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The Control Of "Wild Esparagus"/"Katstert"

21/9/2011

26 Comments

 
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.
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Enquiry:
The natural grazing on my farm, adjacent to Koppies dam in the Free State, is being taken over by "wild esparagus" / "katstert". I have tried several herbicides but with no success. What can you recommend and when would be the correct time in the year to apply?
1st Reply:
"Can you please expand as to which products you have tried with what methods and rates of application?"
More Details about the Enquiry:
I have sprayed with Round-up, Hormoban and Turfweeder at the recommended strengths (sprayed the same plants 2-3 times between December and May this year) and have tried also Chopper as a spot treatment at the plant roots (in February 2010).
All treated plants recovered within weeks and although they are not as green as the untreated plants during the winter, I expect them to be back to normal again this summer.
 If you have had any experience with wild esparagus, you will know that it is a very difficult plant to kill, it has "bulbs" and an extensive rooting system. It has needles as apposed to broad leaves. The seeds are being spread by birds that eat their berries. If I dig them out, I just prepare a seedbed for the millions of seeds dropped around the plant.
I need a herbicide (or natural's solution - parasite or disease, as fire also does not affect the plants) that will stop this invasion. I am prepared to sacrifice natural grass species, as I am confident that they will return with time, as the plant is speading uncontrolably.



Response from Ferdi Jordaan, Bush Encroachment Specialist:
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The plant is indeed wild asparagus or Katbos.  Botanical name Asparagus laricinus.  I have personally done lots of work on it, some of it even at Koppies dam, within the reserve surrounding the dam.

Chopper (and Hatchet) is registered, but even the guy who did the original R&D admits that results are erratic at best.  One has to admit that Katbos is a worthy opponent though and the root system probably has a lot to do with it.

I am attaching two labels for chemicals which are registered, one being Browser, the other Limpopo 200 GG.  Browser is applied as a 2% foliar spray with 0,5% mineral oil, like our H&R Crop Oil.  Adding a colourant helps. It does affect grass to a certain extent, but the latter recovers within a year or so.  Application would be later in the season, once the new foliage is fully developed.  I did trials as late as April in the Kroonstad district, but depending on rain, December would be OK.  One more thing: small or scattered plants can be treated with knapsack sprayers, but for dense thickets or large, well established plants, one needs to apply Browser with a fire fighter or something capable of delivering high volumes.

Limpopo GG is applied as a soil treatment within the base of the plant.  It too, affects grass and this damage sticks around a little longer, but also recovers in time.  Here one needs rain to leach the product into the root zone of target plants and the more rain it gets, the better.  The only problem is that Katbos seem to prefer soil high in clay and as you know, root absorbed herbicides battle under such conditions.  That is exactly why I developed a foliar treatment, such as Browser.  Be that as it may, both products do work, but FOLLOW-UP TREATMENTS IN THE NEXT SUMMER, IS ESSENTIAL.  I’m not aware of any chemical being 100% effective, first time.

I need to add that while some re-growth did occur, some of it died back due to the residual effect of picloram in the soil.  Picloram stays active within the plant too, even for a year or so.  If the plant does not die within the first summer, it may do so during the next, but chances are that retreatment will be required on large plants.  I also suggest one treats a minimum of 90% of all green foliage (shoots and whatever counts as leaves on this plant).  Treat to point of run-off.  Overspray onto grass is unavoidable.

I know Katbos is taking over large areas and Koppies is not too far off.  Hence I’m willing to assist if I can. Let me know if this is on.

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26 Comments
Cobus Coetzee
26/12/2011 01:57:30 am

Hi,

I have used Bushwacker (200g/kg Bromacil) on Katbos very effectively for the last few years on Katbos.

Reply
Dix link
16/2/2012 11:05:34 pm

Thanks for that info Cobus. How did you apply it and what rate did you use?

Regards

Dix

Reply
Cobus
2/10/2012 06:09:28 am

Hi Dix. I used the Buswacker pellets and placed approximately 40-50 grams at the base of the stems of the target plants. All the pellets must be placed in a single heap. Rain will wash the chemical into the soil. Be carefull if you apply this in the vacinity of non target plants as Bromacil will kill all plants that absorb the chemical through their roots.
We also recently observed worms that destroy these plants in the Heuningspruit area - we are watching closely this season to gather more knowledge about this biological control method.

Jill Grinetr
7/12/2013 03:54:27 pm

Please let me know about the worms in the Heuningspruit area as I have a major problem with Katbos in the Bloemfontein/Bainsvlei area...will try buswacker pills. Many thanks

Reply
Cobus
8/12/2013 01:12:28 pm

Please be careful with Bushwacker as it will kill all plants as well as grass. It is only recommended for spot treatment. A slightly safer option for larger heavily invested areas is Molopo 200 pills - Also 40-50g grams per plant distributed evenly around the base. You may have to do a follow up treatment the following year, but the grass will at least recover. We are still monitoring the worms.

Reply
Steve link
1/2/2016 12:56:19 am

Boergoats readily graze Katbos and they have just about eradicated it on my farm.

Reply
Casper
5/1/2021 02:01:20 am

Hi Steve.
In which area are you?

Reply
Pieter
19/2/2016 04:36:12 am

Reply
Hugo
23/5/2016 09:39:10 am

Hi, would these to, Buswacker pellets and Molopo 200 pills affect any animals eating affected grass? Also in the Kroonstad area. As you all know, we dont have much water at the moment and rely on underground water. Can you substitute the rain by pouring a certain amount of water over the covered area and how much? Mainly clay soil. Does this also work for "Doring bome"?

Reply
Cobus
23/5/2016 09:50:20 pm

Hi. Rather use Molopo 200 pills (or Molopo 500 SC) as Bushwacker seems to cause more harm to grass. Molopo will kill almost all tree species, so do not use it close to trees that you do not want to kill. I use 10g (one filled Cope bottle cap) placed about 50cm away from "Doringboom" to kill them. I guess you could replace rain by using the SC product and diluting it with water or dilute the pills in 1L water. But I recommend waiting for the new season and doing this in November rather.

Reply
Paul
10/8/2016 10:11:35 pm

Hi

Any new developments on the worms?

Reply
Cobus
11/8/2016 10:10:33 pm

I need to follow up in the area where we saw the worms, but I have not seen the owner of the land for a long time so I cannot tell what the latest development is.

Reply
Hugo Schagen
11/8/2016 12:34:49 pm

Hi, Buswacker pellets and/or Molopo 200 pills. Where can I get it in Kroonstad area?

Reply
Cobus
11/8/2016 10:17:53 pm

Contact Fires Janse van Vuuren of Laeveld Agrochem. fires@laeveld.co.za. Btw, In the last season I have tested using Molopo 500SC which I applied with a knapsack sprayer to the roots of the plants. Results also look very good so far. For smaller Katbos closer/under trees that I do not want to kill I have used a 2% Picloram + 0.5% Citrex oil in water mix which I sprayed on the leaves. They may need a follow up spray the next season, but they all died this season.

Reply
Cobus
22/1/2017 08:27:02 pm

This year I have tried 2% Picloram 240 and 2% Citrex Oil and the results look great so far. Damage to the grass is minimal, so I prefer this method above the other solutions tried to far. Please also refer to the info from the author in the article above on how to apply the solution. I use Ecoguard's blue dye to ensure that I have covered the whole plant with the herbicide.

Ferdie
24/11/2016 07:47:53 pm

Any product containing bromacil is more likely to cause grass damage than one containing only tebuthiuron, but at high enough rates tebuthiuron also affects many grass species. Nevertheless, tebuthiuron on its own cannot be regarded as a great grass herbicide, while bromacil definitely is. Having said that, be aware that both chemicals at the right rate will kill many woody plants very effectively. Both are mostly root absorbed and any plant with roots within the treated area may be killed or severely damaged - unless it is tolerant to these herbicides.

By the way, to the best of my knowledge, the only granule form herbicide that is registered for control of Katbos, is LIMPOPO 200 GG (tebuthiuron). The dose is actually determined by the diameter of the plant base, with larger plants getting a higher rate. Since Katbos often occurs on soils with a high clay content, the chemical dose had to be increased to allow for some of the product being adsorbed by clay particles in the soil and therefore not being available for uptake by plant roots.

The LIMPOPO 200 GG can be downloaded from www.arystalifescience.co.za.



Reply
Jannie link
8/12/2016 08:28:51 am

Ons is besig met 'n implement wat houtagtige indringer plante stukkend kap. Kyk gerus na ons video van wilde tamatie
EeP_gUG6df8

Kontak my gerus met enige vrae. 0824170175 mybtoer@gmail.com

Reply
Sj Kruger
1/4/2019 10:51:53 am

Hi Ferdi. Het n probleem met katbos op plaas naby Harbeesfontein, kan jy my asb. kontak dat jy my kan help om van die goed ontslae te raak.

Reply
Cobus
1/4/2019 01:15:56 pm

Hi. Just an update. The past two seasons we have tried a few foliar mixes with great results for katbos, melkbos or any other woody plants. Mix1: 5L water + 100ml (2%) Triclopyr + 50ml (1%) Picloram. Mix2: 5L water + 100ml (2%) Picloram + 3g Metsulfuron Methyl. Both seems very potent and does not cause any significant damage to grass. Mix3: 5L water + 100ml (2%) Roundup/Glyphosate 540g/l + 3g Metsulfuron Methyl. This is also a very potent mix but avoid drift onto grass due to Roundup. Best time to apply is Feb-May.

Reply
Nico Marais
6/5/2019 09:16:46 am

Cobus waar kan ek die bestandele van mix1 te koop kry?

Reply
melissa strydom link
29/12/2019 11:19:52 pm

Good day, I work at a big cat sanctuary in the Eastern Freestate and we have a large amount of wild asparagus in some of our enclosures. We would like to get rid of it but our concern is the chemicals we may need to use? Is there any animal friendly chemicals available or any adivce as to how we can remedy this encroachment without causing harm to any animals

Reply
Arno
4/7/2021 06:29:55 am

Hello I hope you are doing well. Reading all the comments I would like to know what is the best solution for taking out Katbos and stopping it to multiply. I'm from Bloemfontein. Regards.

Reply
Cobus
4/7/2021 11:05:43 pm

Hi.

Currently this mix works well for me:
Per 5L water – 1% Triclopyr/Garlon 480 (50ml) + 1% Picloram 240 (50ml) + 2% Actipron Super/Citrix (100ml) + 2.5g Metsulfuron-Methyl 600. Apply from Feb-May and cover all leaves.
PS: Revisit the site the following year to spray any new seeds/plants that may have germinated.

Reply
Arno
5/7/2021 12:49:21 am

Thank you Cobus appreciate it. Where are you from? If possible can you whatsapp me 0712886789 please.

Cobus
27/9/2021 06:57:01 am

Hi Arno. I am from the Kroonstad area. The Triclopyr/Picloram/Metsulfuron mix is working well for me. Your local herbicide agent should be able to supply them.

Reply
Nqobile mthembu
27/9/2021 06:01:56 am

I have a problem of katbos in our farm at heilbron side next to wwh farm can you help us how to control it. Farm name is 3M farm

Reply



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