Given the frightful discovery of what we have found last month, is an established (at 2 year plus given the size of blubs found according to Jarrah) patch of Turkey Rhubarb, in the dying Westringia – this was our target!
It was such hard work – getting into the ground below the established (live and dying, each was a huge and difficult obstacle for us getting into this area) Westringia, roots, branches everywhere – it was seriously hard work, being into this bush, the small breeze that day alluded us. It was seriously hard work and thank you all who didn’t give up.
But, to make it fun there was competition as to who could find the largest Turkey Rhubarb bulb. There is no doubt that Jarrah found the first of the biggest Turkey Rhubarb bulbs – over a hand size, deserved so much as he ploughed in and was more of a ferret than a human – this is meant as a compliment Jarrah! – I saw you go in for the kill, it was more than admirable for your tenaciousness [LC1] to get to the source.
Hence the competition was on. Who could find the biggest Turkey Rhubarb bulb?
There were quite a number of great finds of seriously big bulbs, but there was also finds of more than dozens and dozens of smaller bulbs – we think there was over 20kg of bulbs at the end of the day. (Thank goodness we have Jarrah could carry this seriously heavy bag to the carpark – I could barely lift the bag).
We were told that the Turkey Rhubarb bulb was edible, so Claire, one of our volunteers, was brave enough to cook (baked in the oven for an hour and a half) and tasted the Turkey Rhubarb. Claire can confirm that it tastes horrible and very bitter. “I won’t be recommending it or eating it again, I only managed a tiny taste”
So next working bee will be a follow up on Turkey Rhubarb the and then hopefully we can plant and get some shrubs in for the birds and then help increase the diversary of species on our site -as we continue to find more and more fauna as the site improves from the previous monoculture of Bitou.
Julie did a short day, but in this time she undertook eradication of small bitou seedlings – mx 6″ high. Julie checked bitou poisoned last time (all dead), and then did another 2 big bitou bushes on the west edge of good bush. Doing a mix of cut/ poison paint and scrape/ poison paint- due to the size of the stumps and the terrain.
I was brave enough to cook (baked in the oven for an hour and a half) and taste the Turkey Rhubarb, and I can confirm that it tastes horrible and very bitter. I won’t be recommending it or eating it again, i only managed a tiny taste. (see pics below).
