HFCheung

It is now the flowering season for Mikania.  This week, Mikania is highly visible in many areas in HK.  I am surprised to see the danse area of Mikania at Tai Po Kau, some of that is by the family trial on the slope above the farm house.  Hope that AFCD will send someone to clear them up.

This photo is taken next to the Tai Po Kau gate.


Do anyone has an idea of how to clear HK of Mikania?

HF Cheung

ysinhang

The best time to eliminate Mikania is between Mar to Sept. It is because Oct is the flowering season and Nov to Feb is the fruiting period. In order to minimize the chance to spread the fruit and their pollen, Mar to Sept is the best time to do so!~
I hope the information will be useful!

HFCheung

Removal by hand is not effective for such large quantity of Mikania. What are the methods that can remove a lot of them effectively? I understand farmers using herbicides. That could be a problem if organic farming is practiced nearby. Is the use of fire effective? How about using plastic sheets to cover them?

How do the seed of Mikania spread? I know it is by wind. Is there any good way to stop their seed spread to another area?

HF Cheung

gary

If it could be easily controlled by simple method, it was not Mikania. If you want AFCD do somethings for that particular patch of Mikania, you have to prove it causes severe impact to some ecological important species/ habitat.

ajohn

I think control by herbicides and fire would not be acceptable in Tai Po Kau (as it would destroy other vegetation and/or stream life), and covering them with plastic sheets would have the same effect as the Mikania itself (ie smothering all other vegetation).
Control by hand seems to be the best option but as ysinhang points out, this would need to be timed so that it does not encourage further spread of fruits. Perhaps in the short term, the spread can be controlled by cutting the bases of the stem so that the plants cannot get water/nutrient.

Is Mikania a problem in most of TPK? I think it is mostly along the more open, forest-edge habitat along the access road, not in the actual forest.

HFCheung

Mai Po also has lot of Mikania.  Here are some volunteers removing them today.  There are also Mikania removing activity in Long Valley today, organized by Conservancy Association.

DSCF2909P.jpg (115.98 KB)

22/11/2008 15:41

I was puzzled.  Mikania has been flowering for several weeks already.  It seems it is still OK to remove them at this time.

HF Cheung