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The Wattle Project
The Wattle Project
Pope Francis in his second encyclical, Laudato Si’ - On care for our common home, calls for urgent action to protect our beautiful planet. 2022 also marks the bicentenary of Mother Frances Mary Teresa Ball, with Loreto Sisters worldwide launching the Bicentenary Jubilee Ecology Project, inviting each province to undertake a significant environmental project.
To honour these initiatives, we invite the school to join in the Wattle Project – to plant and care for a native wattle, Acacia Linifolia. Every student and guest who attended the Blessing and Opening of the new Spiritus building will have received a seed packet.
Acacia Linifolia, colloquially known as white wattle or flax wattle, is native to eastern Australia, a graceful shrub with fine leaves and a slightly weeping habit. It grows into a small tree 2 - 3 metres with creamy flowers in summer and sometimes again in winter, attracting bees, seed-eating birds, butterflies and many other insects. It prefers light shade or part sun.
How to plant your Acacia Linifolia seeds
Although Acacia Linifolia seeds can be sown at any time, it is generally best to sow in Spring or Autumn, avoiding the coldest and hottest months of the year. The optimum temperature for germination is around 18-22°C.
Acacia seeds germinate readily, however they do have a hard outer coating which is impervious to water and generally germination will not occur unless the seeds are treated by soaking with boiling water first.
- Place the seeds in a container and pour just-boiled water onto seeds. Let stand for 12 to 24 hours in the water.
- Prepare a tray filled with seed-raising mix. The tray needs to have holes in the base (a butter container with holes punched in the base is ideal).
- Sprinkle your seeds onto the mix, tamp down gently and water with a fine spray.
- Keep your seeds moist but not wet. Do not allow seed or seedlings to dry out.
- When seedlings have reached about 5cm, dibble them out and plant in a pot or in the garden. Continue to care for your seedlings with regular watering.
