PTC - 2021 Quail Island planting

Quail Island Planting Days

07 August

Our crew got its planting day in before that pesky virus struck again. The weather looked bad, so organiser Ian had us planting in a spot sheltered from the southerly. Pampering us wasn’t necessary because the wind dropped and the rain stayed away. By noon it was a warm day. Recent rain had made the soil quite wet so the plants didn’t experience too big a shock when put in their holes. With the PTC planters and many others, our tree quota was filled by 2pm, so we had time to wander around the island. Thanks go to Stan for organising the team.

Our 12 planters were: Merv, Peter, Lois, John, KyungSang, John, Stan, Sue, Wendy (Stan’s daughter), Mike, Gary and Kerry (behind the camera)

11-12 September

Much of August’s Quail Island planting season was wiped out by another lockdown, so planting was carried over to September. Chairman of the Quail/Otamahua Restoration Trust, Ian McLennan called on Stan Wilder to assemble a planting team from PTC and 25 answered the call—twelve for the Saturday and thirteen for the Sunday. Both teams planted on the south-side of the island in sunny weather. Gale force nor-westers causing damage inland on the Sunday didn’t reach the city or Lyttelton. Plants get cardboard wind-shields supported by two bamboo canes. A small square of felted dag-wool acts as a mulch and weed suppressor. The Saturday team planted 400 and the Sunday people 430 on their longer day. A great effort.

Saturday people: Merv, Mary, Kyung Sang, Stan, Wendy, Keith H, Grant, Anne, Gary, Calum, Pat, Kerry

Sunday people: Sue P, Sue B, Mike, Rhonda, Tim, Stan, Stuart, Derek, John C, Peter U, Merv, Jeff Chandler, Bruce Marks, Mike Ryan

We get a “how-to” refresher for this sloping site

The clay soil in this patch was getting dry so will need regular watering (or rain) to get the plants started

The other hazard is deer that have wandered onto the island

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