Last Days for Invasive Sportsground Pest

Much of Pukekura Park’s sportsfield is about to turn brown as New Plymouth District Council aims to hit a grass weed for six.

Poa annua is a grass that browns off in summer, with patches of it treated every year at the sportsground.

However with about 70 per cent of the turf cover now comprising poa, Manager Parks Mark Bruhn says they will now remove all the grass and start again.

“We have applied Round-up to the entire outfield and people will see the grass die off within the week,” he says.

“There’s so much poa there now that it’s more economical and efficient to get rid of all the grass then re-sow the outfield from scratch.”

No sports will be played on the sportground during this time, although the ground will be ready for the cricket season when it starts in November.

Meanwhile, work will soon be undertaken on the wicket block that was damaged with weedkiller by vandals earlier this year.

“The wicket block will be sown again next week, and we will know within a month if the weedkiller toxin has dissipated enough for the grass to take. If it hasn’t, we will have to remove clay from the block,” says Mr Bruhn.