Contact usTrees For Life

5 May Tce

Brooklyn Park 5032

Ph: 8406 0500

Fax: 8406 0599

info@treesforlife.org.au

www.treesforlife.org.au

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Volunteer Grower Tree Scheme

Summer 2012Number 6

Growing Time Again

By JeNNie Howe

Tree Scheme Grower Coordinator

Welcome Growers to the Tree Scheme Growers’

newsletter. I hope all your growing is successfully underway and your seedlings are emerging splendidly. This newsletter aims to reach out to all 1,203 of you wonderful growers who are spread out all over the state with the intention that you may find something helpful to your growing and or of general interest. Essentially we want to let you know we appreciate your help, we’re here to support you and that you’re not alone - you are part of a fantastic and immense community project. Together we are growing well over 600,000 indigenous seedlings! The season has been quite typical thus far and the hot spells of weather have boosted rates of germination as per usual. At the nursery we noticed most of our Acacia species jumped into life over the New Year period, although Acacia pycnantha is still coming on a bit slower. New Growers should note that by now, any seedlings which have emerged should be out in full sun, 8 hours a day (no more shadecloth). Remember also not to compare growth rates

between different species as this can have no relevance on how well they are growing. E.g. Allocasuarina will grow much larger and faster than Melaleuca, despite sowing at the same time.Don’t feel disheartened if one or more species aren’t doing as well as others. Sometimes this can happen so please phone us for reassurance or with specific questions on 8406 0500.

Trees For Towns

This growing season Trees For Life has an additional

set of growers on board who are engaged in the inaugural Trees For Towns project. In celebration of our 30th anniversary, 30 individual communities from 30 different towns are each growing 1,000 local provenance seedlings. The mature seedlings will be planted out by their communities to beautify selected sites within each town, including roadside entrances to towns, parks, wetlands, estuaries and general landscaping. All 30 projects range across our large state from Roxby Downs and Andamooka in the far north to Mount Gambier in the south east, Wallaroo and Whyalla to the west and Renmark to the east and across the water to Parndana on Kangaroo Island. The geographic area extends into 17 different provenance zones and has been made possible by our partnership with ElectraNet.The Trees For Towns project aims to champion the Tree Scheme to

If your seed has not germinated successfully phone us on 8406 0500

Seed replacement ends February 3, 2012

remote communities and regional areas, promoting the benefits of re-vegetation with local provenance species. The project will also see an additional 30,000 seedlings raised for planting in South Australia, complementing the annual quota produced by our valued team of volunteer growers for the established Tree Scheme program.

Backup stock available

@ the TFL Nursery

April 13, 14 & 15 2012

Cnr of Sir Donald Bradman Drive & May Terrace, Brooklyn Park(details printed in March ReLeaf)

- January & February -Important Growing Tips

Call TFL for replacement seed if you have had •poor germination rates.

Moveseedlingsintofullsunatthefirsttrue•leaf stage.

establish contact with your landholder if you •have not already heard from them.

Continue to keep your seedlings moist using a •soft spray and ensure the soil at the bottom of the tubes does not dry out.

Carry out thinning & transplanting as required. •See pages 20 - 23 of the Growers’ Handbook.

Front images: (Top) Thinning & transplanting in Curramulka, (middle) Tube filling in Roxby Downs, (bottom) Volunteer, Sam Rich, with Acacia seedlings at 4 weeks.

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Allocasuarina verticillata - Drooping SheoakA Species in Focus

Are you growing Allocasuarina verticillata (Drooping Sheoak)? New growers to this species are often bemused by its strange alien appearance and lack of true leaves, however the pictures alongside depict what to expect from your first few weeks of growth. Allocasuarina seedlings will become small trees 4 -10 metres tall, with drooping branchlets of pine like needles and can appear with rounded crowns. Allocasuarina can be slow growing in comparison with other species, however it is a commonly selected species for revegetation purposes due to its hardy nature. This plant was once widespread throughout the Adelaide Plains and its extensive post settlement clearance has been attributed to its quality use as firewood. It is common to woodlands and sub-coastal areas of South Australia, also in NSW, Vic & Tas.Allocasuarina fruits are large, cylindrical woody cones containing winged seeds which are an important food source for cockatoos, galahs and parrots. Small birds like to forage for insects within the branchlets. Some other interesting facts about Allocasuarina verticillata are:

It seemingly has no true leaves... however keen eyesight or a small hand lens will reveal tiny leaf “teeth” arranged in whorls around the end of the branchlets (between each segment).

Fruiting occurs all year round, but the cones only contain viable seed when they turn grey-brown in appearance.

This plant has separate male and female plants. Male plants have yellow-gold flowers and females red.

It is the preferred food item of the Glossy Black Cockatoo, which is an endangered species on Kangaroo Island. Clasping the fruit in their feet, they shred the cones with their powerful bills and remove the seeds with their tongues.

More pictures of commonly grown seedling species can be found on our website in our Grower Resources pages, accessed from the TFL homepage at www.treesforlife.org.au

The Tree Scheme TeamFrom left: Manager Maureen Redfern, Tree Scheme Officer Graham Greaves, Nursery Assistant Katherine Hill & Grower Coordinator Jennifer Howe (Absent - Seedbank Manager Bruce Smith )

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Allocasuarina verticillata photos from top to bottom: Mature specimen; fruiting cones; female flowers; and male flowers.