Heavy rainfall over summer has led to more caltrop growing around Adelaide. This weed poses a significant threat to both agricultural produce and animal safety. To combat this, the City of PAE implements an extensive Caltrop Management Program annually from October to March, adjusting the schedule based on the seasonal variations in rain and temperature.
Our approach involves targeting known affected areas. We use herbicides on the plants before they begin seeding, or if seeding has started, we remove and safely dispose of both the plants and their seeds.
Each infested location is recorded with GPS, allowing us to revisit these spots during the current treatment season if there's additional heavy rain and heat, as well as in subsequent seasons.
Given the vast area of the City of PAE, we depend on the community's help to identify and report new occurrences. If you spot caltrop on public or private property, please report it to us through our Online Service Portal or by calling 8405 6600. This allows us to incorporate these locations into our management program or take necessary action promptly.