Reproducing Like A Weed

Question From: 
Jo Evans in  Moruya Heads,  Moruya Heads NSW

 

Nature of problem: 
Reproducing like a weed

 

Type of Plant (if known): 
Dietes

 

Symptoms of Plant Illness (please try NOT to diagnose your problems yourself): 
Reproducing very fast

 

Soil Type (e.g. sandy, clay or loam) OR Potting Mix Type: 
Clay

 

How often do you water the plant:
There has been a lot of rain this summer so have not watered.

 

How many hours of sunlight does the plant get each day:
Most of the day.

 

What type of plant is it:
5 mature dietes plants and countless young ones

 

How long since you planted it:
About 2 years (planted by last owners when did the garden up to sell

 

Have you fertilised? If so, with what and when:
No

 

Is the plant indoors or outdoors: 
Outdoors

 

What other treatments have you given the plant: 
None

Upload photo if available: 

Other Comments: 
Dietes is reproducing very quickly in my garden with literally hundreds of baby plants appearing. I have just cut and bagged the seed pods from 5 adult plants and have two bags of them (hundreds), with each seed pod when it disperses producing over 100 seeds each.

I grew suspicious and looked up its weed status: it is classified (both varieties) as an ‘Emerging Weed’. I am taking mine out and planting Australian native grasses instead. I live next to a freshwater pond reserve and do not want it invading.

Should you have it as a recommended plant given that? Or perhaps it should have a warning… or something.

Regards

Jo Evans

 

Answer:  Hi Jo,  Almost every plant is a weed somewhere. Over-zealous council weeds officers have done much damage to the fight to manage weeds in Australia especially environmental weeds. EG Peter Andrews has shown the other side of the argument with regard to how useful many invasive weeds are in arresting erosion – Willows in particular. Personally I don’t like Dietes and I have seen it as a tenacious weed. I really believe that this plant and indeed most garden escapees should be dealt with locally by sensible council advice and by caring nursery experts giving good advice ( or better still by refusing to stock these plants). Dietes are usually at their worst as weeds in dry soils and full sun in temperate areas.  Don