Asian honeybees (AHB) were first detected in Queensland on May 2007 in Cairns. AHB are not wanted in Australia for a number of different reasons. Firstly the AHB compete for floral resources with the European
Honeybees. AHB will also rob the hives of managed bees resulting in the death of those hives. Most significantly though is that the AHB is a host for varroa mites, which are themselves a major threat to
Australia’s honeybee industry. 

This contingency plan provides background information on pest biology and available control measures to assist production nurseries with preparedness for an incursion into Australia of fire blight (Erwinia amylovora). It provides guidelines and options for steps to be undertaken and considered when developing a Response Plan to this pest. Any Response Plan developed using information in whole or in part from this Contingency Plan must follow procedures as set out in PLANTPLAN and be endorsed by the National Management Group prior to implementation. This contingency plan was developed for the Nursery & Garden Industry Australia (NGIA) and is focused on production nurseries. In the event of an incursion, operations not covered by the NGIA (e.g. retail outlets) will not be eligible for Owner Reimbursement Costs, as defined in the Emergency Plant Pest Response Deed, if affected by actions carried out under an approved Response Plan. 

Some nursery operators are really embracing the opportunities presented by the Farm Management System program. One business owner who attended an ‘EcoHort’ training event late last year has continued to engage a Farm Management System Officer to provide guidance on both NIASA best management practice and EcoHort best environmental practice.

Over the past 18 months in excess of 200 people have attended an NGIQ “EcoHort - Environmental Management System” course. Congratulations go to all those production nursery operators who have sought the latest information in this area. There is little doubt legislation and compliance will become an even greater burden in coming years. Those who have attended and adopted the principles of environmental best practice are well prepared for the future.

The nursery and garden industry provides significant economic, cultural, social and environmental benefits to the Australian community. Nationally, the production nurseries support a diverse array of end users, through the provision of green-life as starter crops or finished products. End users include retail outlets, landscapers, cut flower growers, orchardists, vegetable growers, interiorscapers, sustainable forestry and revegetation enterprises. Along the supply chain, allied traders provide products and services that support the production, sale and health of green-life and include growing media and fertiliser manufacturers.

Downy mildews are obligate plant parasites that attack a wide range of plants and are responsible for some of the world's most destructive plant diseases, e.g. downy mildew of grapes and blue mould of tobacco. They also cause considerable losses to the nursery production of ornamental and vegetable seedlings. Downy mildew organisms are distinctly different from the powdery mildew fungi. Some common downy mildew hosts include Cissus, lisianthus, poppy, ranunculus, rose, snapdragon, stock, pansy, alyssum, impatiens, sweet pea, cucurbits, helichrysum and brassica seedlings.

What is ‘Grow Me Instead’?
Grow Me Instead (GMI) is an Nursery and Garden Industry initiative to manage invasive plants. It is a proactive industry driven program that engages production and retail operators as well as other stakeholders in a collaborative effort to identify the most invasive of common garden plants and recommend a series of alternatives that should be ‘grown instead’. All other states and territories either have established GMI booklets or are in the process of printing them.

The Grow Me Instead project has thrown up some interesting debate but clearly the most contentious inclusions are Murraya paniculata and Duranta erecta. Whilst these two plants are still widely grown and used in urban horticulture it is clear they present a significant challenge for Weed Specialists and Land Managers. I will provide some reasoning behind their inclusion in the three Queensland Grow Me Instead guides.

The official launch of the Grow Me Instead (GMI) program in Queensland will occur during the week commencing October 12th. Primary Industries Week runs from October 12th-16th and this presents an excellent opportunity to promote both the GMI program and the broader industry. The exact date and venue of the launch are still to be determined however confirmation will appear in the next edition of Leaflet.

The Grow Me Instead project has been a wonderful opportunity for the Nursery and Garden Industry to put our environmental credibility on show. It is a real feather in our cap to take this proactive stance on invasive plants; showing government and the community we care about the environment and are prepared to take positive action to reduce the impact of invasive plants.
Historically the invasive plant debate and overall ‘weed’ agenda have been viewed by industry as an imposition of sorts. Industry members complain bitterly when a local authority deems a certain plant as invasive, usually because little or no effort has been made to engage industry in the process. Grow Me Instead charts a new course on the invasive plant issue, placing the Nursery and Garden Industry at the forefront of the agenda. We are stating that not only do we accept responsibility for non-invasive plant sales but we are prepared to consult with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure credibility of the entire program.

The Grow Me Instead (GMI) project has made significant progress during the past month. Three regional stakeholder committees have determined the 30 invasive species for each of the three Bioregions. In addition, there has been discussion and agreement on the plants that will be put forward as alternatives to the invasive species. In all cases there will be at least three superior plant selections put forward, in some cases up to five suggestions may be made. This is one of the greatest opportunities that the project presents; promotion of a range of superior plant selections.

The Grow Me Instead project has generated a significant amount of free media coverage. There has been particular interest from WIN TV in Rockhampton and Townsville and Channel 7 in Mackay and Cairns. The TV coverage coupled with regular radio interviews and print articles indicate how highly regarded the Grow Me Instead initiative is. This should serve as encouragement to the broader industry to support the program and make the most of the opportunity to position your business as one that cares about the environment and offers non-invasive solutions.

The Grow Me Instead project has tried to indentify 30 plants in each of three bioregions (Sub-Tropics, Dry Tropics and Wet Tropics) that are considered invasive and are still being produced and sold. The chosen plants come from lists that historically have been referred to as ‘Environmental Weeds’. Each local authority has a ‘hit list’ of plants that it deems undesirable, with the ultimate aim that the reduced demand will finally result in zero production. There are nursery owners who operate ‘on the fringes’ who will always be happy to grow something that is considered ‘marginal’ by a local authority. Ever the opportunist, they will produce some amazing plants; I have even heard of ‘mother of millions’ being for sale in a gold coast garden centre! That plant is actually declared by the state government, and selling it may incur a $30 000 fine! It pays to know who sets the agenda with weeds and invasive plants.

On Thursday 19 November, Nursery and Garden Industry Queensland launched the Dry Tropics Grow Me Instead guide and website in Rockhampton with support from the Plant Smart program. Like Grow Me Instead, the Plant Smart program is an educational program to promote the planting of appropriate plant species. It is a partnership with Greening Australia and Ergon Energy to educate on the planting of appropriate vegetation under and around powerlines.

https://www.ngiq.asn.au/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2-Grow-Me-Instead-Plant-Smart-2009-Barry-Naylor.pdf

In previous articles I have mentioned that Grow Me Instead (GMI) Guides have been developed for all states and territories of Australia, apart from Queensland. The GMI Guide is a DL sized handbook that discusses the invasive plant issue, encourages effective disposal of unwanted invasive plant material and lists 30 invasive plants along with a range of superior plants that should be ‘grown instead’. The project has reached the stage where in each of the three bioregions the final 30 invasive plants and their alternatives have been agreed upon. While there is still considerable work to complete the guides the aim is to have the Queensland GMI guides available during October this year.

The Nursery & Garden Industry Queensland (NGIQ) has successfully applied for funding under the FederalGovernments “Caring for our Country – Landcare Open Grants” to develop a Grow Me Instead (GMI) program along the east coast. The $190 000 project will create GMI Guides for three specific Queensland environments including the Wet Tropics, Dry Tropics and the Sub-Tropics. NGIQ will employ a GMI Coordinator (Mr. Barry Naylor) to oversee the project from orchestrating GMI reference groups through to the communication and education of stakeholders on the final outcomes of the project.