31 March 2011

Weed Swap!

| johnboy
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Territory And Municipal Services are running a weed swap this weekend.

On Saturday 2 April and Sunday 3 April, between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm, the biannual Autumn Weed Swap Program will be held at green waste recycling centres, Canberra Sand and Gravel in Belconnen and Corkhill Bros near the Mugga Lane Tip.

Weed Swaps occur twice a year in Spring and Autumn to encourage residents to remove environmental weeds from their gardens. The program was initiated by the Australian Native Plants Society and is funded by the ACT Government’s weed control budget.

“Canberra residents are urged to take part in the Weed Swap program this weekend,” Ms Conolly said.

“Garden weeds can be swapped for a free native plant including ground clovers, clumping plants, small medium and large shrubs and some trees. Volunteers from the Australian Native Plants Society and park care groups will be available to provide advice on plant selection and helpful growing advice.

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Little_Green_Bag5:10 pm 05 Nov 11

What about Bluebell, the ACT’s floral emblem? My father planted a cutting just after we moved here in the early 1970s and it has run rampant ever since, despite numerous attempts at eradication.

westonresident said :

Does anyone have a good tip for dealing with bindi’s in Canberra?
At first I thought I had a small patch under a tree in my back yard, but it has shown up all over my lawn!
Wasn’t this bad last year 🙁

Yates Bindii & Clover Weeder Concentrate

blowers said :

What will they give me for my Wife?

Probably The Same As You…Not Much!!!

GardeningGirl said :

Btw I thought I saw a pampas grass in an AllHomes ad. I thought they were banned decades ago? But then again I used to find it amusing how the weedsprayers went round spraying street kerbs (for a year or two they even included minor streets) while a nice big pampas grass sat for years behind O’Malley, visible from Hindmarsh Drive, undisturbed until the new blocks were developed. .

There’s big old pampas right next to Mt Ainslie, corner Hassall and Duffy streets, and another pampas on the corner near the Ainslie Shops, ready to spray seed. I guess it’s the responsibility of neighbours not just the gubmint to let people know just how invasive pampas is. I might drop a note in their letterboxes today. Fat chance of them being able to grub them out for the weed swap though – they are tough as!

GardeningGirl1:23 pm 05 Nov 11

As someone who doesn’t use garden chemicals I’m only speaking theoretically, but with shrubs isn’t the safer more effective way to cut off the top and paint the stump with the poison? I think I’ve heard you have to get the poison onto the stump very quickly though. Presumably remove most of the shrub, then with an old disposable brush at the ready make a fresh cut?
Btw I thought I saw a pampas grass in an AllHomes ad. I thought they were banned decades ago? But then again I used to find it amusing how the weedsprayers went round spraying street kerbs (for a year or two they even included minor streets) while a nice big pampas grass sat for years behind O’Malley, visible from Hindmarsh Drive, undisturbed until the new blocks were developed. Come to think of it they sprayed the brambles in our suburb once, which then grew back and were ignored until the bulldozers got them during the next land release. I’m not sure the gubmint knows what it’s trying to do half the time. Good on the ANPS for their efforts though.

westonresident said :

Does anyone have a good tip for dealing with bindi’s in Canberra?
At first I thought I had a small patch under a tree in my back yard, but it has shown up all over my lawn!
Wasn’t this bad last year 🙁

Those Irwins are popping up everywhere. Damn pests

westonresident9:33 am 05 Nov 11

Does anyone have a good tip for dealing with bindi’s in Canberra?
At first I thought I had a small patch under a tree in my back yard, but it has shown up all over my lawn!
Wasn’t this bad last year 🙁

“free native plant including ground clovers”

Ummmm – do you reckon they meant ground covers?

The trouble is, some of these weeds are actually useful – eg, there is no substitute for periwinkle under large deciduous trees where nothing will grow.
I prefer to see the world in the same way as Peter Andrews, who has miraculously transformed his property and was featured on the ABC’s Australian Story (see link)

http://www.ecofilms.com.au/2010/07/31/peter-andrews-on-weeds/

Is this like that Boags Beer commercial ….. I wonder what i’ll get for my 30m gum tree (please please let it be firewood)

EvanJames said :

Plenty of good poisons available, much easier and more effective than digging them out.

“Blackberry and Weed killer” – around $16 from bunnings
A few drops of detergent.
A 5 litre spray bottle

If the weeds are really bad, instead of using water, use Kerosene or Diesel instead of water.

Spray that on, and anything it *touches* will die in less than 3 days. Remember to watch out when spraying it in the wind, anything it touches will die.

Plenty of good poisons available, much easier and more effective than digging them out. Some weeds actually get worse when broken up by digging. Talk to the agronomist at the nearest ag supply place and find out which is the best chemical for your weed and your situation.

I can always find plenty of broom seedlings in my yard to swap. But it’s the plants that have grown massive that are the issue and spread their seeds everywhere in summer. And I’d have to not only get them chopped down by a professional, but have the roots poisoned too.

What will they give me for my Wife?

From the link above:

“…the program would target invasive weed species such as Cotoneaster, Pyracantha, Privet, Broom, Ivy and Periwinkle.”

If anyone knows how to “remove” ivy without resorting to nukes, I’d be pleased to hear it.

Presumably there’s a limit to the number you can swap? Is it one?

Damn……………….I read the headline and thought ‘Weed Swap’? Wow, those Greens sure have moved things along!!!!

Wrong weed………………………………………………………

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