Spraying blackberries

[David Rees <>]

Wayne

Some info

The following publication describes methods to control blackberries in Australia and lists a number of herbicides that could be used see http://www.weeds.org.au/WoNS/blackberry/docs/blackberry-control-manual-part-4.pdf  

A search of the APVMA permit library has located the current permit that the ACT government has from the Federal government to use herbicides on Blackberries ( and some other noxious weeds) for locations close to waterways see http://permits.apvma.gov.au/PER14522.PDF  In this case it looks like sprays should not be applied when fruiting.    This permit may not apply or be needed for all applications - e.g. those away from waterways when normal 'label' conditions of use would apply.   

NSW parks and forests have different permits 

As an example, there many formulations of  Glyphosate available which is a commonly used herbicide for general weed control.  The following is a typical label of a commercial product http://websvr.infopest.com.au/LabelRouter?LabelType=L&ProductCode=70096  (see page 8 (11 out of 15 on the pdf)).  Says apply from flowering to leaf fall (Jan to May)  for Tasmania there is a statement not to apply to bushes baring fruit - that does not apply here, so it seems that you could legally apply Glypho to bushes with fruit - away from watercourses that is.

Signs saying the plants have been sprayed and don't eat the fruit is commonsense OHS practice.

Seems to me we have lots of Crimson Rosellas still about but would like less blackberries, while it is certainly best for a number of reasons that the bushes are sprayed earlier than when they are fruiting, 'operational constraints' may come into play and spraying bushes with fruit on them appears to be permitted in some situations. 

Hope that helps

David

On Thu, Apr 14, 2016 at 3:23 PM, Wayne Gregson <> wrote:

Watching a Crimson Rosella eating some blackberries of a cane this morning at Narrabundah Hill reminded me that decades ago when I was on the COG committee we tasked somebody ( not me!) to try and find out what the effects of spraying blackberries in the ACT would have on birds that ate the berries.  I don’t recall that an answer was forthcoming at that time.

 

Given that we humans are cautioned not to eat to eat the berries from sprayed canes I still wonder what the likely impact will be on the birds.  Did COG ever get an answer to this question?

 

Wayne Gregson