A bid to use a “toxic” herbicide to kill the invasive weed marestail on a Nantwich Allotment site has been thrown out by councillors.
Some tenants at Brookfield Allotments off Shrewbridge Road wanted external contractors in to use a glysophate-based weedkiller to zap the pesky plants.
But others feared the use of the weedkiller would be dangerous, and could have longer term negative impact.
The weed has taken over a number of plots which have suffered from flooding (pictured) and neglect in recent years.
The issue was on the Nantwich Town Council meeting agenda on Thursday but was discussed in private as it involved contract details with external companies.
But a town council spokesperson confirmed today: “Having considered the detail, the Town Council decided against the use of a glyphosate herbicide for several reasons.
“These included the risk of the glyphosate affecting other vegetation; allotment holders not being able to consume their vegetables; allotment holders not being able to cultivate/disturb the ground for extensive periods of time throughout a three year period; allotment holders having to replant following treatment; the treatment is carried out during peak growing season for allotment holders; and no guarantee of no chemical drift.
“There is also no guarantee that the treatment will be effective in eradicating the marestail and that given the nature of the use of the ground as an allotment site it is likely to conflict with the treatment.
“The Town Council in making its decision had to weigh up the likely outcome/success versus the risk and decided the risk outweighed the success of the treatment.
“However, despite the Town Council deciding not to support this approach it does recognise there is an issue at the allotments and have asked that officers report back to council on alternative methods to manage the marestail/horsetail.
“It is hoped that a further report will be presented to council during its meeting in October, where alternative treatment options will be considered.”
Jeremy Herbert, also an allotment holder and member of Sustainable Nantwich, had been set against any use of herbicide.
He said: “The Allotment Association is deeply split on the issue of the use of glyphosate – with the majority opposed to an “old guard” who appear to be unconcerned about the growing consensus on the toxic dangers of glyphosate for people and the environment.
“Experienced gardeners do manage the weed by continual weeding but it is hard work. I have it on my allotments for 30 years, but have managed it organically without using weedkillers and gave a productive wildlife rich plot.
“We regard it as a retrogressive outdated approach which has been proved to fail while poisoning the soil and the water.
“It has been linked to cancer and the collapse of natural systems in the soil, and deep seated damage to insect populations.”
Martin Bale, former allotment rep for the site, had lobbied the council for the use of pesticide from external contractors, believing this was the best way to tackle it.
He said: “This is not a straight forward issue.
“Since Covid, some plots have been left for two years without anything done and horsetail has taken over.
“We have to have a control mechanism, and to get an outside contractor in to look at the problem and a way forward.
“But at no stage did I advocate an indiscriminate use of glysophate. Each allotment holder should be responsible for pulling up this weed.”
There are two sides to every story.
Brookfield Allotment Association have for many years been talking to NTC at every opportunity regarding the problems with horse tail, advising the council that certain plot holders were not cultivating their plots properly, thus not controlling the growth of horse tail.
Due to this issue over many years plots were given up or abandoned and left in an atrocious condition.
NTC failed to act quickly enough over the years to clear the plots and make them viable to relet again.
A lack of funds, manpower and other various reasons, sighting Cheshire East Council as the land owners were given for this inaction.
This issue has now escalated to 2/3 of Brookfield allotments with horse tail growth, thus plots cannot be let and are being given up.
This whole issue has been NTC making due to procrastination.
In 2022 they purchased a specialist foam weeding machine for £15,000 to supposedly treat the horse tail in particular.
It does not work, unless it is applied four or five times on the infected area which NTC say is to labour intensive and expensive.
It was suggested that herbicide be applied to the heavily affected areas but was turned down due to NTC policy on weed Killer.
It was suggested that a specialist consultant firm be brought in to advise the best way forward, having investigated the issue they advised the use of certain types of herbicide but the proposal wasn’t really targeted as they advised a blanket approach affecting many plot holders.
The proposal was not scrutinised and adapted to suit the situation before it was put to council.
Thus rejected again.
Brookfield Allotment Association has been trying very hard to do something to save the whole allotment from becoming affected.
As a plot holder battling to stop the spread of this invasive weed on my plot I fear that the allotments will become over run with horse tail and impossible to cultivate with more allotment tenants giving up and new tenants very scarce due to this ongoing problem.
Is some surreptitious action going on here to undermine the action needed, to keep the allotments viable?
Eventually Nantwich Town Council will have decide what to do with this leased land, maybe allow Cheshire East Council who own the land take back control.
Then the allotments will be sold off, despite what the councillors say, enabling Cheshire East to help fill their financial Black hole in.
It will be houses growing on the allotments then ……..
A plot holder.
I once dealt with marestail, by injecting the weed killer into the stems of each part of the growth, then waited, and as it was what the weed killer was designed to do, the marestail went away. I think is gentle way and more careful towards the surrounding plants, and then there is the other way of digging carefully around each plant and gently lift and not break any bits off.
The roots of the marestail/horsetail are over foot down in the ground. So it is impossible to get rid of. I tried digging it out years ago but gave up, a neighbour advised me to grass it over.
The roots of the marestail/horsetail are over foot down in the ground. So it is impossiblel to get rid of. I tried diiging it out years ago but gave up, a neighbour advised me to grass it over.
Thanks for the suggestion. The town council have invested in a steam treatment machine. This avoids the use of chemical herbicides. The Town Council has already recognised the dangers of using glyphosate to their staff, the community and the environment.
Boiling hot water is the only way to do the job and that’s the safest way to
burning it would be better