September
Happenings on Raakajlim from September 2022. (Please do click on the gallery photos to see them in full size!):
The Judy-Phil-Fiona direct seeding machine, mysterious cuckoo spit and the secrets of the Invisible Plant revealed.
Not every restoration solution needs to be high-tech! This is called the Judy-Phil-Fiona direct seeding machine.
We have some shrubland where it is too rough to get in with the direct seeder that we tow behind the vehicle. So we trialed creating the seeding furrow by hand, sprinkling the seed mix and soil amendment in, and then covering over the furrow. We sowed the seed back in June and we are just seeing the first seedlings emerge in early September. Those little Pine trees are my absolute favourite.
It’s Cuckoo spit, named because it appears roughly the same time as the Cuckoos do, Spring.
Also known as Spittlebug froth, it's the protective environment for Froghopper nymphs to live in. Apparently, the froth reduces the risk of dehydration and deters predators as the babies grow. The adult insects are the sap-sucking Froghoppers. Ten points to Dylan Osler who solved the mystery of who had been spitting all over Raakajlim in the northern Mallee.
It took me a while to realise that these were all stages of the same plant! Invisible Plant (often overlooked;) Podolepis capillaris.
This is a round-up of our social media posts from September 2022. This collection is for those who don’t spend much time on Facebook or Instagram, and apologies to those who have already seen these.