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Stuart Park Restoration Project: Autumn 2015
Stuart Park Restoration Project: Autumn 2015
Project
Autumn 2015
Welcome to 2015 planting season and a busy one it will be, with four times the
tree then last year to get in the ground!
There are over 1500 trees on my
front lawn and 500 more on the
neighbours back lawn. I only asked
next door if I could put a couple of
trees over the fence so we need
everyone to help with planting so I
can clear their back yard (till next
year!). Bring the kids, the neighbours kids , the dog, the husband,
I don't care what order you prioritise them, just bring them all!
The most extraordinary growth were from the Ngaios. These where potted up in
the first week of November 2014 are now half a metre tall! What's more impressive, they are only growing in a pot the size of a coffee mug! They are a true
super tree in every sense, from the speed that they grow to being able to handle
drought, gale force nor westers of summer without the loss of one tree!
Breaking news... We have planting spades so don't bother bringing a spade unless you have a favourite tool of your own. Super thanks PCC Team & Ngti
Toa.
John Hornblow
ph:
2368 624
email: John@titahi-bay.co.nz
web: http://tinyurl.com/mtqun9v
Our first planting job is to replant any failed trees on the gorse
bank. All replacements will be Ngaio as every one survived the
drought on this exposed site. A number of Taupata where
polished off by drought and gales only to sprout and come away
again, these sites could be supplemented with a Ngaio if you
wish.
We will then plant around the edge of the gorse with a mixture
of Ngaio and Taupata to stop any further incursion of gorse into
the park. Our resident Hare likes a feed of crunchy Taupata so
we have a selection of large trees which will each receive a
sleeve.
We have trimmed the gorse back along the boarder and we will
now cap it with a row of Ngaio and Taupata. This will hopefully
stop any further incursion of gorse into the park. Behind the
fence line are two areas of grass. Any spare Ngaio and Taupata
will be planted in here.
3 - Entrance Way
Mingimingi, Tauhinu, Costal Flax, Cabbage Tree, Olearia, Manuka
This will be one of the bigger jobs due to the 500 plus plants
and variable soil depth. The plan is to plant outside the
entranceway and inside the fence along to the sheep trough.
Any spare plants can be planted on the south side of the track.
500 plants have been grown specifically for this exposed site
and are the species you can see when walking down the track
from Mako View.
There will be an addition of some Oleria, Manuka and Cabbage tree
along the fence line.
If we get any funding we may hire a post hole borer for this job,
its a lot of trees and we may find it hard going in the rocky soil
(ops, sorry, variable soil depth).
Did you know you can see last years planting on Google maps? You can see
the 4 rows cut in the gorse and the Northern Rata site.
4 - Gorse Cluster
Olearia Paniculata, Red Matipo, Kaikomako, Titoki, 5 Finger, Manuka,
Cabbage Tree
This is the first planting site in the park that will be a mixture of species other then our usual gorse blockers. There are approximately
600+ plants to go in this site and there should be good soil so planting should be easy. We will have to wait and see if the Hare is going
to broaden its diet to any of these species.
5 - Other jobs
Typical damage from a Hare. Note the 45 cut to the stem - proof its a hare and
not rabbit.
We have two options to manage hare attacks, shot gun or tree guards.
Sadly we have to go with the boring option!
For all its size, the mighty kereru is unable to defend its nest from
predation by rats.
More amazing images at http://kererudiscovery.org.nz and tips on
how to encourage kereru to visit your garden.
Planting Schedule
Good news folks, we have a good supply of planting spades..
If you have your own favorite tool, bring it along...
Sun 19 Jul
Sun 2 Aug
Park Security
We take security very
seriously at out public
planting days.
You have probably heard
of ISIS, well dont panic
folks, we have IVY.
Jeff and Cody have
worked tirelessly to train
Ivy as our park security
agent.
Ivy can detect a wide
range of suspect behaviors from people stopping to take selfies for
Facebook to sloppy tree planting.
Rumors that Ivy can be distracted by phrases such as look Ivy, rabbit...
have been dismissed by her trainers...