Our volunteer growers raise native seedlings over summer and get them ready for planting by landholders and community revegetation projects in winter. Our qualified staff provide advice and support to growers throughout the growing period to ensure that the healthiest, most robust seedlings are produced.
How do you get started?
First, register your interest in the Tree Scheme to become a volunteer grower. The growing season starts in November and ends around May the following year:
- July-August Submit your grower registration form
- October-November Attend a free propagation workshop (optional)
- November Collect growing materials from your nearest depot
- November-May Propagate, water and care for your seedlings
- May-June Handover your seedlings
What do you need?
First, we ask all volunteers to consider their availability. While the process is straightforward, you’ll need time to set up your backyard, fill up the tubes with soil, plant the seeds and then care for them every day during the growing season (November-May). Your backyard will also need a place with direct sunlight for most of the day, a sturdy waist-high growing bench, shadecloth and good water supply.
Our volunteers find the growing process easy and very rewarding. If you can successfully grow vegetable seedlings you should be able to grow native seedlings! For more information on what is involved and setting up your backyard to grow the healthiest seedlings, download our volunteer grower brochure.
Growers’ seedling materials
We provide all the supplies, training and support you need to grow healthy native seedlings. Your volunteer grower seedling materials include:
- Soil, tubes, fertiliser, gravel mulch and native seeds
- The Growers’ Handbook with step-by-step instructions
- Access to free propagation workshops
- Instructions on who you are growing for and which species
Access our skills and knowledge
Since our inception in 1981, the Tree Scheme has built an amazing base of resources on growing native seedlings. Our fact sheets on common growing problems, growers’ videos and DVD, as well as the Growers’ Handbook, give you all the ideas and insight you need to keep learning and to build up a flourishing supply of seedlings. Explore our growers’ resources here
For registered volunteers, our free workshops run from October to November and will take you through the growing process step-by-step. See the next workshop dates here
Contact us or call 08 8406 0500 to get involved