In a bid to rid the use of glyphosate to tackle weeds in Blenheim’s top two premier parks, Council has begun using an organic spray as an alternative.

Council’s Parks and Open Spaces Manager, Jane Tito, says for the past 18 months the gardening team has removed all use of the herbicide glyphosate at Seymour Square, using an organic weed spray instead.

“We’ve seen some great results since making the move to the organic-based spray in July 2020 and the next step is to start using it at Pollard Park. Our aim is to reduce the use of glyphosate at the park by 50 percent by 2026,” Ms Tito said.

Glyphosate, a commonly used herbicide that eradicates broadleaf plants and grasses, is currently used to tackle weeds in a range of areas at Pollard Park including the petanque court, gravel pathways, tree rings, rockery, carparks and fence lines.

“At the moment the park uses slightly less than 10 litres of glyphosate per year. By 2026 we want to reduce this to five litres per year for use on only the hardiest of weeds,” Ms Tito said.

“The organic-based spray product we have been using at Seymour Square can be used for the majority of spray needs at Pollard Park, however because it is more eco-friendly it will require more frequent applications to maintain the level of service expected at this park,” she said.

Council’s green approach also extends to the pest management system at Seymour Square and Pollard Park.

“Over the past few years we’ve changed the way we manage some garden pests, for example we’ve introduced good bugs (like lady bugs) to help manage the bad bugs. This approach, along with the use of organic spray (that uses a fatty acid as a base), the use of baking soda for other issues like mildew, the removal of weeds by hand, and the use of different fertilisation techniques, helps to promote a soil microbiome system that conserves soil health,” Ms Tito said.

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