Eclipse Resourses Landfill Revegetation

Over the last 2 year Sustainable Outdoors has planted close to 14,000 plants on some very cleverly constructed golf course like mounds that will soon become park lands for local residents who buy land in the area. The plants chosen for the project are local endemic species found in the adjacent bushland.

The site was first prepared by covering the exposed landfill material with approximately 1m-1.5m of clean top soil, then heavily mulched with street tree and recycled mulch. The plants where then augered into position using a specially designed blade fitted to a single person operated petrol auger. The blade first spreads the mulch away, then drills and breaks the soil compaction below. Planting crews then followed.This produced a quick and effective method with quality results.

Bibra Lake Commercial Subdivision

Landcorp’s first sustainable commercial subdivision is heading in the right direction. It is aimed at being a waterwise, eco-friendly development that promotes the use of local endemic plants as an alternative to grass, waterwise drip irrigation systems across the board and energy and water efficient building designs.

Sustainable Outdoors has been contracted to undertake all of the verge landscaping throughout the subdivision with the use of densely planted native ground covers, installation of drip irrigation systems and mulching. Our influence in the project has seen a wider selection of native plants to be used and the installation of high quality irrigation systems.

Once complete the verges will become a self-sustainable landscape once established, not needing as much water as grass, not needing regular mowing/maintenance or the use of fertiliser.

We look forward to our continued involvement with projects like this one that have greater outcomes.

Grass Tree installation

The true Australian bush!

Planting a Grass tree is fun, inspiring and dead easy, but there are a few thing you should know about Grass trees before you start swinging the banjo.

1.

The best time to transplant one is undoubtably during Winter, but can be done either side with good results. In Winter the soil is slightly damp and tends to hold around the roots better when dug up, this keeps the vital hair like connect between the soil microbes in tack, which will save the tree much unneeded stress.

2.

Selecting the new location – Grass trees are an understory species and will cope with either full sun or part shade, but not complete shade. The soil should be fairly well draining, however Grass trees are found in the Darling scarp area which tends to have a high clay content. The best bet is to select a tree from a similar soil type.

3.

This is where the fun starts – Choose a tree and start swinging. Dig a hole about 1m across and depending on root ball about 0.5m deep.

4.

Now your ready for the tree. Before lowering it into the hole, you should double check the size of the hole against the root ball, a quick and easy method to doing this is to use the handle of the shovel to give you a comparative measurement. It’s easy if you have access to a crane to assist you, however this can be done just as easy without with some careful planning. If you collect the tree on a car trailer this can be reversed straight to the hole and slid off the back and simply stood up. This method works quite well, but remember you only get one shot at it if you have a big tree, so check your measurement.

5.

Water in well. Get the hose and start watering. Air pockets trapped beneath the surface particularly in-between the roots it’s bad news. Rocking and shaking can help to release these.

6.

Water for the next several months every day, then for the next year every other day. Adding Seasol ocasionally will help all newly transplanted plants and provide the soil with food, Healthy soil, healthy plants.

Enjoy.