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Kill Them while They’re Young and Your Battle will be Won!

By September 24, 2013June 22nd, 2018Control

Wheel Cactus is no longer confined to the Maldon, Baringhup and Nuggetty regions. This dreadful weed has recently been found growing in Walmer and Muckleford, and even within a couple of kilometres of the Castlemaine township.

Hence we’d like to remind all landowners who find any new Wheel Cactus plants on their property to kill them while they are still young and small. If you prevent the new plants from maturing and producing fruit, then you are also preventing the spread of the weed around your property. Plus it is so much easier to dig up the little cactus plants and bury or burn them, than injecting large plants with herbicide! Maintaining your property free of Wheel Cactus will not be a difficult task if you remain attentive and regularly dig up and destroy the small plants.

Wheel Cactus (Opuntia robusta) was last year reclassified and is now declared a “Weed of National Significance”, thus recognising this plant as a major threat to our environment and economy. Hence landowners are required to destroy all plants on their property, and again we advise that early intervention will definitely help win your battle.

If you require any help, the Tarrangower Cactus Control Group Inc. can be contacted by calling Ian on 0412 015 807. We also regularly demonstrate the best techniques to use at our monthly Community Field Days.

The Tarrangower Cactus Control Group Inc. and Parks Victoria invite everyone to join us at our next Wheel Cactus Community Field Day on Sunday 29th September on a property in Skinners Lane, which is a few kilometres south of Maldon, off South Parkins Reef Road. The location will be well signposted from Newstead and Parkins Reef Roads. (Click here to view map.)

The morning’s activities will begin at 10:30 am and end at 12:30 pm with an enjoyable BBQ and friendly chat.

web.Digging-small-Wheel-Cactus-plants

Digging small Wheel Cactus plants.