. 

• Protect your fences against fire and reduce corrosion. Fire removes the galvanising.

 

• Keeping fences clear of vegetation makes it easier to do inspections and maintenance.

 

• In the case of electrified fences, vegetation control is essential.

 
Options
Costing is based on a rate/km x 2m wide. (1m either side of the fence).
Where there are long grasses, you may want to spray a wider area. If existing weed grasses are taller than 1m it may be advisable to slash the growth prior to spraying. The best and easiest method to spray is immediately after, or at the time, of erection of fences.

1. Spray Roundup Weathermax at rate of 4Lt/ha, or, 0.8Lt/Km x 2m wide.

 Cost/ha =      4 x       Price / Liter                             = R                             
 Cost/km =      0.8 x    Price / Liter                             = R                             
 This will give good knock-down of existing growth, but will not prevent the germination of seeds. A re-spray at 3-4 months may be required.

     2. Suburb (Glyphosate + Triazines)  

Spray suburb at a rate of 15Lt/ha, or, 3Lt/km (2m wide)
 Cost/ha =      15 x     Price / Liter                             = R                             
  Cost/km =      3 x       Price / Liter                             = R                             
 Suburb gives good knock down of existing weeds, plus, residual control for 8-12 months. Suburb can be safely sprayed in the vicinity of existing trees and desirable vegetation.

      3. Format  

Spray Format at a rate of 8Lt/ha, or, 1.6Lts/km (2m wide).
 Cost/ha =      8 x       Price / Liter                             = R                             
  Cost/km =      1.6 x    Price / Liter                             = R                             
 Format gives good knockdown of existing weeds and control of any regrowth for 12 months and even longer after 2 or 3 applications.

WARNING: Format is not to be used very close to desirable trees or vegetation. It has a high level of activity in the soil and may be absorbed by trees & scrubs with relatively shallow roots in the sprayed zone. Its use is to be avoided on steep slopes as it may move with washed soil.
​
       4. Bundu SC - WARNING – High risk of damage to surrounding vegetation – read the label carefully & determine soil clay content (very important).  

Spray Bundu at a rate of 8 – 24 Lt/ha depending on soil clay content or 1.6 – 4.8 Lts/km (2m wide).
 Cost/ha =      rate x Price / Liter                             = R                             
 Cost/km =      Qty x   Price / Liter                             = R                             
 Bundu gives excellent knockdown of existing weeds and long term control of any regrowth for 1 – 3 years or even longer after 2 or 3 applications.
  
Please note: With all products, period of residual control may vary and is dependant on the following factors, which may vary:
     -    Soil type – sandy soils vs. clay content.
     -    Rainfall
     -    Microbial activity in the soils  

For more information, please contact:
 Dix van Dam
Cell: 082 804 7942
Mail: dix@silvix.co.za or chemitsales@gmail.com
Web: www.bushencroachment.com

Translate: As discussed telephonically, we would like advice on correct treatment of Sand Olive which is taking over large areas of veld in the Rustenburg area. We need the results to be permanent and for grass to re-establish.
 
Ferdi Jordaan antwoord: Sand Olien (ook soms Yster Bossie) Dodonaea viscosa variëteit angustifolia

Twee GEREGISTREERDE (bewese effektiwiteit!) produkte uit Arysta se stal is beskikbaar:
1.      Kaput 100 Gel. Hier moet die plante net bo die grond afgesaag word en Kaput onmiddellik daarna aangewend word op die stomp.  Dis nou vir groter plante.
2.      Vir plante korter as 2m, kan mens Impala EC aanwend as ‘n loofbespuiting.
 
Aangesien Sand Olien immergroen is, kan mens wegkom met somer- of winterbehandelings, maar wat loofbespuiting met Impala betref, is somer dalk beter. (die proewe is toe gedoen).
 
Daar is deeglike navorsing om die effektiwiteit van beide bostaande produkte te bepaal en ek kan bevestig dat beide hoogs effektief is (verskaf permanente beheer), mits dit korrek aangewend word.  Die navorsing was juis die gevolg van navrae tov chemise beheer uit die Swartruggens-omgewing.

Ferdi Jordaan answers: Dichrostachys cinerea (Sickle bush) can be controlled in several ways:

1. Cut stump (where the tree is cut down less than 10cm above soil level) and the remaining stump treated with a suitably registered (tried & tested) herbicide.  You have options, with my favourite being Kaput 100 Gel, but one can use Browser as well.  It seems to make no difference whether cut stump treatments are done in winter or summer.  Most selective treatment.  Little or no effect on grass.  Grasses will proliferate once tree competition has been removed.
2. Foliar sprays have to be done during a period of active growth, particularly as far as deciduous plants go and that would usually be summer an early autumn.  Browser can be used for this, but one must be aware that some picloram, the active ingredient in Browser, will unavoidably end up on the soil or grass around the target plant.  That portion of the product can be absorbed by adjacent vegetation, which may be killed or damage should the “accidental dosage” be sufficient. As far as I know, there is currently no registered herbicide that does not contain picloram.  This treatment is less selective than cut stump.  Little or no effect on grass.  Grasses will proliferate once tree competition has been removed.
3. Limpopo 200 GG is a soil applied herbicide which is strictly root absorbed.  It is the least selective treatment of the three discussed here.  As such, there are no guarantees that other plants may not be killed.  Grasses will proliferate once tree competition has been removed, but for a year or two, grass damage will be visible where Limpopo GG had been applied.  It needs rain to wash the herbicide into the root zone of treated plants.

Acacia species:

1. While Browser is registered on several species, one must understand that this product is a generic version of the original.  If the dosage rates on the original product’s label were inadequate, the same would be true for Browser.  And this is exactly the case.  Browser works at the registered rate on some species, but not so well on others.  Any idea what Acacia species you are ready to take on?

Euclea divinorum (Magic gwarri):

1. This plant can be controlled with Kaput Gel, applied as a cut stump treatment.  Browser can also be applied as a foliar spray (see above for warnings, etc.)

Terminalia Sericea (Silver Cluster Leaf, also Afrikaanse Vaalboom) is a deciduous tree that is native to Southern Africa.

The tree normally occurs in a variety of habitats of open woodlands particularly on sandy soils where they are sometimes dominant or co-dominant and grows in dense thickets of various sizes. When this happens it inhibits the growth of grass. With time, the dense thickets can take over large areas of grasslands.

How to control Terminalia Sericea?
Below are excerpts from a bush encroachment specialist on the control of Silver Cluster Leaf.

There are picloram products registered for foliar application on small Silver Cluster Leaf (smaller than 1,5m in height), but a large percentage of the herbicide mixture lands on the ground. The picloram is then available for absorption by non-target plants. Picloram is very residual and easily taken up by roots. Ecologically long term damage can occur when picloram is sprayed over large areas.  We often suggest to rather look at stump treatment, where the trees are cut down and the freshly-cut stumps treated.

Browser (picloram) was at one stage registered for the stump treatment, but a product with better results has now been developed: Kaput 100 Gel  (picloram & triclopyr).  

Trials with Kaput on Silver Cluster Leaf have resulted in more than 90% control, even after 700 days.

Kaput 100 Gel is a fairly new concept. It is a complete formulated product that doesn’t require any additives or mixing. No applicators are needed, just a normal paint brush. The UV stable colorant in the product makes supervision and control easy.

Kaput contains only 10% active ingredient.  The label suggest that a minimum of 1mm must be applied to the fresh cut stump surface. If it is applied too thin, the amount of active ingredient may not be enough to affect the whole root system.

For more information on Kaput 100 Gel, look at ….. Kaput 100 Gel (click)

Invasive grass species are reducing the biodiversity of indigenous communities, changing ecosystem processes, retarding ecosystem restoration and reducing profits from ranching and arable agriculture.
The review of the impacts of alien grasses in other parts of the world suggests that alien grasses will become increasingly prevalent in South Africa.

At present only five grass species, all large conspicuous perennials, are declared weeds in South Africa.
Pampas grass (Cortaderia jubata, C. selloana) is declared as a Category 1 weed in South Africa. Pampas grass in South Africa is banned from sale and propagation. It may not be grown and must be removed.

Pampas grass is native to South America. It is highly adaptable and can grow in a wide range of environments and climates. Pampas grass is known to be highly drought tolerant.
Each plume of a older plant can produce up to 100 000 seeds. These seeds can be carried 25km by wind and develop without pollination.
The Pampas grass plant has a mass of fibrous roots. The root system of a large plant can occupy over 100 square meter of soil.
Pampas grass is an aggressive colonizer that competes with native vegetation. Once established it tends to exclude most other species and forms impenetrable clumps.
The foliage of pampas grass dries in the winter and pose a serious fire hazard.

Please share your experiences of pampas grass with us.

The Rhenosterspruit Nature Conservancy wrote an interesting article about Pom Pom. Below are some extracts from the article. For the full article, go to Pom Pom - An Invasive Alien Plant

The invasive alien Pom-Pom bloom from early spring to late autumn, spreading air-borne seeds in the wind. If you are not already taking action against this alien plant, your URGENT response is called for.

This plant is a Category ONE Invasive plant. What that means to you is: " These are plants that must be controlled on land or water surfaces by ALL land users."
This category includes Lantana, Bugweed, Pampas Grass, Cat's Claw creeper, Oleander, and Balloon Vine.


Please note that if you are found guilty of neglecting to attend to these plants a fine of 4 years jail term or R10 000 or BOTH applies.

The Pompom is dormant in winter, and is would be pointless to take action once the leaves begin to yellow.  The best time to spray this invader with herbicide is during the growing phase, and preferably before flowering.

The Pompom spreads by rhizome and by seed.  Cutting the plant down, or burning is NOT effective.  The experience in the RNC is that this practice encourages vigourous growth, and rapid spread through the rhizome.  THe rhizome (root system) is well protected under the soil, not affected by burning, and leaves the Pompom ready to grow.

The Pompom thrives in disturbed or degraded soil.  Pay close attention to these areas.

In the RNC action has in the past often been taken too late. This may be because the flowring season begins when we all want to go on holiday, and wind down for the year.  This is when the pompom "gets busy"!

When the pompom is already flowering, many owners have included de-heading in their treatment regime.  The flowers are cut off, bagged and burnt.  This activity adds greatly to the duration and cost of the treatment intervention.  Also, walking through the flowering plants, some already seeding, disperses the seeds quickly and widely.

If you are able to apply herbicide while the plant is growing, i.e. before the flowering commences, the intervention will be more effective.

Try to use "spot application" rather than dispersed spraying.  Spray only the pompom plant, focusing on the leaves.

After 3-5 days the plant will appear to be wilting.  Leave in place and undisturbed as the plant will die over 10-14 days.

We had an interesting enquiry about the control of "wild esparagus" / "katstert" on farms adjacent to the Koppies dam in the Free State. Below are the main points of the enquiry and replies.