Planting garlic

23-04-09.

Activities: Today we planted cloves of garlic in the new garden bed we prepared yesterday. We gave the bed a light rake to remove any loose rocks and weeds. Once the bed was even we set up 4 string lines which went from one end to the other. The string lines were attatched to stakes in the ground.
There were 2 different size cloves we planted, large and small. They were spaced around 20cm apart dirrectly under the lines. Once they were planted the soil was gently hoed over the top.

Tools: Rakes, hoes, wheel barrow, string lines, stakes.

OH&S:

PPE: Longsleeves, gloves, hat.

Preparing new garden bed.

22-04-09.

Activities: Today we prepared a new garden bed. This invloved removing as many weeds as we could. This was done by hand and with rakes. The next step was to use 2 petrol driven rotary hoes to dig up the soil. The smaller machine was used to lightly dig up the soil, while the second machine went down a bit deeper.

Tools: Petrol machine rotary hoe x 2, rakes, wheel barrow.

PPE: Hat, longsleeves, gloves.

OH&S: Petrol driven rotary hoe.

Seed scarfication and stratification

22-04-09.

Activities: Today we did some really cool stuff with seeds. We used scarification and statification techniques to break the internal dormancy of the seeds. A propagation mix was prepared (15L, pasturised sand, 15L coco peat, 15L perlite and 45G of trichodry) Please note mini osmocote was not used in this mix. Seeds that we used as follows, planted in retangular punnets.

Acacia verticillata- 10 dry seeds placed into punnet, 10 scarified seeds placed in another punnet.

Dianella tasmanica- (same process as Acacia verticillata).

Zelekova serrata, Acer griseum, Acer buergeranum, Betula pendula seeds were placed in 4 seperate punnets. The punnets were then placed in the fridge for stratification.

Please note that the scarified seeds were placed in boiling water for up to 2 hours before being used.

Tools: dibbler, cement mixer, spade

OH&S: Cement mixer

PPE: Long sleeves, mask.

Propagation Semi Hardwood Cuttings

9-04-09.

Activities: We took semi hardwood cuttings off several different plants. The cuttings were then taken back into the prop room. They were placed in a bleached base solution to soke for about 30 seconds. This was basically to sanitize the cuttings. The next step was to make a final cut so we would end up with the final cuttings of around 8-12cm. The ends of the cuttings were then placed into purple hormone gel (purple was for semi hardwood cuttings). Prop mix (made up of 15L pasteurised sand, 15L coco peat, 15L perlite, 45G trichodry and 100G mini osmocote) was then placed into small rectangular shaped punnets. The cutting were then paced in the punnets (approx 9-12 per unit) and spaced evenly apart.

PPE: Long sleeves, hat, mask (for mixing propmix), disposable gloves for bleach solution.

Tools: Seceuteres, cement mixer, spade.

OH&S: Cement mixer.

Drainage Pit

8-04-09
Activities: Today we went up to the common area to do some work. This involved extending a brick path, pathing and installing a drainage pit. Russell an myself were to install the new drainage pit. The idea for this was to connect the pit to two existing drainage pipes, so any water over flow would be caught in the pit.
After the hole was dug the pit was placed in and measured up with the pipes. Blue metal was placed at the bottom before the pit went in. Once in more blue metal was placed around the pit.
PPE: Long sleeve clothes, hat, gloves.
Tools: Hacksaw, drill, tape, spade, wheelbarrow.
OH&S: Redback spiders were found in the pit.