Sit back and watch your garden grow – that’s the message from Council’s Environment team, who this week handed out the final free native seedlings for 2021 as part of Council’s One Tree for Me initiative.
Through One Tree for Me, Council is aiming to get 65,000 seedlings planted in the local area over the next 6 years – one seedling for every resident.
Council donated a total of 12,006 seedlings in 2021 through a series of seedling giveaways and a variety of community planting events including Schools Tree Day and National Tree Day.
Track the One Tree for Me seedling progress:
Environmental Education Officer Alice Kent is looking forward to seeing the seedlings growing in residents’ backyards over the coming months.
“All the One Tree for Me seedlings are local native species, meaning they are suited to our local conditions, including frost in winter and long hot summers, as well as our soils,” Ms Kent said.
“If you haven’t planted your seedlings yet, now is the time to get them into the ground, so they have time to establish before the heat of summer.”
As the seedlings grow they will provide important habitat and food sources for insects, birds and animals like possums and squirrel gliders.
“Supporting nature is also rewarding for us,” Ms Kent said.
“We get to enjoy the new creatures visiting our gardens, knowing we’re part of something so much bigger.
“Our gardens are connected, and as each garden becomes biodiverse, they all join together to make a biodiverse city.”
Ms Kent said the Environment team were overwhelmed by the positive response from the community and wanted to thank residents for their support.
“We still have a long way to go to reach our goal of 65,000 seedlings in the ground, so we won’t be slowing down,” Ms Kent said.
“Next year we’ll have more community tree planting opportunities – we’d certainly love to increase the number of schools and preschools participating in Schools Tree Day – and of course we’ll have more free seedlings to give away.
“In the meantime, plant your seedlings and enjoy watching your garden come to life.”
Caring for your native seedlings
- Water new seedlings when you plant them, then every few days as they establish. If your plant looks unwell, it may be receiving too much or not enough water.
- Surround your seedlings with mulch. This helps keep the soil moist and adds organic material as the mulch breaks down.
- If you have any curious pets that may accidently damage your precious seedlings, use tree guards to protect them while they establish. You can purchase these at garden centres, or make your own with milk cartons.
