STEP THREE: IMPLEMENTATION

Planning and organising is over... it's time to get your hands dirty

Illustration by Lucy Chapman Dianella tasmanica

Site Preparation
Some or all of these things may be required according to your plan.

• Fencing the site to prevent livestock or other animals from entering and consuming or trampling the new plants.
• Reducing competition from other plant species through chemical spraying or other physical methods (burning/steam gun/solarising/crash grazing)
• Ripping to break up compacted ground and allow water to enter the soil.
• Mounding in waterlogged areas.

Planting
If using tubestock:

• Ensure stock is healthy when collected from the nursery and keep well watered prior to planting. If the weather is unfavourable or the site too wet for immediate planting, store them in a sheltered outdoor location and keep watered until required.
• Plant into damp soil in the cooler months, preferably just before rain is  forecast, unless in frost prone areas (wait until frost period is over).
• The use of tree guards is not essential but can increase survival rates on sites with strong winds, frosts, rabbits or other browsers. No guard will stop a wombat.

If direct seeding:

• Some experience is required to operate a direct seeding machine and contractors are available. The Yarram Seedbank occasionally runs training days on the use of the direct seeder, contact Sally-Ann Henderson on 1300 094 262 or email Sally-AnnH@wgcma.vic.gov.au for more information.
• Moist but not wet soil is ideal, immediate follow up rain is not required.
• The direct seeder may be towed behind a ute or tractor. Occasionally, the site is not wide enough to turn around in comfortably. In this case, it is okay to leave one fence without wires to allow vehicle access. These wires should be strung as soon after seeding as possible to prevent stock accessing the site and compacting the soil.

In both situations, follow up spraying to reduce competition from weeds between the rows can be beneficial for the first couple of years, dependant on the weed. Regular maintenance of the fences and responding to signs of pest damage will increase the survival rate of your seedlings.

After all this, be prepared for total failure : )

Australia has over 1000 species of acacia, which Australians call ‘wattle’, and around 2800 species in the Myrtaceae family, which includes eucalypts (or gum trees) and melaleucas.