The Art of Propagation
Native plant propagation at Singleton Art Gallery.
Capacity building
The issue
Within the Hunter Region, particularly in the Upper Hunter a lack of local nurseries specialising in, or stocking, native plants means a lack of choice for gardeners and people wanting to restore their local bushland. Choice comes down to large retailers stocking plants of questionable origin and suitability.
The solution
As part of a broader education program promoting sustainable gardening and minimising weed incursions Singleton Council and Hunter Region Landcare network have teamed up to deliver walking tours to discus the impact of exotic plants on the local environment and how to replace or manage them and how to propagate your own native plants for home and revegetation purposes.
The plant propagation training was delivered at Singleton art gallery (with suitable drop sheets and vacuum cleaners to minimise the inevitable spillage) looking at safety, nursery and irrigation set up suitable for the back yard, potting mixes, germination triggers, seed sowing and potting up.
The impact
Fifteen people from Singleton and surrounding areas attended gaining introductory theoretical and practical skills for plant propagation with many expressing interest in follow up workshops on seed collection and plant identification. Members of Luskintyre Landcare who attended intended to implement some of the ideas in the operation of their newly constructed nursery and informal discussions were held regarding the construction of a mid Hunter community nursery.