Bushcare Hewitts Creek

Actions on offer include: the Stonecrop spot Honeysuckle flowering east of cycleway Lilies & Cassia just south of Woodlands Ck Cutting up a fallen dead Banksia near Condons Cnr Wading into the Cassia etc east side of Manifest Destiny Ditch edges 2023 Jobs  Conditions are good for getting in the face of that Honeysuckle Wall we noticed last week. Elsewhere there are small infestations of Stonecrop & Velcro plant . Velcro plant . Kikuyu is always into the Lomandra & is hiding numerous Lilies . The Ditch may await our Choppers if its dried out enough but they can look at the Honeysuckle first up. Some watering  may be useful at Woodlands Ck but showers are likely at the end of the week.  2022  Raining... postponed The rain was expected to confine our activities to the Cycleway edge , where our plantings need freeing. An increasing number of Formosan Lilies are showing along our west edge and they should be accessible by the mudrunners.  2021 Weed of the week Bidens pilosa

More to do We have some more to do in the SE corner and it will be timely to revisit Woodlands Ck to combat Honeysuckle regrowth.  Choppers can perhaps do a bit more at Woodlands site before an attack on The Ditch if its dry enough there, or, if not, return to Manifest Destiny . 2022 Priorities Priorities will be: Woodlands Creek edge - Honeysuckle , Cassia , Coolatai , Turkey rhubarb , the remnant weeds on Andrew's site , Cut & paint Privet & African Olive in Manifest Destiny, and the perennial Turkey rhubarb growth along the west edge of the Cycleway .  Turkey rhubarb (Rumex sagittatus) 2021 Weed of the week - Coolatai   Last year we had some fallen timber to dismember (saws useful), some big weed piles to chop/strew, a final clearance around the edges of Andrew's site and a check of the Woodlands Creek edge   for Coolatai , Turkey rhubarb , Cassia & Crofton regrowth. Spring growth means bags are required to take some enemies off-site.

Business as usual A bit of rain and some warmth will mean a return of the wrong plants in the wrong place. Priority will be to find native plants likely to be crowded out. 2023  Rise & Shine   It usually takes up the first hour and then it’s business as usual.  Both sides of the creek and back of the beach are usually the most productive. Creek edge could be gooey so don't wear your best shoes. A sunny 24 degrees is forecast so we will target the SE corner , Steve's Beach & Condon Corner after R&S . There are a few big Lilies on the up in the Kikuyu area for those inclined that way. 2022  Rubbish A rubbish survey on Friday showed rubbish on both sides of the creek and to the back of the beach. It will be a moderate high tide at 9:20am. Remember it’s 8.30 start. The site is pretty wet so weeding will be along the cycleway & up the back, with a re-visit of the Trad area also desirable.  There is a guerilla site soon to start on the south side of Flanagans Cre

Daylight Saving takes us back to 8.30 am start.  If you don't have a better offer  Take inspiration from this week in previous years. 2023 A Cool Holiday Weeding will be west of the cycleway beyond the Blady Grass & yes, there be Lilies sprouting.    If we have some saw equipped choppers there is more cutting & painting to be done in Manifest Destiny .  Our Bowerbird has moved his bower; still on the edge of Manifest Destiny but with a better view & drainage. 2022 Jobs on three sites   1. Woodlands Creek edge Japanese honeysuckle - see picture above (bag it) Turkey Rhubarb Cassia Coolatai (bag the seeds) - more of this grass is up the stony road 2. Andrew's site Privet Japanese honeysuckle (bag it) Morning glory  Crofton weed   Cassia    3. Manifest destiny Two large privets Two African Olives Also some Turkey Rhubarb in the Old forest, west side of the cycleway for the first 50m after the bridge. 2021 This week Offerings include an assault on baby Privets  

 Likely events Montbretia is shooting. Crofton and Fireweed are flowering. Turkey Rhubarb will soon flower.

 Likely events As well as the Crofton, Fireweed and Montbretia shooting and flowering, if it rains, even average amount, there will be plenty to do. Turkey Rhubarb will soon flower. 2023 Back to Spring There were a lot of Croftons in flower last week along the Cycleway so it would be good to get them first up. There are also a few small scale weeding jobs waiting, including renewed acquaintance with the Velcro , Asthma & Stonecrop exotics. Choppers and cutters can do some more of each in Manifest Destiny, backed by some painting by a Poisoner. The Ditch may also be close to dry enough for some overhead chopping. Tomorrow is our last 9am start for a while.  Mon Oct 2nd is a Public Holiday, but if you don't get an invite to picnic with your favourite Union, Bushcare will be on from 8.30. Mon 9/10 is set down as our WCC Rise & Shine Day when Ross brings all the gear & wins the $ prize for NIRAG. 2022 Weed of the week Trad, Tradescantia fluminensis has got away at the c

You'll never weed alone Task sheet to come. Crofton and Fireweed will flower, Montbretia will shoot. 2023 Watering, snakeys & Heat Warning The priority will be watering from Woodlands Ck of nearby plantings, also some water for our plantings either side of the track. The forecast is for it to climb to 27-28 degrees by 11am so the main focus will be shady work in Manifest Destiny -- some cutting & painting, some Cape Ivy ; Cassia weeding and preparing more small privet areas for cardboarding. If cloud arrives there is Crofton & Polygala in flower in the grass areas beside the cycleway. 2022 Andrew's Site There are at least 10 weeds brought here from colonial times, many of them bitter & twisted. Its more scorched earth weeding than chopping. The Woodlands Ck edge is the other main target: Japanese Honeysuckle, Turk & Cassia are back in business there with a bit of Coolatai Grass also visible. Some Lantana regrowth is showing in our recently planted