Over the past two years MEEP crews have been injecting patches of cactus throughout the district. Whilst we have had enormous success with this program, the cactus often need to be treated several times to completely kill it.
Cactus, particularly prickly Pear, is very difficult to control. As it is fairly resistant to all but the strongest herbicides. It can be killed through injection of glyphosate, but this is generally only feasible on single plants or small patches. Larger patches pose a greater challenge, requiring spraying with strong herbicides. Mechanical removal is a possibility, however thorough clean up of all pieces is necessary. Pieces as small as a few square centimetres can readily regenerate. Disposal of the cactus can also prove to be challenging.