October Weed Watch: Catch Them in Flower
October’s here and the countryside is putting on a show – gold on the riverbanks, pink in the treetops and dainty daisies spilling over garden walls. Pretty? Yes. Welcome? Not all of it.
Flowering weeds are easy to find, and they’re easy to treat too – because they’re growing hard right now, so sending weed gel straight down to their roots will stop them in their tracks! Treat them this month and you’ll prevent that spring flowering growth from turning into summer’s seeds that the birds love to spread
Broom
(Cytisus scoparius)
Broom turns roadsides and hill country gold each spring, then smothers them in dense thickets. It enriches the soil as it grows, pushing out natives, and its seed lasts for years.
- Spot It: Upright shrub with ridged green, almost leafless stems and bright yellow pea-sized flowers. No spines – that’s how you tell it from gorse – yes they look similar.
- Which Gel? Picloram Plus+ or Picloram. Near water or plants you want to keep, use Bamboo Buster.
- How: Cut stems low and paste the stump within 15 seconds.
- Careful: Leave our native brooms (Carmichaelia) alone.
Banana Passionfruit
(Passiflora tarminiana & P. tripartita var. mollissima)
Pretty pink flowers, tasty fruit – and a vine that climbs into the canopy and smothers the trees holding it up. Birds, possums and pigs spread the seeds far and wide.
- Spot It: Climbing vine with three-lobed leaves, curly tendrils and pink flowers dangling on long tubes.
- Which Gel? MetGel or Picloram for established vines; Original for small ones. Near water, use Bamboo Buster.
- How: Find every stem at ground level, cut low and paste within 15 seconds. Leave the top to die in the tree.
- Bonus Tip: Bag any fruit you can reach first.
Mexican Daisy
(Erigeron karvinskianus)
Don’t be fooled by the cute daisies. Mexican daisy carpets walls, steps, banks and cliffs, crowding out small native plants, and its fluffy seed travels for KMs. It’s banned from sale – but still in plenty of gardens!
- Spot It: Low, sprawling plant with tiny daisies that open white and age to pink.
- Which Gel? Original for walls and garden edges; Bamboo Buster for big mats or near water.
- How: The glove smear – gel on a gloved palm, then pull upward through the stems. Snip and bag seed heads first.
Photos credit of Weedbusters – Trevor James and Carolyn Lewis & wikimedia commons
Your October Cheat Sheet
| Weed | Best Gel | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Broom | Picloram Plus+ (or Picloram) | Cut n paste the stump, or glove smear |
| Banana Passionfruit | Metgel or Picloram | Cut n paste the stump, leave top to die |
| Mexican Daisy | Original (or Bamboo Buster) | Glove smear |
| Near native / prized plants | Glimax | As above |
| Near waterways | Bamboo Buster | As above |
NOTE: view our weed directory for safety and best practice usage tips. Always read the label and use as directed.
Quick Spring Tips
- Pick a dry spell so rain doesn’t wash the gel off.
- Be quick – paste within 15 seconds of cutting, before the stump seals.
- Treat before seed – flowers now means there will be seeds in the next month – and birds will propagate.
- Mind the drip line – keep Picloram and MetGel away from roots of plants you value and away from water.
Grab your Cut’n’Paste, head outside, and catch them while they flower!
Need to Identify a Different Weed?
Not sure what’s growing in your garden? Our Cut’n’Paste Weed Directory is your field guide to New Zealand’s most common (and uncommon) weeds.
Pro Tip: Bookmark the Weed Directory on your phone to identify a weed on the spot and find the right gel. Remember to wear gloves and follow the instructions on the label.
