About 20 keen weeders turned up with trowels, spades, loppers and niwashi to tackle a veritable field of climbing asparagus at the top of the old dune overlooking the Bowler and Domain.

Organised by Pam Gill of Ecomatters as part of the Waitakere Ranges Local Board climbing asparagus blitz, the volunteers were pleased the rain held off and much progress was made tackling this destructive weed.

Ecomatters are also going house to house, talking about climbing asparagus, encouraging home owners to control the weed and offering help if home owners are unable to do the work or it is too big.

Stopping for morning tea

Climbing asparagus can be dug out when small, but has tubers that must be removed or they will resprout. Glyphosate with a penetrant is effective as a spray. Bushes can be cut and then sprayed to keep the spray near the ground.

Climbing asparagus seeds as bright orange and attractive to birds and hence can be easily spread. Plants smother native bush and can form dense mats.

Pam Gill from Ecomatters, Holly Cox from Bioseciruty, with neighbour Melanie Reid