Local native pea expert, Tim Hayes, led an enjoyable and informative workshop for our dedicated nursery volunteers on October 4th. Native peas are ecologically important but notoriously difficult to grow in our nurseries, so we invited Tim to share his insights.
Using small pieces of fine mesh weighted with a stone, our volunteers dipped the seed into freshly boiled water for 30 seconds, followed immediately by icy cold water for 30 seconds. Under Tim’s guidance, they then placed the seed into pots, covered it with sieved soil, and watered with a fine mist. Tim advised to keep the pots in a warm location and watered with a spray bottle several times a day. We are all eager to see the results!
Tim’s enthusiasm for native peas was infectious. He explained that they are often overlooked in favour of plants with bigger, showier flowers, but they really do deserve our attention. In his local searches for native peas, Tim even discovered a new species.
We are very grateful to Tim for generously sharing his knowledge and propagation tricks.
By Sonya Duus
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The Climate Ready Revegetation Project has been assisted by the NSW Government through its Environmental Trust. Landcare Australia Michael King grants enable us to purchase seed from diverse provenances.