Episode: 12
Title: Plant placement, Dial Before You Dig
Broadcast: November 10th, 2018
Presenter: Trevor Cochrane

Verge gardens are a big trend to plant up these days and whilst it's a great idea it’s important to remember why they are there, they are there to conduct into our properties for essential services like power, water, storm water, sewerage connection, phone lines and fire hydrants to name only some of the many cabled or piped services we receive.

• If you plant your verge, be conscious it may need to be dug up at different stages and that could impact your planting, speaking of plantings, if you put in the wrong tree, or shrub in, the damage could be very expensive, so be careful and seek out the right advice.
• Dial before you dig will give you a map of where the main service cables and pipes are on your property, that means you can then plant, but away from them. Plant selection is always important too, huge trees on your verge isn’t always the best idea, if the trees roots wrap around a pipe and break then, the roots will have to be cut away, more likely killing your tree.
• It doesn’t matter where you dig on your property its always vitally important you understand what’s under your feet. Whether your digging with a shovel or using the Kanga to lay a trench down you have to be very careful and your first stop should always be Dial Before you dig. Give them a call a couple of days before you start the project.
• If you are not sure about what varieties are best – i.e. planting an ornamental fig tree isn’t the smartest idea... check with your local council, or service provider, most provide planting suggestions these days and they are a really handy resource.
• It’s not an expensive process, in fact it doesn’t cost a cent, just a little bit of planning time before you dig… if your digging holes give this number a call (PH. 1100) to make sure you don't do any unnecessary damage to infrastructure that's important to your essential services. Follow these steps and you will have planting success for your verge.

W: https://www.1100.com.au/
P: 1100