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Planting Information

First  Always soak each plant in a bucket of water over the top of the bag and leave until bubbles no longer rise to the surface – this step is of extreme importance.

The Hole

  • Dig and cultivate a hole larger than the root mass of the plant
  • large planting numbers – a post hole borer is useful, always use a spade afterwards to slice edges of hole to break up smooth pan
  • Add well composted organic matter if needed (not practical in large scale projects)

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Planting

  • Soak plants in a bucket of water, over top of bag and leave until no bubbles no longer rise to the surface – this step is of extreme importance
  • Large plant numbers – soak with hose the night before and on the day if possible
  • Remove container/bag from plant and tease or trim root ball if practical
  • Place plant in hole the same depth as it was in the container, backfilling in soil
  • IMPORTANT – hold plant in place while filling soil underneath and around, jiggling plant while doing so to keep at correct depth
  • Place fertiliser tabs down side of plant
  • Firm soil around – do not hard pack, jump up and down on it or squash in!
  • After planting, the plant should be firmly in the ground when given a gentle tug 

Watering

  • Watering will not be necessary if:
    • Plants soaked before planting
    • Planting done at correct time, ie autumn/winter
    • Correct plants used for the site
    • Planting is in open ground and can catch any natural rainfall, ie not under overhangs, eaves etc
    • Plant establishment doesn’t incur any unseasonal dryness or droughts
  • Mulch after planting when ground is soaked

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Fertiliser

  • Best done at planting time with slow release fertiliser tab or organic such as blood and bone
  • Side dressings in gardens, landscapes and hedges are beneficial once to twice a year – use slow release top dress or blood and bone or similar
  • After planting fertilising is best done early spring and early autumn to make use of seasonal growing times
  • Revegetation plantings will not require extra fertilising after planting

Weeds

Your worst enemy is the war against weeds. If your new plants aren’t visited by pests, weeds will keep you on your toes. Grasses and weeds will compete for moisture and nutrients. In some cases, having long grass around is beneficial for shelter from wind. However, it is still preferable to have an area free of weeds around the plant. This can be achieved in several ways: 

  • Handweeding - Dare I say it! Very effective but very time consuming. 
  • Mulching - Not only does it keep weeds down, but retains moisture in summer and warmth in winter. Don’t mulch in the middle of a dry spell, it will have the reverse effect. Use straw (not hay as it contains many weed seed heads), leaves, rotted manure, grass clippings, sawdust or shredded bark. If using the latter two, you must add some side dressing when mulching and keep onto it later as the bark will deplete the soil of nitrogen whilst breaking down. 
  • Weedmat - Buy in long strips for large bank or garden plantings. Ensure your soil is well cultivated and fed before laying down. Never use black polythene, it will result in a ‘stale’ soil. 
  • Chemicals- There are pros and cons. You should always check with your chemical supplier for rates, plant tolerance etc, as there are many chemicals for many uses. Roundup and Buster are two commonly used herbicides for gardeners, but again, get information regarding safe spraying. 

Revegetation projects

  • Pre-plant spot clearance is recommended because it:
    • Makes digging a hole easier at planting time
    • Gives indication of where a hole is to be dug – spacing and lay out
  • Pre-plant spot clearance is usually done by using a chemical such as glyphosate
  • Take care of any large and invasive weed species before planting even if this means waiting another season before planting
  • Just spraying ‘spots’ is effective as it leaves existing grasses in place between each plant which stops larger broadleaf weed species establishing and acts as a shelter for each plant.  ‘Blanket’ spraying large areas is not recommended
  • Post plant weed control can be done by hand or chemical (use a non-residual)
  • Check chemical information with suppliers
  • Revegetation planting may need weed control for up to 2 years (once or twice a year)

Revegetation projects

Landscape & Garden

  • Variable depending on size, sometimes a ‘blanket’ spray or weed is best, other times you can work around individual plants.  Talk to your landscaper, planting crew or nursery.
  • Mulch – when the ground is wet.  Use wood chip rather than bark if possible.
  • Hand weed or careful chemical spray as necessary.  

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Pests & Diseases

  • For our furry friends, products such as Treepel and Plantskydd are available to repel possums, rabbits and deer. No guarantees but it is a line of defence.
  • Trapping – depending on your stomach for various methods – check with D.o.C and Council for info.
  • Shooting – effective!
  • Diseases are a large topic – Farmlands and PGG Wrightsons are excellent with advice and check with Native Garden Nursery too for identification.