The Bracken Basher is the only dedicated horse drawn mechanical bracken control equipment in current production. It is designed to be pulled by one horse and I work it with my Dales mare as well as my Percheron mare. It is similar in design and concept to a standard timber arch and any horse used to an arch will find the transition to the Bracken Basher straightforward. The shafts are designed to flex like the arch for the horse's comfort and safety. Shafts are made to fit Scandinavian harness.
The Bracken Basher manages and controls bracken by breaking down last year's dead matter, reducing the fire risk, encouraging decomposition and knocking down this year's growth, bruising the stems in the process.
This bruising causes the sap to leak out rather than feed the rhizome and the plant becomes weakened, unable to store food over the winter, resulting in greatly reduced vigour the following year. To eradicate bracken, several treatments may be necessary.
With old and new growth knocked down it is easy to see which areas have been treated. This also encourages other plants to break through.
The Bracken Basher can be used from late May to middle August, dependant upon your growing season. Two treatments in a season is very effective.
Optimum timing for one treatment is usually mid June to August If the tips of the fronds are browning, (middle August on) treatment is not effective as the plant is storing energy in the rhizome ready for the winter. Bracken to be treated should be well grown, stems fairly fibrous so that it will crush rather than snap.
D.A. Joiner. June 2001