News from Leitch / Nuus vanaf Leitch
This quarter saw the gardens square in the middle of the winter season with temperatures
plummeting and only 77mm rain recorded mainly in early May.
All gardens are showing signs of lack of moisture and the abuse of the cold with it being
most evident in the last weeks of July. The grass is showing signs of discolor and trees are
shedding large quantities of leaves which has presented some challenges to keep on top of
organic removal. That been said, with the slow up of growth in the lawn areas, it has afforded
us the opportunity to focus on much needed pruning around the estate. We have engaged in
a program of pruning trees, Strelitzia and palms that present problems directly to buildings
as well as started a general culture of succession pruning with Strelitzia and Phoenix palm
that are found within gardens. The Strelitzias have been used extensively as screening but in
some cases have ceased to perform this function due to their large size, so we are selectively
removing these pieces, whilst still being sensitive of the function of the initial planting. The
aim is to encourage the clusters to remain full and lush while removing any potential risk to
homeowners and or property.
All the pruned organic has been removed to the service yard and where possible, it has been
shredded and returned to gardens as a mulch. Those organics that are not able to be
processed through the shredder, have been burned through a succession of controlled burns.
All spare shredded material has been stock piled for composting with the intention to be
able to return it at a later stage as compost.
With the help of the environmental team, the burn program has been finalized. Although not
planned, the recent runaway fire from Trafalgar side, assisted our burn program and has
resulted in a very positive result ecologically, if not somewhat of a crisis experienced
through damage of the estate.
The balance of areas to be burned and even those not on the list this year for burning, have
been slashed. We also took the opportunity to mechanically damage emerging coppices of
Strelitzia and Brachaleana where they encroached on grasslands.
There was a recent bloom of water lettuce experienced at the birding dam. This was treated
with a succession of chemical spraying to ensure total eradication and no further spread on
the estate.
Salvage and rescue of plants in block 30 due to potential damage as a result of the upgrade
taking place, is ongoing. In anticipation for replanting, propagation in the nursery is in full
swing. Stock levels are positive. Hand over of first units for landscaping was expected end
July but weather condition for re-landscape are not conducive, so planting is expected to
commence mid to end August when moisture and temperature have returned.
There has been an addition to the bee hives with San Lameer now bragging with seven hives
in total. Two of the original hives were moved from their old brood boxes that were slowly
collapsing. This gave me an opportunity to reconstruct some honeycomb. There appears to be
a fair amount in nectar/ honey in all hives which is good news for the coming season. It is
generally a sign of expansion. Mixing of brood frames and incomplete frames in order to
encourage comb making, also took place with some good results. I can confirm the presence
of most queens who all still show good laying patterns. Some thought to catch boxes has
been given with the possibility of putting some out-end July to catch swarms which usually
happens around September.
At a debrief after the “big fire”, we decided to update first aid training for our staff. We now
have three level 3 first aids as well as four level 1. We have also taken the opportunity last
month to update training on the salt chlorination system on the Meersig swimming pool.
In hierdie kwartaal het ons beleef hoe die tuine se toestand in die middel van die
winterseisoen verswak het en reën van slegs 77 mm was hoofsaaklik vroeg in Mei
aangeteken.
Al die tuine toon tekens aan 'n gebrek van vog en die aanslag van die koue wat die
duidelikste gewys het in die laaste weke van Julie. Die gras toon tekens van verkleuring en
bome werp groot hoeveelhede blare in, wat 'n paar uitdagings bied, terwyl dit organies
verwyder word. Dit gesê, met die groei in die grasperkgebiede, het dit ons die geleentheid
gebied om op broodnodige snoeiwerk rondom die landgoed te konsentreer. Ons is besig met
'n program wat fokus op die sny van bome, “Strelitzia” en om palms te snoei wat direk
probleme by geboue inhou, sowel as 'n algemene projek wat fokus op die snoei van
“Strelitzia” en “Phoenix”- palm wat in tuine voorkom.
Brett Wortmann
Manager / Bestuurder
Die “Strelitzias” was op groot skaal as beskerming gebruik, maar het in sommige gevalle
opgehou om hierdie funksie uit te voer vanweë hul grootte, en daarom verwyder ons hierdie
stukke selektief, terwyl ons steeds met sensitiwiteit die vorige plantproses in ag neem. Die
doel is om die bondels aan te moedig om vol en weelderig te bly terwyl daar seker gemaak
word dat moontlike risiko vir huiseienaars en / of eiendom uitgeskakel word.
Al die gesnoeide organiese plantmateriaal is verwyder en waar moontlik word dit gesnipper
en dan as 'n deklaag gebruik vir die tuine. Die organiese materiaal wat nie deur die snipper
verwerk kan word nie, is deur 'n opeenvolging van beheerde brande vernietig. Al die ekstra
versnipperde materiaal is gestapel om dit dan op 'n later tydperk weer as kompos te kan
gebruik.
Met die hulp van die omgewingspan is die brandprogram afgehandel. Alhoewel die onlangse
brand by die Trafalgar-hek nie beplan was nie, het dit ons brandprogram op 'n ekologiese
manier gehelp, alhoewel dit ietwat van 'n krisis vir die landgoed was, het dit 'n baie
positiewe resultaat opgelewer.
Die balans van die gebiede wat verbrand moes word en selfs dié wat nie vanjaar op die lys
was nie, is gesny. Ons het ook die geleentheid benut om die ontluikende koppe van
“Strelitzia” en “Brachaleana”, waar hulle op grasvelde beland het, chemies uit te roei.
Daar was 'n onlangse blom van waterlelies by die voëldam. Dit is behandel met die spuit van
'n chemiese stof om seker te maak dat dit totaal uitgewis word en te verseker dat dit nie
verder op die landgoed versprei nie.
Die deurlopende herwinning en red van plante in Lot 30 weens moontlike skade as gevolg van
die opgradering, is aan die gang. In afwagting vir herplanting, is voortplanting in die kwekery
ten volle aan die gang. Voorraadvlakke lyk positief. Die oorhandiging van die eerste eenhede
vir terrein verfraaiing word einde Julie verwag, maar die weerstoestande lyk nie na wense
nie, so daar sal eers begin tot einde Augustus, wanneer vog en temperatuur teruggekeer het,
geplant word.
Daar was 'n toevoeging van byekorwe en San Lameer spog nou met altesaam 7 korwe in
totaal.
Twee van die oorspronklike korwe is van hul ou broeikaste verwyder waar hulle stadig
inmekaar begin val het. Dit het my die geleentheid gegee om 'n bietjie van die heuningkoeke
te herbou. Dit lyk asof daar 'n redelike hoeveelheid nektar / heuning in alle korwe voorkom,
wat goeie nuus vir die komende seisoen is. Dit is gewoonlik 'n teken van uitbreiding. Die
meng van broeirame en onvolledige rame om die vorming van heuningkoeke aan te moedig,
het ook met goeie resultate plaasgevind. Ek kan die teenwoordigheid van die meeste
koninginne bevestig wat almal steeds goeie lêpatrone toon. Daar was daaraan gedink om ten
einde Julie vangbokse uit te sit om swerms bye rondom Septembermaand te vang.
Na die “groot brand” het Leitch besluit om noodhulpopleiding vir alle personeel te lewer.
Daar is nou drie derdevlak noodhulp personeel sowel as vier eerste vlak noodhulp personeel
wat gekwalifiseer het. Daar is ook verlede maand van die geleentheid gebruik gemaak om
opleiding van die sout en chloorstelsel van die Meersigswembad op datum te bring.