Wicked weeds - what we have on site and how to deal with it!

Wicked weeds are not fun - the couch and kikuyu that dominates our garden seems like a never-ending battle!

Peter Austin wrote a weed management report in 2014 by and it's worth revisiting some of the advice which is still relevant in this ongoing fight. 

The main wicked weeks to look out in the garden are Pampas Lily-of-the-Valley - Salpichroa origanifolia, Kikuyu - Pennisetum clandestinum, Couch grass - Elymus repens and Blackberry - Rubus spp.

• Our main approach to weed control is physical removal, then depending on the weed either composting (plant material) or removal from the site via FOGO bins. Heavily diseased plant material should also go into the FOGO bins.​

• Organic weed sprays may be used by the site manager or at their direction to control rhizomous grass (kikuyu and couch in particular) encroachment across long sections of garden borders.​

• Nonorganic sprays such as those based on glyphosate (Roundup) are used only in limited circumstances, and only with specific committee endorsement. If anywhere near food crops this will only be applied by painting not spraying.​

• As a general rule, we compost most plant material, including weeds that are not designated as wicked weeds. Our composting method is cold composting which will NOT kill seeds or extremely hardy rhizomes. 

• Members need to keep pathways along their plots weed free as well as their plot, working with neighbours on this.

Find more more wicked weed info and photos.