RedShirtGuy
4th May 2012, 08:52 PM
This might be better for a different forum, but thought I'd give it a shot here first...
I'm in the process of raking up and burning 25 odd years (since the last bush fire went through) of tree litter from my 5 acre block in central Victoria due to it becoming such a horrendous fire threat again. I've been spreading the ash back out around where I've cleaned up but would like to try and do more while the ground is clear to help with the erosion/salinity council overlay it's under.
It's a moderately treed property and there's room for more in places so that's definitely on the cards, but was thinking that maybe some kind of grass wouldn't go astray. I'm not after a lawn, just something to roughly cover the exposed ground with the hope that the root system would be a benefit and the "leaves" being able to stop water just running away. There are fine clumps of native grasses sparsely scattered around but also large exposed areas that are only being protected by the litter.
The ground is mostly a heavy, very hard clay with some areas having a little fine mulch sitting on top under the tree litter and trying to dig or rake in seeds is going to be nigh on impossible. Watering in gyspum over such a large area (without it simply washing away) is probably out of the question too.
So...after all that dribble...is there something in the way of seeds that I can cast freely around the place this Autumn/Winter with little to no cover and only whatever rainfail Mother Nature can manage that could help me out? The growing grass would probably only get mown during the hot months/fire season, as I would like it to be able to throw it's own seed to help get more coverage over time.
I realise that what I'm asking goes against all normal seeding rules but I'm hoping that whatever doesn't get washed away in winter or eaten by birds (very few bother to land) will get covered with a little silt or root itself in place so that when spring comes around it will be ready to start growing properly. However, I'm also not averse to going around with a pitchfork and shallow seeding in clusters or scattered topographic rows when the ground is a little softer after rain if that's any better.
Any other suggestions for covering large areas with the least amount of nurturing would also be welcome :)
I'm in the process of raking up and burning 25 odd years (since the last bush fire went through) of tree litter from my 5 acre block in central Victoria due to it becoming such a horrendous fire threat again. I've been spreading the ash back out around where I've cleaned up but would like to try and do more while the ground is clear to help with the erosion/salinity council overlay it's under.
It's a moderately treed property and there's room for more in places so that's definitely on the cards, but was thinking that maybe some kind of grass wouldn't go astray. I'm not after a lawn, just something to roughly cover the exposed ground with the hope that the root system would be a benefit and the "leaves" being able to stop water just running away. There are fine clumps of native grasses sparsely scattered around but also large exposed areas that are only being protected by the litter.
The ground is mostly a heavy, very hard clay with some areas having a little fine mulch sitting on top under the tree litter and trying to dig or rake in seeds is going to be nigh on impossible. Watering in gyspum over such a large area (without it simply washing away) is probably out of the question too.
So...after all that dribble...is there something in the way of seeds that I can cast freely around the place this Autumn/Winter with little to no cover and only whatever rainfail Mother Nature can manage that could help me out? The growing grass would probably only get mown during the hot months/fire season, as I would like it to be able to throw it's own seed to help get more coverage over time.
I realise that what I'm asking goes against all normal seeding rules but I'm hoping that whatever doesn't get washed away in winter or eaten by birds (very few bother to land) will get covered with a little silt or root itself in place so that when spring comes around it will be ready to start growing properly. However, I'm also not averse to going around with a pitchfork and shallow seeding in clusters or scattered topographic rows when the ground is a little softer after rain if that's any better.
Any other suggestions for covering large areas with the least amount of nurturing would also be welcome :)