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Expert Advice
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| Welcome to Our House online's Expert Advice. We have brought together a number of independent experts* in a variety of fields, who are available to answer your individual queries on a wide range of home improvement topics. Read through previously asked questions, or submit your own. *Please note that these experts are completely independent of the Our House television show, and any segments that have been shown on the TV programme. If you are looking for information on a TV segment, search our archives. |
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Native plantings (Submitted on 10/01/2001)
Question :
We have just built a new house. Part of the conditions on the building permit is the requirement for a large area of indigenous natives to be planted. The area has about four large yellow box trees and is covered with non native grasses at the moment. What is the best way to plant the indigenous natives? Should we kill off all the grass first then mulch around the tubelings, or just plant them amongst the grass?
Answer :
It is best to kill off all the non-native grass first and prepare the area for planting. Small tubed seedlings will need all the help they can get, without competition from grass — particularly exotic grasses. If it is a large area, say 800 metres or more, it would be best to get in a machine to deep rip the soil to a depth of about 600mm. This is particularly important with clay soil. Otherwise, dig individual holes which are squared at the edges so plant roots can quickly 'get away'. If soil is very heavy it is best to make mounds and plant the seedlings in those, to ensure good drainage. Make sure you lightly dig over the ground underneath the mound first, to stop a pan forming. Then mulch the whole area to at least 100 mm, keeping mulch well away from plant stems but covering the former grassy area (which should now be dying off after spraying) to conserve moisture, protect the plants and help suppress further grass and weed growth. |
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