Serrated Tussock is a highly invasive weed classified as a priority weed in the Snowy Monaro. Under the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015, landholders have a duty to control its growth and spread.
Look for Serrated Tussock on your property and create a simple map of where you found it. You can always call Council if you need help identifying weeds.
Tips for controlling Serrated Tussock:
• Make sure you have good year-round ground cover to prevent Serrated Tussock getting established, or if it’s already there, from spreading any more.
• Understand that short-term weed control is only part of managing your land long-term.
• Plan to control all Serrated Tussock before it produces seeds in spring. One year of seeding means many years of weeding.
• Decide what control methods you will use:
o Manual removal or spot spraying is best for isolated or light infestations
o Boom spraying and long-term pasture renovation strategies are effective for managing heavy infestations on arable land (giving consideration to the legal restrictions on clearing native vegetation / grasslands)
o Aerial spraying with flupropanate (residual granular herbicide) will control infestations of Serrated Tussock in inaccessible or wooded areas
• Non-chemical options include digging or chipping out the plants. Bare soil provides the perfect place for Serrated Tussock seeds to germinate so when you are chipping aim to disturb as little of the ground as possible. You can scatter grass seed over larger bare areas to help stop weeds from growing.
• Consider whether you have the time, equipment and ability to do all the work yourself! You might prefer to engage a local weed spray contractor. Council can provide a list of contractors operating in your area.
• Attend an accredited, chemical use and handling training course.
• It is widely recommended that herbicides flupropanate and glyphosate are used for controlling grassy weeds like Serrated Tussock.
o From September onwards, a mixture of flupropanate and glyphosate will prevent seed set.
o Use glyphosate alone only on actively growing plants. Glyphosate is absorbed through the leaves of plants and acts very quickly but is not selective and will kill most plants on contact.
o Flupropanate is a more selective, longer-acting herbicide that is absorbed by the roots of plants. Flupropanate can take several months to kill grassy weeds and will remain active in the soil until about 100ml of rain has leached it through the root zone.
