Cultivating your native garden
Drainage
The vexed issue of Drainage! Many native plants require good drainage.
You may be fortunate to live with soils which are free draining but if not you have a couple of choices – either source plants which are known to withstand waterlogged conditions eg. melaleucas, callistemons, many eucalypts etc, or build up beds or mounds on which to grow the plants.
As a general rule of thumb, plants native to the drier interior will require lighter, sandier soils and a drier atmosphere than say coastal plants which will cope with more poorly drained soils and greater humidity.
Prune, prune, prune!
Prune little and often (monthly), right from the start to encourage a compact centre.This is important in order to avoid ugly bare branches developing later at the plant’s base.
Later, pruning once or twice a year will be all that’s required eg. after flowering.
Having said this, it’s best not to prune the lower branches of eucalypts as they will drop off naturally as they grow.
The problem with frost
Another problematic issue – frost! Remember that a lot of our smaller natives are naturally understory and therefore prone to frost kill – try and plant these with some canopy protection.
There are a few things however that you can do to lessen frost damage. Spray plants monthly through winter with Envy (available Bunnings), lay your mulch in spring (dark is better than light, wood chips is better than straw, dark gravel best of all- also less fire risk)
Fertilizers
If necessary always fertilise natives with a low phosphorus fertiliser, though the best fertiliser is organic matter added to the soil prior to planting, allowing the plant to feed naturally.
Water or the lack of it
And now water – or lack of it! Here’s a tip from a customer - after digging the planting hole and loosening up surrounding soil, water the hole well with a soil wetting agent – there are plenty of these on the market, some are liquid, some powder.
I’ve been using the liquid to date – after this has soaked well in, plant your plant, water in with the soil wetting agent, and follow this with plain water.
Then mulch of your choice. It’s also a good idea to make a small water holding ditch around the plant. This should see most plants through the summer with minimal waterings.
Terry Frewin, Plantgrower,
Post: RMB 3061, Violet Town 3669
Address: 661 Upper Boho Road, Violet Town 3669
Email: terryf@activ8.net.au
Tel: (03) 5790 8635
For details/interview call the Editor on (03) 5798 1858