23 March 2012

Weed Swap!

| johnboy
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No it’s not a social gathering for the hydro crew, rather Territory And Municipal Services are providing an opportunity for Canberrans to swap their woody weeds (small invasive trees to the average punter) for native species.

“On Saturday 31 March and Sunday 1 April 2012 between 8:30 am and 4.45 pm, the biannual WeedSwap will be held at green waste recycling centres, Canberra Sand and Gravel in Belconnen and Corkhill Bros near the Mugga Lane landfill,” said Philip Selmes, ParkCare Landcare Coordinator for the ACT Parks & Conservation Service in TAMS.

“Although we’re targeting the berry producing woody weeds, we’re also happy to accept any of the environmental weeds, including the native Cootamundra Wattle, Ivy, Honeysuckle, Periwinkle and Broom. Make sure you either remove the entire plant, roots and all, or cut it as low as you can then paint the stump immediately with 1:1 glyphosate (a broad spectrum herbicide).

“If you bring in a woody weed, you will receive a native plant in exchange. We have a range of suitable plants including taller shrubs such as Acacia’s, medium shrubs Correa Dusky Bell, Rock Correa and Wee Jasper Grevillea, groundcovers including Creeping Boobialla and the tussocky type plants such as Lomandra and River Tussock.

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p1 said :

“1:1 glyphosate”.

Who ever wrote that press release does not understand the concept of a ratio. “One to one” implies one part glyphosate to one part something. But what? Milk? Petrol? Agent orange?

What’s more, if you paint the stump with this stuff, where are you going to get your weeds for the Spring weed swap?

*snort* most of these berried plants are just spectacular and are well suited to Canberra’s climate.
Yes, I know that native plant purists reckon we should only grow natives, and that they are trying to ‘restore’ the bush from ‘contamination’ by non-natives, but that ideal went by the wayside over 100 years ago.
I’ve said it before on this site and I’ll say it again, check out Peter Andrews’ website. http://www.naturalsequencefarming.com/
He is the most sensible person in Australia about the whole ‘weeds versus natives’ thing. He has proven that non-native ‘weeds’ actually heal the earth because of their ability to survive, and prevent a lot of erosion and other landcare problems. And most of these ‘weeds’ are better to have than eucalypts, which create monoculture death around them.
Worth a look if you are a passionate gardener.

“1:1 glyphosate”.

Who ever wrote that press release does not understand the concept of a ratio. “One to one” implies one part glyphosate to one part something. But what? Milk? Petrol? Agent orange?

TheDancingDjinn5:42 pm 23 Mar 12

buger!!- i came in here, thinking this was going to be a totally different thread …

Bugger!!! I’ve just spent the last few weeks removing all of these plants from my garden and have already dumped them at CSG in Belco.

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