DEAD WATTLES ARE GOOD WATTLES! Being a sprouter of native plants I am still upset by attitudes toward Wattles. Many consider them short-lived, scrubby, sinus blocking things that create a mess in the bush - almost as bad as prickly shrubs - but they are undervalued and misunderstood.
The wattles around our dam came up 14 years ago and most are now dead. Half of them are still upright and are being used constantly by birds coming down to the dam. They are the best observation platform for birds before they come down to drink, and are also excellent for viewing birds due to their dead leaflessness.
They improve the soil by fixing nitrogen in special nodules on their roots.
So please resist the urge to clean up all dead wattles and that goes for fallen timber as well…unless it is a fire risk close to buildings. Just let it fall and do its own thing. Insects need dead timber for their life cycle and birds need insects for theirs.
The wattles around our dam came up 14 years ago and most are now dead. Half of them are still upright and are being used constantly by birds coming down to the dam. They are the best observation platform for birds before they come down to drink, and are also excellent for viewing birds due to their dead leaflessness.
They improve the soil by fixing nitrogen in special nodules on their roots.
So please resist the urge to clean up all dead wattles and that goes for fallen timber as well…unless it is a fire risk close to buildings. Just let it fall and do its own thing. Insects need dead timber for their life cycle and birds need insects for theirs.
Thanks, Maxie! I'll remember the advice for our wattles, and stop Dad digging them up!
ReplyDeleteFrom Hamish.
Sheer delight! It was worth the wait: you're on my favourites!
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