Bracken Rolling

Bracken is such an invasive species that it can quickly take hold and diminish valuable grazing land or impair woodland regeneration. A variety of methods have been tried in the past from cutting to poisoning with chemicals flown in by plane. The only way to successfully combat bracken is to weaken the rhizomes (creeping stems lying under the soil). Cutting can actually stimulate growth and so can exacerbate the problem.

Chemicals are not only expensive but costly to the environment as well. When the common chemical Asulox comes into contact with a water source, it becomes very toxic indeed.

Our specially designed and made rollers crush the bracken stem in six places.  This means the bracken bleeds, reducing its strength and likelihood of growing back with as much vigour.

It slowly 'bleeds' to death and is substantially knocked back. Depending on how vigorous the plant was and how dense the growth is, the bracken can be eradicated by three or four further treatments. Horse drawn bracken rolling is extremely effective and low-impact, avoiding chemicals, causing no damage to the surrounding environment.

The roller is designed to go over tree stumps and logs etc.  The Horse drawn roller can get to areas that other machinery might not be able to access and can treat bracken on the side of slopes.  At sites which we have rolled once a year for 4 years the grass is now more dominant than bracken.

Invasive brambles can also be treated in the same way as bracken.

The prime time to carry out bracken rolling is during June, July and August.

If you are interested in using horses to roll bracken, please email or call for a chat and I will be happy to talk through, costings and arrange a site visit.