Month: March 2021

Working Bee – 10.03.2021

It was a productive day. After working on a small amount of palm grass before first fall, I decided to finally help out the gardia growing between the first and second falls. Gardia has been growing well but it is still having to compete with a lot of fishbone fern and some ginger lilly.

Here it is before trying to thin out the fishbone fern…

You can see in the image that the gardia (the tall grass seen in the center of the image), is getting above the fishbone fern but it is not very numerous. As I started weeding the fishbone fern I found a lot more gardia that was just too small to get to the light and hence were not looking very healthy.

After spending half an hour or so removing fishbone fern, the gardia now has a lot more space to expand and young shoots should now be able to grow above the fern. The image below shows the spot after weeding. I tried to use some judgement as to how much I should remove. I would not want to allow erosion to take place. Fast flowing water can cover the area if there is heavy rain.

A hairy clarodendrum I walk past when going to site A is being attached by these guys…

It was a straight forward lantana and privet removal after this point. No photos to show because I was too tired afterwards. I starting an area requiring maintenance but then expanded on that to clear a good section under ‘Site A’.

One concern is a lot of plants showing a brown discolouration. I am hoping it has to do with the extra light coming through after a large gum was removed in a nearby residence but that does not seem to match. I noticed it on some bleeding hearts and most notably, on the giant tree fern along the creek after second falls. Hopefully it is not a big deal but it is a concern at present. Might need to ask the experts at lakemac landcare.

 

Working Bee – 06.03.2021

Last week’s successful attack on lantana motivated me to do the same thing again this time. However, as is often the way, walking to the desired location is full of distractions that were too hard to ignore.

Just off the road, at the entrance of the reserve, buffalo grass dominates the area. Scurvy weed seems to give it a run for its money but it has a long way to go before it could ever take this nasty grass on. Here is an example of what I am referring to…

So before descending to the gully after first falls, I did some minor maintenance. I pushed back the grass and removed the mist flower that was bothering any of the blue flax lilly or scurvy weed. Unfortunately, some spots are quite risky to reach. They will have to wait until I determine a safer way to continue.

This was before doing some weeding. See if you can spot the blue flax lilly.

One positive I noticed on the way to my selected target was a section of scurvy weed doing battle with wandering jew and swedish ivy. I gave it a helping hand by clearing a square metre or so around it. Hopefully it takes the opportunity to expand.

On the left, the undesirable swedish ivy. On the right, the almighty scurvy weed (and probably some wandering willy as well unfortunately).

Higher up is dominated by wandering willy. I intend to see how a rake goes with it.

I moved along the west bank between the first and second falls. Anywhere I saw a native being crowded out, I cleared around it. It still all looks very messy but I have to accept, it is a gradual process.

Still, looking back, upto the first falls, it is a pretty sight, even with all the weeds still dominating the area.

Another win…I believe it is a birdnest fern just above second falls.

After taking this photo I found another half a dozen on the other side. Looking good!

Finally, I got to the site I intended on in the first place. After a good couple of hours, I had cleared another good section of lantana that was crowding out various natives (Sandpaper fig in particular).

One other native I am seeing more of is the wombat berry vine. After asking for an id, I have discovered the narrow leaved vine in this picture is Geitonoplesium Cymosum, otherwise known as scrambling lilly. Good to see more natives springing up.

Next week I intend on doing the same. Attacking the lantana under site A (behind No.14 Grn Val Rd). Anywhere I find some natives gets priority and it does seem there are many natives struggling to stay alive.