We’ve been starting to hear more and more about pesty plant species popping up on properties affected by the severe flood events earlier this year.
Floods are like a magic carpet for weed seeds, spreading them far and wide, and providing a nutrient-rich medium for them to germinate in. While Asiatic knotweed is high on the list of concern, many other common weeds have taken advantage of the situation.
With spring well and truly here, we are starting to see sycamore, blackberry, convolvulus, hawthorn, robinia and old man’s beard showing up in new places in Tasman, adding to the burden on affected landowners.
These are some of the most persistent and annoying weed species. Sycamore (pictured) in particular is toxic to horses, so keep an eye out for seedlings in paddocks where horses are kept.
Our Biosecurity team are always available to identify weeds and provide comprehensive advice on the most effective ways to control them.
Some of these weeds can be very hard to get rid of once they are established, so early intervention is key. We also have dedicated pamphlets with advice for controlling pest trees, shrubs, vines
and grasses. These are available at our service centres and on our website, tasman.govt.nz/pests-and-weeds.
If you need advice, please get in touch with our Biosecurity team at [email protected] or by calling us on 03 543 8400. We’re here to help!