Australia Weather News

Native plant suppliers have reported a "significant" reduction in sales to farms due to dry conditions experienced across South Australia. 

With some farming regions experiencing historically low rainfall averages, farmers are thinking twice about embarking on regenerative projects.

In previous years, Manuka Native Nursery at Allendale North, about an hour north of Adelaide, has sold natives to farmers to establish windbreaks, provide shelter and shade for stock, and to prevent soil erosion.

Co-owner Kylie Conaghty said natives were tough and could withstand dry conditions but they needed water to get established.

"People are quite reluctant to plant — at the moment you need dynamite to dig a hole, and then the establishment waters … the drought is affecting everybody," Ms Conaghty said.

"We are hearing a lot of, 'Yeah, we'll come back when we get some rain'. But the rain is just not coming."

Further north at Booleroo Centre, Brenton and Teesha Whellum run a small native nursery business, Nuthin' but Natives, that propagates natives for farms and gardens.

"The drop in revegetation stock [sales] was quite significant [in 2024] compared to previous years," Mr Whellum said.

The Whellums decided to grow more garden varieties last year.

"We happened to transition at the right period of time … we've picked up business elsewhere with our potted plants," Mr Whellum said.

"Although surprisingly, the saltbush is still quite popular."

Tough once established

Manuka Native Nursery and Nuthin' but Natives deliberately raise their plants on minimal water.

"We do keep our nursery quite dry here," Ms Conaghty said.

"We let them wilt and they're very exposed to the conditions … it's always usually windy here [and we have] heavy frosts."

Shelterbelts and other regenerative projects are far easier to get started in an average rainfall year and once established, most natives can handle the conditions.

Mr Whellum recommended sporadic and erratic watering to encourage hardiness.

"These plants have a good memory. You water at 5 [o'clock] on a Tuesday all the time [and] then you are not there during the heat on 5 [o'clock] on Tuesday, guaranteed the plant's going to shut down," he said.

"It's not magic, it's science — but science is magic."

Both businesses recommend little intervention to the soil.

"Everyone always says we've got really bad soils here … which is fine because our plants like that," he said.

"We got to remember that our soil isn't European soil. Our soil is harsh, clay, baked soils," Mr Whellum said.

"If you're worried about your soil, don't be … our [native] plants have adapted quite well."

Ms Conaghty agreed and encouraged people to choose plants "that will thrive" in South Australian in these soil conditions.

"I don't encourage people to ameliorate their soils and to spend money —use that money elsewhere, just get the right plant," she said.

Nuthin' but Natives makes plant recommendations based on what does well in the area, and what works best for farm revegetation or bush food, and for beautiful gardens.

But in deciding what plants to propagate, there is one overall deciding factor influencing Mr Whellum.

"I plant and grow what makes me feel happy," he said.

The luck of the timing

In 2023, Mid North farmers Holly and Luke Crawford decided to plant a 32-hectare native forest of primarily sheoaks and South Australian blue gums.

While they experienced a dry spring after planting and had to water a couple of times, over the 2023/24 summer they received soaking rains.

"That really enabled them to establish," Mrs Crawford said.

"They got their roots down deep — and they're still looking healthy now, even after such a dry 2024."

Mrs Crawford said the timing of those establishment rains was lucky.

"I think I would be very busy watering them if we planted last year … I think that's success rate wouldn't have been as good without a lot of time and water," she said.

"It was just such a dry year that they would have needed some extra help.

"It's going to be a real win for biodiversity, so it's going to attract native animals, pollinators, and it's just going to be a really cool space to be able to go and explore."