.

Equally you would not find it especially funny if you found Japanese Knotweed in your garden - find that and your house is virtually unsaleable!

[MauriceMynah]

Is it edible?

[Smoggy]

Floating pennywort was (and I believe still is) a huge problem on gt.ouse and cam, it grows so quick it just clogs huge areas and cutting makes it grow quicker as the cut bits carry on, I remember zigzagging along the cam avoiding what looked like roundabouts in the river floating along, it gather across wiers and blocks them as well.

Our local brook was getting full of himalayan balsam this summer blocking everything else out.

At least a regime of regular spraying can get rid of japanese knotweed.

[marshman]

I have just given up on the Himalayan Balsam - I continue to "pull" a local  site but people just think they are "pretty flowers"!!!!

[MauriceMynah]

As a forum we could get rid of this weed really easily. Two or three members who live by the broads make it obvious that some of this weed has been cut and removed. (bits left on the bank, chat in the pub, that sort of thing.) they then advertise the stuff on e-Bay as "High calibre compost - guaranteed better results than fertiliser" £25 for a 5 kilo dry load.

The rest of us, each at different times, buy some bags. Cash on collection. None is actually paid for or of course collected!

The sellers boast in the pub, cafe or wherever, how the stuff is selling like hot cakes (and what good compost it makes)

Give it a week or so, and you won't be able to find the stuff for love nor money!.  

[ExSurveyor]

Japanese Knotweed is less of a problem in selling a house now.

A spraying regime will remove it, at a cost of around 4k with a guarantee.

 The price is dropping as more companies gear up to treat it.

Building societies are less adverse to it now and regard it as a defect much like any other.

Victorian plant collectors have a lot to answer for.

[TheQ]

There were 3 patches of Knotweed in my garden when we bought it,, Now down to one and that's on it's way out. The most effective way is to inject stems with roundup..

From what I've read Floating pennywort is edible, and tastes A bit like it's relative.. celery.

 Giant knotweed on the other hand is very poisonous..

[MauriceMynah]

Right, Over to Ian.  Recipe please for Pennywort Soup, recommendations  on how to treat it as a vegetable and best methods for preparing Pennywort salad.

Jobs a good'n

[Smoggy]

9 minutes ago, MauriceMynah said:

 recommendations  on how to treat it as a vegetable

Give it a top job in a quango!

[marshman]

You are all going to be very busy ,eating or composting it, as it regenerates from the tiniest bit left. Smoggy seems to be the only one taking it seriously, apart from his last quip, but do you want to see large islands floating around as he reports of the Gt Ouse? 

Lets see if they can control up in that area but perhaps I shall have the last laugh from my wooden box after a few years!!! 

[CambridgeCabby]

Pennywort beer or wine anyone ??

[Smoggy]

A couple of seasons back a group (I think from Jones marina) were going out in canoes and kayaks collecting it by hand as teasing it out was the best way to remove it, as said as soon as you cut or break it you have twice as many growing plants.

[marshman]

Whilst clearly many look to make a joke out of this ,perhaps the accompanying article from the Daily Mail could, if you can stop yourselves from laughing, show what it appears to have done to the Cam in places. Look nice outside Broadsedge - wouldn't have to worry about gates then would you?

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5025279/River-Cam-clogged-pennywort-weed.html

[MauriceMynah]

At the risk of asking a sensible question, who would be responsible for trying to solve this problem, the EA or BA?

Now, and I am asking this as an honest question (and not as part of my soap[ box) Would dredging the lower Bure assist in any way to flush the stuff into saltier water, and would that kill it?

[rightsaidfred]

I dont know the answer but would guess both BA  re the navigation and the EA being responsible for the water, I doubt dredging would have any affect at all.

Fred

[ChrisB]

It would be easy enough to seriously knock it back judging by those photographs of The Cam.

Just spray it with Glyphosphate and Diquat but I don't give any other organism in the river much of a chance.

If it takes root as described I can see it being a real nuisance because even the best collecting weed cutters still leave loads of floating debris.

[marshman]

Dredging and cutting it just spread it further but yes, I think it is a combination of the two I believe. But realistically I am not sure - more the EA I think because once it is in the navigation and taken hold, there is bu**er all you can do I am afraid.

If I find out I will let you know - of course as the NW & D is privately owned and you are not even allowed up there without paying a fee, then perhaps it is the landowners responsibility. Perhaps doing what he did may well have been exactly the wrong thing to do....!!!! Hoist by your own petard is perhaps being a bit harsh but that bit below Honing Lock and the junction at the Dilham turn has always been a thorn in everyones side for many a long year, despite the protestation of a few.

[TheQ]

Of course part of the problem is they've been cleaning up the water. so all vegetation such as water lilies etc are growing like mad these days..

So the solution is.... Bring back pollution!!!

 

[Upcycler]

On 18/11/2020 at 07:15, TheQ said:

Of course part of the problem is they've been cleaning up the water. so all vegetation such as water lilies etc are growing like mad these days..

So the solution is.... Bring back pollution!!!

 

You might be right, but in the long term the world would be better of without man/woman!

[grendel]

it would be a bit dull though

[Upcycler]

On 19/11/2020 at 19:44, grendel said:

it would be a bit dull though

Well that's where we are headed at the moment and like it or not, these films where you see cities overrun with people, lakes that have dried up and people foraging for food could easily be our future. The people in power seem to be making a start but are they doing enough, and to really make a difference all countries need to be on board. In reality it won't affect them in their lifetime or their children's children, but after that, who knows.

Going green for many countries is not cost effective and the leaders want to appeal to the people that they made their country prosper, stay popular and in power. But it will be their undoing and come back to bite them on the backside but will they care, cause not, they will be six foot under.

So in time when the poop hits the fan because people are actually taking note that climate change is here to stay, earth will be like a car I once owned, I couldn't find reverse.