Gardening in the Overberg – the good and the bad and the truth, from the Kogelberg Garden Circle
So, you want to plant trees. But which ones? Therein lies the rub, as Shakespeare said! The advice is so conflicting. What we do hear most often is, “Take out invasives. They’re bad”. But we rarely stop to explain what the word ‘invasives’ truly means. So, what’s the big deal?
Many people plant species that do not naturally occur in this area, colloquially referred to as alien species. But for an alien species to be classified as invasive, it needs to cause a) ecological damage, b) economic losses and c) human health issues.
In our Overstrand District, these three factors come together in a scary mix because of the constant threat of wildfires, which cause personal and national economic losses, damage to individual properties and human and animal losses.
Yes, the fynbos needs fire to survive, but every 12 to 15 years, not every few years like we have been experiencing. Generally, invasive species catch fire easily and also burn at significantly higher temperatures than the local fynbos.
This is especially true for species containing resin or oils, such as Port Jacksons (Acacia saligna), Rooikrans (Acacia cyclops), pine trees and Australian Myrtle (Gaudium laevigatum). These trees spread and grow rapidly, start producing seeds from as young as 2 to 3 years and form dense stands within a few years, completely displacing the local fynbos.
So how do we know what is good to plant and what is bad? And who do you ask?
In the next few articles, Kogelberg Garden Circle members will be sharing their hard-earned knowledge and experience about alien plants, invasives, fire-wise and water-wise gardening, protecting plants against wind, what questions to ask when buying plants, and to assure you that gardening in the Kogelberg is not more difficult, just different!
If you would like to join the Kogelberg Garden Circle, please contact Galia, 082 963 3804.
These could be hiding under invasive plants!
Galia Manikom