By JONATHON HOWARD
MOLE River Native Nursery propagates and sells thousands of frost hardy native plants each year to farmers and landcare organisations throughout the Granite Belt.
Last week it opened its gates to a lucky group of visitors. The owners, Sarah and David Caldwell opened their nursery to the Border Landcare Organic Group.
The group was also lucky with the weather and the beautiful day in the scenic surrounds of the Mole River Valley contributed to the large turnout of both BLOG members and visitors.
The day started with Sarah Caldwell giving a really informative demonstration of the cutting and seed sowing techniques they use at the nursery.
David Caldwell then gave a demonstration of the grafting techniques used, including a graft onto a cutting which is then used as rootstock.
The group then toured the nursery grounds looking at the huge range of plants displayed.
The nursery has a number of large polytunnels, each containing hundreds of small seedlings.
There is also a polytunnel with its own fog maker for misting the seedlings and heated benches run by a wood-powered furnace.
Everyone was impressed, not only by the health and vigour of all the plants but the organisational abilities required to produce so many plants to order in a given timeframe.
