Hello Buster

Thank goodness for 4 Paws Animal Rescue, who provide refuge for homeless cats and dogs. This not-for-profit organisation is run entirely by volunteers.

Most of their animals come from council pounds, some are surrendered or abandoned, others are saved from cruel living conditions. The team at 4 Paws aims to find loving homes for all animals who come into their care.

This month we introduce Buster! This darling boy

In the Wild

A Time to Plant

“When is the best time to plant in the hinterland?” is a question I often hear (and although It could be rightfully pointed out that I have a conflict of interest being in the nursery business), my answer is that in this place and with benign climate that we are blessed with, that there’s no time better than the present to plant, but as always, there are a few important factors to take into consideration.

Soil moisture is crucial for plant establishment, the roots of your planted stock need to quickly move from the confines of the potting mix that they have been established in and into the soil, and moist soil is crucial for this process.

For the bulk of the year when high temperatures are below 30 degrees and the soil that you’re planting into is mulched you may find that you don’t need is currently in foster care, but needs an urgent forever home.

Both vines can be spread by plant parts and seeds.

To manage these vines in your area that are growing up trees and not along the ground, cut the stem at the base and remove all roots.

If they are growing along the ground, pull them out at the roots and remove the plant from the ground so it doesn’t regrow from broken stem fragments.

Find out more about managing invasive plants and animals in our region at sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au, and in the search bar, type ‘biosecurity action at home’.

After only one week, Buster has settled in really well. He is very well behaved with no bad habits.

Buster's previous family said that he is probably not suited to a home that has young children. He is a small, cute, house-trained cuddle buddy that doesn't really shed hair; he loves company, travels well in a car and is a perfect gentleman when he goes out! What more could you ask for?

Could you give Buster that loving and caring home that he desperately needs? If so please visit the website: 4pawsanimalrescue.org.au to water after planting. I often time my ‘reveg’ plantings at home for rainy days and save having to water at all, with the added benefits of a mud bath by the end of the day.

In your garden you’ll probably have access to unlimited water for most of the year so maintaining soil moisture is not an issue, just make sure you don’t over water and drown your plants, you need moist not wet .

Back to reveg, the most risky time for soils drying out is spring and early summer, but we do generally get just enough rain, and mulching with hay keeps soils moist and cool even when temperatures get over the mid-thirties.

Beneficial supplements include water crystals to maintain soil moisture, anti-transpirants to reduce water loss from your planted stock, mulch, mulch, mulch and tree guards for tubestock.

Frost is perhaps the biggest obstacle to establishing plants on the hinterland. Not all plants are frost sensitive and we have many frost hardy local natives that can be planted any time of year. Even frost-sensitive plants can be planted once the threat of frost has been beaten by the shade and protection of more frost hardy species.

Planting very frosty areas in spring after the last frost can be beneficial to establishing your stock as it allows the maximum growth period before the next frost hits.

In the garden, anytime is a good time to plant. For more advice of what’s best to plant and when, visit us at Forest Heart.