FOR CARMEN
Carmen was one of three Italian girls who came to WWOOF for me in August. Recently she wrote to ask:
Hi Fay,
I am writing a text about my experience by you. I remember a strange story about the name of a bird, which you tell us but I don’t remember the whole story. could you help me, please? could you also tell me something about the methods you use to improve your garden. I wrote something about the use of jelly, molasses, compost, fence against birds, and the practice of burning grass. Could you explain me something more about it?
Thank you very much. Best regards to Eberhard and you!
I wondered, had I told them about the Kookaburra, the laughing Jackass? The Kookaburra belongs to the Kingfisher family and as such are carnivores. They sit on a branch looking for any movement in the grass below. They will snap up a snake and beat it against a branch of a tree, or drop it from a height to stun it. Two kookaburras may even join forces, one on each end of the snake to pull it apart. They will eat the snake. In the winter time when snakes are hibernating and other prey may be scarce they will perch along my garden fence, looking for little frogs or lizards. They often frequent picnic grounds for a free handout. They will come regularly for feeding if people begin throwing them meat scraps.
Kookaburra by David Osburg.
We have several family groups of Kookaburras on our farm. They cluster together every evening on a tree branch and laugh. Our overseas Wwoofers often think this noisy “Hoo-hoo, ha-ha, hoo-ha” type call is the chattering of monkeys in the trees, but Australia has no monkeys. Due to this chorus of laughter these birds are sometimes called the Laughing Jackass.
The Kookaburras cluster and laugh shortly after dusk and again laugh in the morning at first light before dispersing for the day.
In the spring season there is much laughing throughout the day as the male Kookaburras compete to claim territory.
Molasses may be used to enrich soil to discourage nematodes sapping the growth of plants in sandy soils. Nematodes cause nodules to form on the roots of grape vines and tomatoes. As a deterrent, I prefer to grow lots of Marigold plants, especially the French Tagete Marigolds around tomato plants or underneath grape vines.
- Marigolds and grapes vines.
I create compost in bins where I place garden rubbish, household garbage, manure and feathers from the poultry pens and grass clippings. This is aerated and broken down by red wriggler compost worms. Meanwhile my cat, Patches, ensures no rodents take advantage of the site for food or nest building.
Patches checks the compost bins.
This compost is used to top dress my vegetable gardens.
The Jelly that Carmen asks about is commonly called Water Crystals and is sold in garden stores in small amounts.
Water Crystals.
I buy water crystals in 25kg bags, which while costly, are a much better economic choice for me with a garden the size of mine. They are sold by Seasol International Pty Ltd, at Bayswater, Victoria. Tel: 61-3-9729 6511
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Bulk water crystals
A small amount of these crystals are added to a bucket of water. Quickly they will expand to absorb all the water and become jelly cubes. (A similar type of crystal is used in infant disposable diapers to absorb urine).
I place the jelly in garden beds prior to adding seed to keep the seed raising mixture moist. I also add a handful of jelly cubes around the roots of seedlings at transplanting time. This keeps the young roots moist and reduces transplanting shock.
Preparing to plant Mondo grass.
This morning my two French wwoofers, Thomas and David, planted an edging of Mondo grass amongst granite rocks beside a shed wall. Note how the prepared jelly cubes in the blue bucket are placed in the small holes. Next Mondo grass roots are inserted into this medium, and then soil is placed around the plant and pressed down firmly.
- Mondo grass edging.
I have grown Mondo grass for several years amongst granite rocks at the rear of my vegetable garden. Here two rainwater tanks empty their overflow. The grass and rocks steady the runoff, thus preventing erosion while creating an attractive dry watercourse.
Dry watercourse planted with Mondo grass.
Carmen asks about fences to prevent bird damage. I think she must be referring to the practice of covering trees and vines with netting to protect the fruit. I cover my cherry tree each December.
Patches assists to keep the birds away from the cherries.
Now for Carmen’s final question – the burning of grass in Australia. In rural Australia this practice serves two purposes.
- In our district, the Granite Belt of southern Queensland, we are urged to burn our grass in August to prevent the risk of a serious bush fire later in the season. Due to winter frosting the grass is dry, the soil and night air are cold, so fires lit at that time seldom escape to become serious bush fires.
- If this dry grass is burnt prior to the spring rains, the heat will draw up moisture from deep within the soil and the perennial grasses will quickly make fresh green shoots. This was the purpose of Aboriginal spot burning – to create fresh grass growth to entice wallabies and kangaroos onto the burnt area to feed, where they could be circled and speared. When I was a child my father would burn his grass country in the spring, thus providing a nourishing green pick of grass for his cattle. When the rains came the grass was already growing.
Fire blackened grass land below Das Helwig Haus B&B at Glen Aplin.
Burning our grass land in this manner each August ensures that no wild bush fire will ever threaten our home.
Cattle grazing the same land in December.
If like Carmen, you would like to send me a series of questions about gardening and farming practices, I will attempt to answer them with illustrations.
