29 December notes

Happy New Year everyone and here's to good health from being outdoors! I'm proposing a weeding or walking-and-looking session on Monday 2 January, from 8 am. If you are interested, please read on...

I went for a wander and weed this morning from 08.15 starting from Schwarz place, Flynn. I checked the Frogmouths' old wattle tree but they weren't there. The three Dianella clumps we planted look wonderful ... as if they've hardly missed a beat. The clumps I had dutifully split and put into the veg. garden (until autumn) don't look so happy.

I moved up the ‘mountain-bike’ track which still seems to have been neglected (let's hope there isn't a new track being built somewhere else on Mt Rogers).

My aim was to check for Serrated Tussock and African Lovegrass as I went. I cut off the seed heads and bagged them. The Serrated Tussock seed heads are so fine it isn't until the grass is cropped that the long heads become visible. That must be something to do with the colours too, as the sheen of the flowering stalks blends in with the background.

As I went I beheaded Fleabane and Salsify/Goatsbeard before the huge heads shed seed on the wind.

I was heading for the burnt area south of McNolty Place and Schey Place as I noticed that the regrowth of native species there in the grassy woodland was really promising. It's improved in two weeks. It might be worth even beheading Flatweed and mattocking or prising them out, it's so 'clean'.

The rough track up from the new concrete drain is another story because the African Lovegrass (ALG) infestation that's been there for some years is very dense in one spot.

I propose to return there, probably parking at Mildenhall or one of the two Places and attack the weeds again. At this stage I'm proposing Monday 2nd January as an impromptu weeding session ... or just a walk through this good section to see what Mt Rogers was like many decades ago! I'll aim for 8 am in case summer is still here, if you'd like to join me.

I realise that many are away or tied up with visitors but equally some might like a dose of fresh air.

There's also a patch of St John's Wort that's resurfaced in the south-eastern corner of the open space below the second-summit, and I remember Steve and Judy having a go at this infestation some years ago.

Chris and Margaret have been working at the Verbascum heads again ... there are quite a few Verbascum rosettes but they can wait a bit before we target them.

Cheers & "no obligation"!

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