SKINC NEWSLETTER - Winter 2009

New email address
Please note our new email address for all correspondence: info@skinc.com.au

New Opening Hours
Due to our need to be offsite regularly, for collecting seed & cuttings, as well as maintaining local sites, please be advised of our new opening hours as follows:

Monday to Thursday - By appointment
Friday and Saturday - 10am to 4pm
Sunday - Closed

While we will often be in and out of the site Mondays through Thursdays, it is best to call ahead if you would like to drop in on these days.

Growing Natives at SKINC
SKINC Retail continues to have a growing selection of interesting non-local native plants. Our friend Charles Saffroy at Growing Natives has been on an extended break, but will be back in the Nursery on Fridays and Saturdays from the week after next, to answer all of your questions. You will also find Charles at the Maranoa Gardens open day and plant sale on next Saturday, August 15.

The indigenous (local native) plants in our retail section have been separated from the non-locals, in order to allow easier browsing and selection.

Note: the plants that we supply to the Council and other re-vegetators continue to be strictly indigenous to our local area.

Preparing for Spring
With a rather mild winter upon us and various plants reacting unusually because of the stress of the last summer, it's almost as if there is a hint of Spring in the air already! Make sure that you've got the garden ready for Spring planting, by weeding (amazingly easy with a little moisture in the soil) and mulching any bare areas. Adding organic matter, such as compost, is one of the best ways to increase the water holding capacity of your soil (not to mention the nutritional benefits).

If you can't wait any longer, and you want to give your plants the best head start for what could be another hot summer, it's not too early to start planting now! As you can imagine, we have a large range of plants that are more likely to survive and even do well over the coming summers.

Friends Groups - Get Involved
Friends groups can make a significant impact on the health and diversity of our local reserves. There are several well established groups throughout our Municipality, such as the Friends of Westgate Park and the Friends of Port Melbourne Foreshore. If you're interested in being involved with a new friends group in your local area, and you live in the City of Port Phillip, we would love to hear from you.

Indigenous Plants of the Sandbelt
We always have a stock of our bible 'Indigenous Plants of the Sandbelt' available in the nursery. At $25 each, they are a good value gift and an invaluable reference tool, whether you're a beginner or advanced in the world of indigenous plants.

Specials!
Forestry tubes - $2
Acacia acinacea - 'Gold Dust Wattle' - native
Acacia pycnantha - 'Golden Wattle' (Australian floral emblem) - native
Ficinia nodosa - 'Knobby Club Rush' - indigenous
Melaleuca wilsonii - 'Violet Honey Myrtle' - native
Tetragonia tetragonioides - 'Warrigal Greens' - indigenous

Spring rings $30
Banksia integrifolia - 'Coast Banksia' - indigenous

The majority of our tubestock is still only $3, while larger tubes are $6.

St Kilda Indigenous Nursery Cooperative
525 Williamstown Rd
PORT MELBOURNE VIC 3207

Melways ref: 2J E1

Tel: (03) 9645 2477

info@skinc.com.au