An update from City Farm
City Farm recently held an open day – but you can visit Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 8am-3pm
Recently, we planted ten shrubs from City Farm. The timing wasn’t great as it coincided with an unexpectedly hot spell. However, the removal of a large dying tree in the yard happened at the same time as severe trimming of roadside trees by the council, and there was already somewhat diminished foliage on established trees because of the extended dry, so we were left feeling exposed, and something needed to be done.
The shrubs were grevilleas, syzygiums and leptospermums and we wanted to give them the best chance to survive. We dug large holes, put in crumpled newspaper, added water, then water storage crystals to retain moisture in the sandy soil, improved the soil with compost and slow-release fertiliser for natives, watered with a seaweed solution and mulched well.
We will water regularly until they are established. We also provided some shade cloth protection for the ones that get full sun and wire surrounds to thwart the scrub turkeys. If it rains and the really hot weather holds off a while, we are hopeful they will all thrive.
Plant of the month is Lomandra hystrix (Mat rush), growing to 1.5 metres, with bright green foliage and flowers in spring to summer. It does like moisture, but is tolerant of most soil types and situations.
Cooloola City Farm, opposite the Community Centre, on Tin Can Bay Road, is open to the public for plant sales, 07 54862304, ccfni09@gmail.com, www.cooloolacityfarm.org
