WATTLE GROW

We use a special inoculant to boost to wattle seed germination and growth.
Adding 'Wattle Grow' to the direct seeding mix is a way to improve establishment rates and performance of newly planted wattles by using a soil bacterium called Bradyrhizobium.
Wattle Grow is a 'live' culture and is produced in limited batches each year .
Orders need to be made well in advance of the seeding season .
It has a shelf life of 4 months and needs special storage conditions.
The price doubled this year @ $340 per 20kg. The recommended application rate also doubled.
I order it through local rural stores: Peter Davis Rural in Benalla & Landmark in Euroa.

Wattle Grow™ Granular Inoculant, a granular seed inoculant using CPBR's research into Bradyrhizobium, has been commercialised through CSIRO Plant Industry by Bio-Care Technology Pty Ltd.
Wattle Grow™ can be applied with wattle seed prior to planting, either with seed that will be used in nurseries to establish seedlings, or with seed that will be used for direct seeding.
Wattle Grow™ is suitable to a range of South Eastern Australian wattle species including some salt tolerant ones and is available through rural suppliers and via Bio-Care Technology Pty Ltd on 02 4340 2246 or info@bio-care.com.au.

Oldmeadow Dog 2009

The Oldmeadow site is in the beautiful Samaria Valley on rich volcanic soils.

This site was in 3 sections and was well prepared -totally herbicided by a spray contractor.

Some hand planting of eucalypts was planned for after the direct seeding.

There were rabbits living in the site , the small terrier was onto them !

Randon lines were requested. 4ha.

Helen Repacholi DPI Grant .

FIRE plus Direct Seeding

This experimental site , at Lurg , was designed by Ray Thomas. 2009.

Ray observed how an accidental bushfire rejuvenated parts of this property , improving the quality of the understorey and ground cover ( see top pics).

Some of the remaining remnant bush was burnt in autumn by the local CFA to simulate regeneration. We followed up in spring by seeding along the contour lines .

A mix of small shrubs and ground covers was sown .

The seed was collected by members of the Regent Honeyeater project. It was scarified with sandpaper rather than getting the boiling water treatment.

Like all Rays projects ,this site posed unique challenges. Ripping out burnt remnant daphne heath bushes with the seeding machine was a worry. The soil was very shallow and rocky. It was raining heavily while we were working.

Great Bird Habitat Created

The Rennick site was sown in 2006 , a Geoff Boyes DPI project . Erica collected the seed and treated it just prior to seeding. This large 5 ha site had been completely herbicided. The seed was sowed along contour lines in curvy patterns . The soil was damp and slippery along the watercourse edges.

In 2009 we revisited the site with Jude & Deb from DPI . Things were looking good with a wide range of species growing . Eucalyptus & Acacia. ( we did find a few weeds - cootamundah wattles )

In 2010 Jim and I checked the site again . Some species had died because of the extremely wet season - mainly golden wattles. Silver wattles and blackwoods were flourishing .
A very successful site , looks natural & excellent habitat values.

Camm Site at Molka - Revisited 5 years later.

The Camm site was direct seeded with understorey in 2005. The site had been sprayed but the fences were not erected and Charlie was not home when we sowed this 'virtual' site so we hoped we got it right ! It one of the early grey crown babbler project sites. Susan Sleigh DPI.
Revisited in November 2010 .

The plantation has been a success ,creating a wide thick windbreak and shade across the mid of an open paddock . Sheep were using the shelter of the plantation on the wet & windy day I visited. Three basic wattle species have been most successful . Golden wattle , Mallee wattle & Lightwood.

The wet season has stimulated tall phalaris grass to dominate the fenced off area creating management problem this summer. (Maybe the locusts will take care of it .)

Mansfield Ridge Lines 2009

2/6/2009

Jamieson Rd , Mansfield .

The 'depreciation meter' on the seeding machine was spinning as we grinded and bumped our way down this unfriendly ridge line . Justus hates ripped sites!

The site was ripped by a large bulldozer to prepare for seeding . The dozer shattered large rocks , bringing many to the surface making our progress difficult .

Surprisingly we managed to sow 4 ha with the machine . Jude & Deb hand seeded the steepest parts , I got out and helped them , it was too rough & scarey in the car.

In many places we direct seeded at right angles to the deep rip lines .

Jude Hill / Cathy Olive DPI Grant .

2010 : Checked the site with Jim & Cathy . Growth reseasonable . Varnish Wattles & Lightwoods going well . The best germination was in these damn rip lines . Hand seeding also worked.

Owner pleased.

Brightly at Miepoll 2009

14/8/2009

Is it possible to over prepare a site ?

Probably not if you are a seed but as a direct seeding machine operator I would have to say YES.

Tony had prepared well . Strong fences surrounded the site , the whole site had been blitzed twice with herbicide , ripped lines had been added to break up the soil and capture
maximum moist .

Yet we found it a difficult site !

The ripped lines had captured too much moisture. A heavy duty tractor had done the ripping .The ripped lines were so deep that when we straddled them we were sowing the seed into mid air. We ended up sowing between the rip lines but they were spaced so that each wheel of the toyota was travelling along a ripped furrow.

The photos tell the story .

7 rows of 700 metres = 2ha