One for the Gardeners - What to Plant

This is one for the gardeners.

I've got a couple of battered-back embankments that I'd like to plant out with some ground cover and some shrubs or small trees. The batter is about 35 degrees, you can just walk up it. All of the top soil (what there was of it) is gone and the ground is composed of clay. This clay is very hard when dry and holds water. If you dig a hole and fill it with water, it will stay that way for days until it evaporates.

Not being in any way a green thumb, I have no idea whether it's even possible to grow something in/on this stuff. The top soil was very thin and the block was covered in saplings when we bought it, so I guess it's feasible but without top soil at all?

I'm planning to put a low wall at the bottom (300mm sleeper on edge) and a pine log at the top.

Any suggestions welcome.

Pigface.
That was an answer not a comment.
Nice ground cover, always green with a purple or orange flower.
No need to maintain or prune.
My sort of plant.

A great website/organisation is http://farrer.riv.csu.edu.au/ASGAP/
"Association for Growing Australian Native Plants".
A good on-line reference for both suitable species as well as regional groups that you may be able to visit and view the plants growing - and get to stock from.
If you are into native plants it might be of assistance.
I take it fire-retardant will be a bit of a virtue?

Same to you!!

www.australiaplants.com says:

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Pigfaces are common creepers of the beaches, dunes and headlands. It is useful for sand dune stabilization. Plant in sandy, well-drained soils in full sun. It is found native to the eastern seashores of Australia where it grows on cliffs and salt marshes and sandy flats.

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Do you reckon it would go OK on clay? I suppose I could pick up a couple of punnets and give it a go....

Thanks Clinton. Good link. I might post the question on their forum...

Definitely natives for birdlife and aesthetic reasons. Fire retardent yes because we're in 'bush fire prone' zoning. No connected canopies, no dense undergrowth etc.. :rolleyes:

My BIL has in his place in Melt Down, west subs Melb, it is that hard as rock red clay crap that is as hard as nails in summer and it seems to work for him.
Sod all else seems to grow there.................

Nope, not that pigface won't.

We have it growing in sand, just above the mean highwater mark, and it's fine, forget it in clay! There are a dozen other weeds which come under that name though.

Nothing like a bit of hard work.

My version of gardening involves finding a palette of plants which will grow in the climate and soil conditions, spending a huge amount of time, effort and a bit of money preparing the soil correctly, planting, maintaining for a year or so, then let the things run rampant.

Have a look around at the type of planting that was there originally and get similar species, or versions of them that have been bred for decorative purposes.

Spend time conditioning the soil, either plough, rotary hoe, hand hoe or something, break up the top layer and get some gypsum, poo, and as much organic material as you can find mixed into it (dry).

Get a really heavy cover of mulch, something that will break down and add value to the soil. My favourite in a similar soil was Bagasse, but you probably don't have too many sugar mills close by..... after two years it needs re-doing, but the soil is in better shape.

Most commercial nursery suppliers make varieties of composted organic mulch, which is not too horribly priced by the 10 ton truckload.
'
Mulch will keep the moisture content of the soil pretty consistent as well.

If you are going to just stick stuff into bare clay, and not do anything else... you may as well save yourself the effort.

I told you an acreage was going to interfere with more important things!!

Cheers,

P

:D

Darren, how far away from prying eyes are you? :rolleyes: :D

That's doing it hard Midge. What's wrong with threatening any weeds that take root with the whipper snipper every now and then ... like about 6 months after SWMBO starts complaining about them:D

Richard

Have a look at Hebes. Really tough plant and looks good to boot.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebe_(plant)

Grevilleas would be ideal if planted close together.....say about 500mm apart.
The general spread to about 1 - 1.5m.

The easiest way to deal with the clay if to dig a hole and dig thru a shovel full of gypsum as that helps to break the clay up and works very well.

Hope this helps
Steve

I thought of getting a rotary hoe into it Midge, but do they make them in a 4WD variety?

You see there's plenty of other bits more deserving of our attention (seem to be no shortage of those on acerage :rolleyes: ). I was just looking for the easy way out. Maybe I could just throw some top soil and mukch at it and see what takes root.

Termite, it's in a position that only my old man and me will see - being on the downhill side of the cut we made for the shed. What did you have in mind? :eek: :D

Thanks Grunt, will do....

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The easiest way to deal with the clay if to dig a hole and dig thru a shovel full of gypsum as that helps to break the clay up and works very well.

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Now that sounds more like it - would work for the larger plants, yes? Just like putting them in a clay pot. People pay big money for those terracotta ones. My block is just one great big terracotta pot.

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Originally Posted by Iain

Pigface.
That was an answer not a comment.
Nice ground cover, always green with a purple or orange flower.
No need to maintain or prune.
My sort of plant.

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Pigface . Its great and also a native . Very easy to take cuttings from and needs little work .
Good choice .

Im a fan of succulents, but dont really know how they go in that soil on a slope. But if I cant kill them, they must be pretty easy to grow

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Originally Posted by silentC

Now that sounds more like it - would work for the larger plants, yes? Just like putting them in a clay pot. People pay big money for those terracotta ones. My block is just one great big terracotta pot.

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No. Clay pots actually provide a very dry environment through evaporation throught the terracotta.

What you are doing is putting them in a bucket of water.

Cheers,

P
:p :rolleyes: :cool:

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Originally Posted by silentC

I thought of getting a rotary hoe into it Midge, but do they make them in a 4WD variety?

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Yep they do, they are called mini tractors and you need a tiller bar for the back.

That's why most of our friends who are desperate enough to live on acreage actually do: so they can play with tractors and use words like "power take-off" and "bucket" and "tiller" and stuff like that.

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You see there's plenty of other bits more deserving of our attention (seem to be no shortage of those on acerage :rolleyes: ). I was just looking for the easy way out. Maybe I could just throw some top soil and mukch at it and see what takes root.

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Won't work without the mulch, and if you try the dig a hole approach you'll end up with a clump of weeds where you did. The easy way out, is to get hydra mulch in. I said easy, not particularly cheap.

Basically its a mix of old newspapers, a bit of fertilizer, and a brew of seeds designed to germinate in the conditions you have, ie the seeds for ground covers, shrubs and trees designed for clay and your climate.

The seeds bind in the paper, it acts as a mulch and eventually you have bushland. It's mostly used beside new roadworks, or where there is tons of planting to do, there may be a supplier near you.
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Cheers,

P (too lazy for acreage, but love visiting other people's)

:D :D :D

You could try Hardenbergia - native creeper with purple flower. Seemed to grow OK in pipeclay in Tumut.

Alternatively, Triffids.:D

Gypsum and Mulch

Mulch and Gypsum

Gazanias ( african daisies ) are also good in this instance . They too are easily grown from cuttings ( cheap ) but are available in a huge range of colours .

Blackberries, very hardy and provide a wonderful ground cover:rolleyes:

Wot Namtrak sez!

P
:D

I'd be looking at the ground cover Grevilleas; Hardenbergias and Westringias too, but whenever I've planted them I build up a mound of lighter soil.
I agree with the comments about working the clay initially. The grains are fine and close together, so the water runs straight orff with no chance to soak in. I'd be planting into little terraces of well worked soil, with gypsum and compost/organic matter, but not too much manure if you're shoving in natives. And use a wetting agent like Wettasoil to help soak up any water. Then mulch mulch mulch. Jeez I'm starting to talk like Burkie:eek:
I've been working with acres of water repellant soil, and watching droplets form on the dust and not soaking in was a bit of an eye opener:( . Gradually joining up islands of real soil is my approach.

Cheers,

Yep most of the Grevillea ground covers like clay... the Hardenbergia's are quite tolerant too.
I asked me Mum!(resident australian native expert)

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Originally Posted by Midgey

Wot Namtrak sez!

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Tis correct!

I might post a pic of the site when I get a chance. I can't really see a machine being able to work it, so it's likely a manual job and this stuff is HARD. Mattock and crowbar material.

Thanks for all the info and advice, I will absorb it all and go and visit my local garden supplier. Will also get on to the local council (thanks for that tip Clinton) and see if they have any recommendations and/or freebies (I love freebies).

Perhaps someone can place an anonymous tip to the AFP saying you have a stash of weapons buried on your property, they will then come along and dig up the soil for you :rolleyes: .. but you might have a hard time getting them to do the planting for you :D

Silent,

I can only reinforce: ACREAGE IN THIS COUNTRY IS NOT SUITABLE FOR HABITATION UNLESS THERE IS A FERGY
IN THE SHED

Your link didn't work but I assume you were talking about the Kubota

Are you playing silly buggers there Mr Midge? How am I going to plow my paddocks with an ultra light aircraft? Called the Fergy :eek: Do you have to suck it's toes to achieve lift off or something?

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Originally Posted by Iain

Your link didn't work but I assume you were talking about the Kubota

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KUBOTA???? :eek: :eek: :eek:

That sounds like some sort of Asian Flu!!

Fixed the link now!!

P
:D :D :D

Getting too clever for yourself there, BM ;)

Don't think it hasn't crossed my mind. A mate of mine has an old IH with a blade on the front which would be very handy. I've an uncle who sells tractors and I'm sure he could get us a trade in on an old grey Massey Ferguson or something.

I learned to drive on a tractor :D