Himalayan Balsam

If you to local areas such as Outwood Country Park and Philips Park, You’ll find large areas of Himalayan Balsam. This is an invasive species brought in by the Victorians. It escaped from their gardens and spread throughout the UK. It is highly invasive and kills off most of the local plants. So, you might see voluntary groups holding events called Balsam Bashing where volunteers can remove the plants.

There are two main ways to tackle Himalayan Balsam removal:

Manual removal

This is the most recommended approach, especially for smaller patches. The key is to act before the plant sets seed, which typically happens from mid-July onwards in the UK. Here’s how to do it manually:

Timing: Ideally, pull the plants between April and June.

Method: Grab the base of the stem firmly and pull upwards with a steady motion. The shallow root system should come out easily.

Disposal: Don’t compost the plants as they can still reproduce. Instead, hang them upside down on a fence line or tree branch to dry out completely before disposing of them with your general waste.

Chemical control

This method is usually for larger infestations where manual removal is impractical. However, it requires caution as herbicides can harm surrounding vegetation. As Incredible Edible is organic, and we don’t want to kill all species of plants, we would not recommend using this method.

Professional help: For extensive infestations, professional removal companies can be a good option.

Identification: Double-check the plant identification before proceeding with removal to ensure you’re targeting Himalayan Balsam.

Landowner permission: Always get permission from the landowner before removing plants on their property.

By following these steps, you can help control the spread of Himalayan Balsam in the area and protect native ecosystems.