Getting tough on weeds
BY JEMIMA STAGG
07 Sep, 2010 08:19 AM
DAFFODILS are not the only plants that come with the start of spring – various weeds also rear their heads around the Kentish region.
Keeping weeds under control is costly, frustrating and time consuming, but Kentish Council weed officer Phil Gerke says everyone can do their part to help.
“They need a weed management plan that addresses finances, time and identification to make sure it is a weed,” he said.
This week is national Weedbuster Week and the Kentish Council is using the opportunity to raise awareness of the damage weeds cause to the environment.
Mr Gerke said it was not just the environment that took a hit.
“Weeds affect farming and can incur a loss with yields, some weeds such as St John’s Wort poison stock and there is also the visual side,” he said.
Mr Gerke said a lot of town people snapped up Kentish properties without taking weed management into consideration.
He urged them to check their property and contact the council for more information about weed management.
The Pesticide Impact Rating Index is a handy tool for achieving maximum weed control with minimal environmental impact.
The PIRI is a tool for farmers to enter the location they want to spray, the type of chemical and time they plan to spray.
It will calculate the information and advise the optimum time to spray to get the best result and minimise damage to the environment such as run off into rivers.
For more information about setting up a weed management program or using the PIRI, contact the Kentish Council on 64912500 and leave a message for weed officer Phil Gerke.
via Getting tough on weeds – Local News – News – General – Coastal Times.
