Rhododendron Ponticum, a pretty (to some) yet pesky invasive species trying to conquer our green and pleasant land. Introduced to the UK back in the 18th century this hardy plant has gone on to dominate large areas of the Scottish landscape, and throughout the rest of the UK. When in bloom the flower can be a huge tourist draw, but unless action is taken to keep the plant in check, areas of natural beauty will be overrun destroying the native flora.
The well known method of treatment is the spraying of herbicides, while very effective in what it does, it is likely to kill off all the native plant life we want to see flourish. Stem injection is a more targeted approach to the use of herbicide, providing the maturity of the plant bears a thick enough stem for injection. Cutting the plant down is the obvious choice for some people, but without removing the root ball and all other bud-bearing material you’re really just wasting your time. The plant will regrow and you’ll be back to where you started within a few years.
A technique devised by The lever and Mulch Partnership®, and recently taught to and used by ourselves, greatly reduces the likelihood of regrowth through the killing of all bud-bearing material with little impact on the surrounding environment.
For more information on this or any invasive weed management contact us on 0800 0209 307 or e-mail us on info@soilutions.co.uk.
Guide to Rhododendron
This free eBook will help you learn about Rhododendron and how to treat it in the simplest terms. Download it now for free!
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