AT OUR October working bee in Beechmont Pioneer Reserve we spent time watering the first of the plantings for this season.
It was drier than predicted by the Bureau of Meteorology so we had delayed a more extensive planting until more substantial rain.
Although winter is usually dry, because the temperatures are cool, water does not evaporate as quickly out of the soil. In September when it starts heating evaporation picks up and a lot more effort needs to go into watering.
Our spring working bees can often just involve watering. Fortunately, we have a submersible pump that we can place in the water containers so we can use hoses. Some members were picking up water out of the creek with buckets which is a lot more arduous.
To get the most out of the growing season we are keen to get the plants into the ground as soon as possible so we hedge our bets putting some of them in before the wet weather starts.
Not all the plants will survive. Revegetation is a game of probabilities.
Putting in tube stock is the cheapest way of planting, after sprinkling seeds, and even though some plants will be lost it is better to have a go than try to time the beginning of the wet season perfectly.
If we can get 80 mature trees out of 100 plantings that is a great result.
Throughout the four reserves that we work on you will see new plants going in as the weather becomes wetter.
