FOY Nursery

A full nursery

Following a late start with initial difficulties in starting seeds we now have a full Nursery of around 10,000 plants to go into the Park in addition to seedlings started for the Farm School gardens.

Volunteers required for weeding and planting out in the Park, commencing when the season breaks and we have some much needed rain. Watch the Clubhouse Calendar for planned working dates plus there are work days on most Tuesdays or Saturday mornings, refer to Kevin by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Last Updated on Sunday, 28 April 2013 10:51

Full nursery report February 2013

NURSERY REPORT FEBRUARY 2013 (Edited)

After the health scare of “Big Kev”, mid 2012, the writer decided to assist by keeping the Nursery in business and ready for the time when the planting sessions in the Park would be able to recommence.

We had literally thousands of our own plants in addition to the large order of 5,000 that we had propagated. These were spread over the whole Nursery and on the outside tables.First job was to find out what we had and over several weeks the various varieties of plants were brought together which allowed an idea of the stock we actually had on hand.These plants were tidied up and were made ready for planting out in the best possible condition. The remaining seedlings in the seed trays were potted up giving an additional couple of thousand plants.

There were several thousand plants that had been in stock too long and had become overgrown, these were removed from their pots and the top and bottom 20-30mm was removed along with a clearance of the side roots on two sides (later to be all four sides) and the plants were repotted in the same tube stocks along with new soil and fertiliser. As an experiment the top growth was not reduced. This has proved to be a successful way of regenerating the plants as few losses were experienced and the plants reflected their improved health in their foliage. It is assumed that being under shade cloth and with sufficient water kept them alive and prospering with their full and new growth. Hopefully they will be planted out in the 2013 season.

We had a large number of water plants which were greatly overgrown covered in a jelly growth and weed - Yuk. These were painstakingly repotted by removing them from the pot, splitting the plants (up to 10 in a 2” tube pot) and repotting them, docking the foliage down to about 300mm. This proved a mistake as the plants just sat in their new pots, looking healthy enough but with no new growth and the leaf cut line and below became unsightly. A couple of months later as an experiment the fronds/leaves were cut off at below soil level and this created a reaction of new healthy growth in weeks.

Observation: Contrary to past practice the leaves should not be cut down but allowed to remain for say a month to allow the roots to re establish and if no new growth is noted, then cut off the growth below soil level. Baumea preissii, Baumea juncea and Baumea Articulate. The water plants were placed in plastic seed trays lined with plastic which became water baths. Very successful.

External Sales: Late 2012 - Through a previous initiative of Kevin Mc  and the services of Ken C as Salesman and Delivery person we have commenced selling these water plants plus others to the Woodvale Koi and Fish Farm and we are seeking new on-sellers.

At the completion of the Spring / Autumn planting season a stock take was taken of the remaining plants in the Nursery and it was found that we still had an oversupply of 5,401 plants. These were tidied up and repotted; they should go out in 2013. All plants were brought in from the outside table and water to that area cut off to reduce our water useage.

Plants of the Park:  The stock take allowed recognition of the plants we propagate for the Park and with the assistance of the DEC Florabase a pictorial record, Plants of the Park, was set up to show the Volunteers details and pictures of the plants that they are working with in the Nursery and The Park.

Seedlings raising: We have had partial success with propagation of more seedlings for 2013 but it has been observed that the seed trays are receiving too much water and are waterlogged. In late January following another reorganisation of the placement of the stock we are experimenting on reducing the water over the right hand front table, to see if this is the case. Little steps. Later, this reduction of water to the seed trays has resulted in a better strike rate.

In addition to the above, extensive maintenance has been carried out in the Nursery complex.

1. The manufacture and installation of three large pin up boards which were erected in the information area of the Farm School Administration building. 1x Farm School, 1 x FOY and 1 x Wildflower Nursery. The cost was split between the two Nurseries in recognition of the Farm School’s support of both organisations.
2. Legs were made up for the ALCOA park signs (3).
3. Extensive repairs were made to the left hand table, which at the outset appeared to have lost one leg and was supported on a brick- potentially dangerous. When the weight was removed from the table a number of other legs that had rusted through simply fell out and a large section of the table rail had completely rusted out and only a large hole was visible. The table legs were all replaced apart from one and the rail was reinforced.
4. The potting shed table legs were extended to increase the height to normal bench height and mounted on adjustable feet.
5. Various other tools were purchased at the request of the Park and Potting Shed teams.
6. A new metal cupboard was purchased and assembled, as the old one is rusted and allows mice entry. The new cupboard to be used for seed and other dry storage.
7. A Contractor was employed to supply and install a new 3m x 1m colour bond shed.
   1. The day the shed was installed, 28/11/2012, coincided with a storm where the Farm experienced winds upwards of 40/60 knots and just after the Contractor had left around midday we were hit with a savage storm and the old fibreglass roof sheeting, which was long in need of replacement, started to lift and one sheet did break away, leaving a hole in the roof. The Anticon fibreglass insulation was breaking away and the fibreglass wool was falling into the shed. At the same time the side plastic wall which is only lightly framed started to bow outwards with the wind and possibly would have been demolished if the new shed in front hadn’t taken the brunt of the wind. It now requires additional bracing. Likewise the free standing fibreglass sheeting on the back wall was moving considerably. The writer left the shed as it was unsafe and waited outside in the open until the squall had passed.
8. A contractor was employed to remove and replace the roof and rear wall of the potting shed to make it safe and habitable once more. They removed all the associated rubbish.
9. Supplies of 2750 potting labels (we had run out totally), nitrogen based slow release fertiliser and vermiculite were purchased. We obtained a small supply of a slow release fertiliser for native plants to be used in a later trial.
10. Two pine pin up boards were made (with remnants of the Frontrunner carpet from the other boards) for attachment to the new shed walls for the Nursery staff and visitors.
11. Two timber bases were manufactured to raise both the old and new metal cupboards above slab height to reduce water damage.
12. The two sheds were sealed with silicone, where possible at ground level to keep out moisture.
13. An extensive clean up of the various and considerable junk was made and a large quantity was placed out for collection by COW. Larger items were removed this week (15/1/2013) and broken and cut down to allow relocation to the Farm School bin, with their consent.

• A big thank you to both Elaine S, who extended her usual tidy up role and assisted tidy up the Nursery area and Jim R for cleaning up under the tables ,sweeping up and weeding the Nursery area. Ken C is also included for his assistance in his work in selling our plants, to raise funds.
• Our old soil and waste that is capable of being mulched adds to the Schools large mulching project.
• The old metal cupboard was removed and patched with metal to make mouse proof and mounted on a timber base.
• A timber rail was mounted in each shed to allow hanging of tools and items off the floor and thereby releasing the floor area for more storage.
• The side external wall was strengthened by additional steel and bracing back to the roof frame.
• The two new noticeboards were installed.
• New boards were made up for the soil bin. (To keep our resident duck out of our supplies).
• Liaison with the Wildflower Nursery has been very beneficial on both sides and the assistance and advice of Dave P, Hazel, Phylis and Geoff is much appreciated.
• We donated a small selection of plants to assist with their project of rehabilitating the Farm School verges and other projects.
• Liaison with the Farm School has been instigated and we have a friendly two way relationship with assistance and co operation going each way.
• We have volunteered to propagate plants, mainly vegetables at this stage, for the Farm School grounds and on 16^th January a small group of FOY volunteers planted out in excess of 300 plants into new raised garden beds that were especially installed by the School for the project.
• The School is commencing a Certificated Horticultural program and we will no doubt be willing to be of assistance to them in this project.

Around three hundred man and woman (person) hours of work was volunteered and expended on the Nursery work from July 1^st, 2012 to this report.

Summary

As can be seen a fair bit of change, improvements, repairs etc have taken place in the past 6 months and the Nursery and Potting shed are well set up for the future. We need to ensure that the old stock is planted out in the 2013 season and in the 2013/2014 season we can settle down to refine our seed raising techniques, which are proving a bit of a challenge, but that too will be solved.

Last Updated on Saturday, 04 May 2013 17:24

Nursery Report February 2013

Nursery Reports – February 2013

On Saturday 26^th January, 2013 we had our first major potting out of the New Year and 500 Kangaroo Paws (Red and Green) “Anigozanthos manglesii” were given a new home and room for themselves in their individual pots ready for planting out when the rain comes in April/May.

Kevin, John H, John and Marion (this latter John supervised with hot chips in hand - he’s on a strict diet???), Elaine, Jim, David were all assisted by some new recruits with a young Grand Mum, Mum and two daughters offering their assistance. The two young ladies were completing work to obtain their Scouting “Conservation and Environment badge.”

It was a pleasure to see nimble young fingers moving so quickly and the work was completed in record time. Thank you to you all and please come back again, particularly when we start to plant out in the Park, mid year. Maybe another Scout badge will be the result.

On completion of work we set ourselves up near a Farm School barbie and threw a few snags on the BBQ to celebrate Australia Day, which was very pleasant sitting in the shade out of the sun and just chatting but we didn’t solve too many of the Worlds problems.

With all the hot weather, things have gone quiet with the FOY Volunteers but over the past six months the Nursery has undergone a great deal of work and visitors and hopefully workers will possibly miss all the accumulated junk that was so much a part of the space, it has gone!! We have a new roof on the potting shed, new additional smaller storage shed, cupboard and many repairs and improvements have been undertaken. The older plants have been given a new lease of life and new plants have joined them and we are now starting to load up the external tables.

Kevin has been experimenting with seed raising and in the past week greater success has been achieved along with a reduction of water on the seed trays.

So watch your emails for details of potting out days in the near future.

Scouting is alive and well in the Community.

Last Updated on Sunday, 28 April 2013 10:51

Nursery update_August

Looking at all the Blog pages for the work going on in the Park, one would assume that nothing is happening in the Nursery, I am happy to report that the Landsdale Farm School Gnomes, ducks and chooks have been very busy keeping up with the literally '000's of plants that are being taken out of the Nursery into the Park by the keen and willing FOY Volunteers.

From the cleaning up of the tube stock ,of weeds and moss, the Farm School compost heap has gained a large new contribution to go along with the manure and farm scraps. Hundreds of plants have been tidied and groomed and now planting into tubes of stock in readiness for the 2013 year is well under way.

We'll have to see if the Fairies will hop in and help out when things get busier. Maybe they can sprinkle some fairy dust around and do all the work in an instant.

Last Updated on Thursday, 02 August 2012 17:07