Cutting weeds by the road side

[GordonH]

So you feel MOT should have had the contractors take there chances & cut roadsides anyway.
Your right whats few more fires going to harm anyway.

Yes much better to leave 5' of bone dry grass (shakes head).

Hey if it's something you feel strong enough about, let MOT know.

[vegas1500]

I am from the prairies where the municipalities keep the roadsides and ditches cut. I cant get over the mess we let grow out here. You would think just for the fire hazard alone this would be done. Lake Country

It's so that Albertans know where to toss their cigarette butts.

Pretty sure people from BC are just as guilty at this.

[alanjh595]

Alberta has very strict "Noxious Weed" laws. It's all about protecting the crops.

[ohgeeze]

I suspect the lack of regular cutting of roadside grass could be due to amount spark created by hitting unseen metal object & rocks.
With the very dry conditions, sparks & dry grass = grass fire pretty quickly.

Yes that was what they said...but that is not such a concern now...I guess the city is hoping for heavy snow to pack the weeds down.

[GordonH]

I suspect the lack of regular cutting of roadside grass could be due to amount spark created by hitting unseen metal object & rocks.
With the very dry conditions, sparks & dry grass = grass fire pretty quickly.

Yes that was what they said...but that is not such a concern now...I guess the city is hoping for heavy snow to pack the weeds down.

Hwy 97 & 33 along with other Provincial highways is under MOT responsible not the city.

[alanjh595]

The roadsides, mountain meadows, Okanagan Lake bottom, fallow fields, pumpkin patches, industrial areas, parks, greenways, pathways, hiking trails, and drainage ditches are all covered in noxious weeds. The seeds spread in every direction with the valley breezes.

How can Kelowna City Works keep-up with all these natural occurring, self-seeding, weeds/grasses? To eradicate one would require herbicides. To use herbicides would anger the "tree-huggers" of one form or another.

To slash the weeds growing roadside would just flail all of the seeds into the air to spread elsewhere and probably upset those with asthma, hay fever and other breathing difficulties to complain to city hall.

[GordonH]

The roadsides, mountain meadows, Okanagan Lake bottom, fallow fields, pumpkin patches, industrial areas, parks, greenways, pathways, hiking trails, and drainage ditches are all covered in noxious weeds. The seeds spread in every direction with the valley breezes.

How can Kelowna City Works keep-up with all these natural occurring, self-seeding, weeds/grasses? To eradicate one would require herbicides. To use herbicides would anger the "tree-huggers" of one form or another.

To slash the weeds growing roadside would just flail all of the seeds into the air to spread elsewhere and probably upset those with asthma, hay fever and other breathing difficulties to complain to city hall.

This thread is about cutting grasses along the roadside. You should start new thread on your subject noxious weeds.

[alanjh595]

The roadsides, mountain meadows, Okanagan Lake bottom, fallow fields, pumpkin patches, industrial areas, parks, greenways, pathways, hiking trails, and drainage ditches are all covered in noxious weeds. The seeds spread in every direction with the valley breezes.

How can Kelowna City Works keep-up with all these natural occurring, self-seeding, weeds/grasses? To eradicate one would require herbicides. To use herbicides would anger the "tree-huggers" of one form or another.

To slash the weeds growing roadside would just flail all of the seeds into the air to spread elsewhere and probably upset those with asthma, hay fever and other breathing difficulties to complain to city hall.

This thread is about cutting grasses along the roadside. You should start new thread on your subject noxious weeds.

OKAY.....FINE........I can tell when my opinion is not wanted. Good night! I an outta here.

[GordonH]

Cutting noxious weeds does not remove them some actual multiple when cut up. They have to be removed roots and all.

[WalterWhite]

I agree 100% with OP. CoK roadsides are abysmal. It has nothing to do with risk of fire - it’s been this way ever since they eliminated using chemical treatment of roadside weeds and grasses. It also has nothing to do with Albertans visiting (incredible how fast the dislike for the red-plate-people can be worked into pretty much any topic) although one might consider the impression being left on visitors by the poor state of roadside maintenance. Coupled with the overgrown weeds and grasses is the large accumulation of garbage. Yup, “Beautiful British Columbia” - just don’t mind the streets and boulevards.

[LTD]

I don't even notice it, probably because its fairly insignificant in the big picture of things

[alanjh595]

Then spray them all with Round-Up. No cutting required. Kills everything down to the root.

[GordonH]

Then spray them all with Round-Up. No cutting required. Kills everything down to the root.

Are you okay if the spray leaches into drainage ditches

[BigBearBruno]

off topic

[alanjh595]

Then spray them all with Round-Up. No cutting required. Kills everything down to the root.

Are you okay if the spray leaches into drainage ditches

If that would shut the whiners of the roadside greenery growth.....sure. Round-up is a systemic herbicide and becomes inert at ground level. It is ingested through the plant system and kills the roots, but becomes inert on the ground. Good stuff, works great, tree huggers hate it. It's better than mowing and Parquate.