ALIENS
Easily-recognised common weed in Gauteng
A
nother alien invasive
plant found on
Gauteng's
smallholdings is Smelter's
bush (Flaveria bidentis). It is
an annual herb that originated from tropical America.
It invades crops, roadsides,
gardens, waste places and
disturbed veld.
Its invasive status is NEMBA
Category 1b.
Category 1b lists invasive
species that require control by
means of an invasive species
management programme.
In all cases, the law requires
property owners to check if
any of these species are on
their property.
If they are found, the
property owner or occupier
needs to control them from
jumping the garden fence
(Category 1a) or needs to
submit an invasive species
management control
programme explaining why
he or she should be granted a
Continued on page 47
POTATO PLANTER
From page 45
Left: the full planter. Right: with plants emerging through the straw
out the potatoes from the
remaining compost and, by
now, well-rotted straw.
You can also grow potatoes in
old tyres. Start by filling two
with soil, ensuring that the
space where the tube would
46
www.sasmallholder.co.za
be is also filled. Plant a seed
potato and, as it grows add
more tyres, gently filling them
with soil around the stem
each time. This will fool the
p [