By Tyler Wright
Over two days in April, as weed mass increases throughout the area, Yarra Ranges locals will be able to drop off their weeds at Baynes Park in Monbulk.
Yarra Ranges Council will organise for two skips to be at the site on Saturday 1 April and Saturday 29 April, with people able to dispose of their weeds from 9.00 am to 03.00 pm on both days.
Council’s biodiversity rehabilitation officer Hannah Grant said the amount of common weeds in the Dandenongs – like Agapanthus and English Ivy – has increased over the past 12 months due to wet conditions.
“When we’re having a species like a weed out competing our native species, we’re seeing native food resources be removed from the environment that our native species need to survive,” Ms Grant said.
“If you got rid of your Ivy and [replanted] with some natives, you’re providing habitat and food for native species.”
Ms Grant said information is available on the council’s website as to how to remove specific weed species; with herbicide an option for some, as well as alternatives that do not involve chemicals.
“Coming into winter, it does give us a chance to remove some of the weeds that are a bit more tricky,” Ms Grant said.
“While it is autumn and we do still get a few dry days… do your herbicide or your cut and paste… cut down a weed and then you’ll put a little bit of the weed killer on the stump…dabbing that on there on a dry day means that it has a chance to soak in and kill that weed before the rain comes and washes it away.”
The next step after weed removal is then the preparation of your soil, Ms Grant said.
“Head down to one of the local nurseries, you can buy tubestock for two to $3… and see if we can help these natives establishing plant in winter and then they have plenty of time to establish by summer, and then hopefully you’ve got something else occupying that space that makes it a bit harder for those weeds to establish.”
Ms Grant said she hopes to make the ‘weed blitz’ and annual event.
“Our green waste bins get full so quickly…some of these properties are quite large and they have quite large infestations of weeds,” she said.
“Providing the skip option means that they can dispose of the weed is free of charge, so it’s a good way of supporting the community.”
