Earth care

This photo is a record of a day I went into the local creek bed, prepared to collect a LOT of rubbish, and maybe a few figs. Afterwards I made three or four jars of jam. The really great eating fig trees were not ripe yet, but what my grandma always called “jam figs” or “Turkey figs” were ready to go and they do make good jam! And, isn’t it sad when even a feed sack is not enough for all the rubbish? Thanks for the bag, Hungry Jack’s. NOT.

And, here is the start of my autumn guerilla planting. Here, I am replanting a spot where myself and a friend have sheet mulched. Cardboard, and many, many street leaves. Imagine the hours that took us. So there are no head-high weeds here as would be normal by this time of the year. However, our first round of planting was largely pulled out or poisoned. Who can say why? I am trying again. Some things lived from the first planting.

The few ruby saltbush that made it are substantial now, most of a year on. The eucalypts that made it (some have mutated in response to poison) are now not-quite up to my knee. The kangaroo apples that lived are growing well and flowering.

And, creeping boobialla wins again! I am going to propagate A LOT of this plant again this year. In my experience of guerilla gardening, establishing a ground cover can be the beginning of good things. I much more often start here and move up to a shrub or tree–than being able to establish a tree and then put in understorey to complement it.

Anyway–this day I planted 30 or 40 ruby saltbush. Another of my favourites. Maybe more than 40. And now I have my fingers crossed. There is not a lot of soil in this spot for their roots to go into, and clearly a poisoner visits (though not very often). Go ruby, go!

I even planted a back row to make this look Very Deliberate, just like an Intentional Planting (which it is, natch), in case that helps. There is just no reason this blighted spot has to be full of weeds year after year, when it could be full of native plants creating food and shelter for small forms of life. And a green spot for passersby. And if I can establish some plants here, they will restore soil eventually. But meanwhile, I applied water and rode home. Wish them luck!