Australian Plants for Revegetation, Forestry & Landscaping

Our Alphabetical Plant List has recent images of our current stock. The Plant Type List is a list of the plants we produce which is sorted into different size ranges to help with plant selection.

Seedling survival is influenced by many factors, and some of these factors can be managed to achieve the best possible survival rate of your seedlings.

Site conditions - Where is the best site for the plantation?

Site conditions which influence seedling survival include soil types; water regimes; climatic conditions such as wind, rainfall, and temperature. Severe coastal conditions will present the most challenges for seedling establishment and only the hardiest species to these conditions should be used. In these situations an ongoing plan of tree planting will eventually provide shelter for more tender species once hardier plants are established. The topography of the site will dictate the optimum position for plantations so as to achieve maximum shelter benefits. Shelterbelts planted along a ridge-top will provide the most widely felt benefit, however these more exposed conditions may inhibit seedling establishment.

Soil conditions

Is the site prone to waterlogging or drying? Is there any compaction that will impede root growth?
Individual species are adapted to different soil conditions, so be sure to match appropriate species to sites prone to temporary, regular or permanently wet conditions. Likewise, arid conditions or areas which experience seasonal droughts will require species which tolerate these conditions.
Where there is a hard pan of impervious soil or sub-soil deep ripping may be beneficial for root growth of seedlings following planting. Deep ripping needs to undertaken at least six months prior to planting to allow the soil to settle sufficiently to provide optimum planting conditions. Deep ripping needs to be timed to a time when sub-soils are dry in order to shatter the soil rather than creating a glazed slit in the soil. Specific advice should be sought regarding your specific local conditions and climate for best results.

Protection of seedlings from livestock- Are fences necessary to exclude livestock?

If your plantation is in a farming situation you will need to exclude livestock from the planting area. Where you are planting to provide short term shelter for livestock during severe conditions an establishment period for young seedlings will need to be observed to grow the plants to a size where they can tolerate short term livestock browsing pressure. If the plantation is situated near National Parks or reserves, native livestock such as kangaroos and wallabies may cause seedling damage, and will need to be excluded or deterred (see below).

Protection of seedlings from vermin & native wildlife- Will tree guards be necessary and adequate to stop damage?

Rabbits and hares are the main culprits responsible for damage to seedlings. Tree guards will help protect young plants from damage by rabbits and hares, however if populations of these animals is severe there may some damage to the foliage which emerges from the tops of the guards. Control programs may need to be implemented to reduce population densities to ensure future tree planting successes.
If you have Kangaroos and Wallabies then a deterrent or physical barrier are options to consider when these animals cause problems. If you consider fencing to exclude native animals they should be designed to provide an adequate barrier. A deterrent option that has shown some promise in some areas is to plant tree or shrub species which are prickly and / or unattractive to kangaroos or wallabies adjacent to the plants which are attractive to the animals. This can be done in a dense perimeter planting around the "desirable" species or double planted beside the desirable plants. There is also a product which can be sprayed onto the foliage of the seedlings prior to dispatch from the nursery which is a browse deterrent but it is only effective against wallabies and only the sprayed foliage is protected - when new foliage grows it is vulnerable to attack and needs to be treated in the field which can be logistically difficult. Individual tree guards will not be effective against kangaroos or wallabies and in fact can attract their attention to newly planted seedlings.
Other animals which can cause temporary problems are magpies, cockatoos & corellas which can pull seedlings out of the ground shortly after planting. As with kangaroos and wallabies these birds are protected species and deterrents and scare devices can be employed.

Protection of seedlings from weeds

Competition for soil moisture and nutrients is the major cause of seedling mortality and reduced vigour will occur where weeds are allowed to grow and smother newly planted seedlings. Weed control can use a variety of approaches including chemical, non-chemical, mechanical (ploughing & fallowing), and physical removal. These methods all require different levels of effort and risk. Each situation will necessitate a different approach. There will also be weed species which need creativity to come up with a solution. In short check that your selected method will achieve the desired result.

Recording of Banjo Frogs kindly provided by Murray Littlejohn.