Weed Wiper Program
The Peel Harvey Biosecurity Group seeks to create programs in response to landholder concerns and issues. Landholders in the PHBG's operational area have been working on controlling the declared weed Cape tulip with mixed results.
Traditionally landholders would spray diluted herbicide to try and control Cape tulip that grew amongst their winter pasture or crops. Using diluted herbicide would reduce off-target impact but also the effectiveness of the application. It took time to see if the control effort worked and by that stage, the weed may have matured.
Some landholders rely on physically removing Cape tulip through slashing or pulling out by hand. Slashing can be used to prevent the plant from maturing and the aim is to exhaust it over time. This method impacted the surrounding vegetation, required repeated applications over many years and produced mixed results. Removing the plants by hand was hard work and the movement of infected soil encouraged the spread of the weed.
The PHBG look at other options available to landholders and using funds raised through the DPR purchased weed wiper equipment for landholders to loan fee of charge.
The equipment will be available for landholders to loan through the months of July to September. A PHBG Officer will deliver the equipment on a Tuesday or Thursday and the landholders will have the equipment for a seven day period, after which it will be collected by the PHBG.
Landholders are required to sign a terms of use document and must triple rinse the equipment prior to pick up.
Cape tulip
Cape tulip can be frustrating to control. A landholder could feel like their control efforts were perfectly timed and executed and yet the next season up pops an array of orange-tinted flowers.
Cape tulip spreads easily, produces corms and seeds and on top of that up to 60% of the corms within the soil can be dormant at any one time.
This means that control efforts have to be sustained across multiple years for a long term reduction in plant numbers.
For more links to control recommendations visit the PHBG Cape tulip page HERE.
To make Cape tulip control easier for landholders within our operational area the PHBG have invested in weed wipers that apply chemical directly to the weed.
The weed wiper, and other PHBG equipment, has been purchased through funding from the declared pest rate.
A weed wiper has multiple benefits:
Less herbicide, saving landholders money and reducing chemicals in the environment.
Control can occur amongst the pasture or crop with limited impact.
Increased potency of herbicides used, leading to higher success rates.
Due to the short control season and popularity of the equipment landholders are restricted to a seven day loan period and must book early through the weed wiper program.
Email weedwiper@PHBG.org for more information.
KEEN TO USE A WEED WIPER AT YOUR PROPERTY?
The control period for Cape tulip has ended for 2023, and expressions of interest are now being taken for 2024.
To register your expression of interest to use either a SMALL or LARGE weed wiper during the 2024 Cape tulip control period, please enter your details using the button below.
Please email weedwiper@PHBG.org if you have any questions.
Book here
If the calendar doesn't work book using the following link
Triple rinse instructions
Resources
Cape Tulip Information Video
Weed Wiper Video