WILD WITH WEEDS
Question We have a block of native and regenerating bush and would love to know how to deal with asparagus climber. It seems like a crazy evil plant. We have sprayed and dug, but it keeps coming back, also climbing honeysuckle, gorse, blackberry and others. It would be wonderful if you could give us some tips. C. Power, Whakatāne
Answer I have experience controlling these and similar weeds in regenerating bush, so here’s my 10 cents worth. Two online sources for practical information are weedbusters.org.nz and cutnpaste.co.nz.
Some tips: Each species has unique features you need to take into account. To be practicable and achievable you need to use herbicides; otherwise, unless you have unlimited healthy, strong, free labour, you’ll be like King Canute facing the incoming tide. Asparagus fern, climbing asparagus (Asparagus scandens). You need to kill the tubers. In spring and early summer, spray foliage lightly with glyphosate (20ml/l, which is double the ‘normal’ rate) plus a penetrant, e.g. Yates Pulse, Grosafe Force, or other brands – you don’t use much, but it makes a vital contribution to the effectiveness of the herbicide. You don’t have to spray all the foliage but as much as possible, yet avoid getting it on desirable plants or on trunks of trees. If necessary, cut the asparagus foliage back a bit or trample it down off desirable plants before spraying. It can be hard not to get some collateral damage, but experience shows it’s an effective method of controlling these weeds in native and regenerating bush. In autumn and winter, if frost-free and there’s healthy asparagus foliage, spray with glyphosate at 10ml/l plus penetrant. Repeat as necessary: seedlings will keep reappearing for years. Blackberry (Rubus fruticosus) At any time of year, cut stems back to less than 10cm above the ground and treat the cut surface of the stump with Cut’n’paste Bamboo Buster Weed Gel. Leave the cut stems to die and rot.
Or, in mid-late summer, spray foliage with metsulfuron-methyl following the label directions; it’s available under a variety of trade names, including Escort and MSF600. Gorse (Ulex europaeus) At any time of year, use Cut’n’paste Bamboo Buster Weed Gel as described above for blackberry. Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) Summer to autumn – where practicable, spray foliage with glyphosate (10ml/l) plus penetrant, or metsulfuronmethyl plus penetrant.
Winter – cut the vines back to less than 10cm from the ground and treat the stumps with Cut’n’paste Bamboo Buster Weed Gel, or spray the regrowth in spring or early summer with glyphosate (10ml/l) plus penetrant, or metsulfuron-methyl plus penetrant.
Important Always read and follow the product label recommendations and wear appropriate personal protective equipment as described on the product label. Final tip Slanting and ragged cuts are fine when cutting back woody weeds – the more cut surface area to apply gel to the better.