ATG About the Garden ATGFACTAbout SHEET the Garden Fact Sheet No. 21

GROWING NATIVES IN POTS

The key factors to successfully growing Australian plants in containers are exactly the same as for exotic plants - drainage and nutrition. The main points to remember are that good drainage is even more important for certain natives (mainly those originating in arid areas with very light, sandy soils) and that plants in the Proteaceae family require low phosphorus fertilisers.

When growing plants in containers it is important *PLANTS IN THE to know their type and origin so ask yourself the following questions: FAMILY PROTEACEAE • Tree, shrub or climber/groundcover? • Does it originate in a high or low rainfall area? INCLUDE: • Is its natural habitat sun or shade? • Natural soil type - light (sandy) or heavy (clay)? Athertonia banksia The type of plant determines the ultimate pot size. buckinghamia Knowing its origins will tell you the type of growing cardwellia medium you need, how much water and whether it darlingia should be placed in sun or shade. If the label doesn’t dryandra give you enough information, ask nursery staff. hakea lomatia Any type of container can be used, providing it has macadamia plenty of adequate sized drainage holes. Too small and oreocallis they will drain too slowly and block up easily; too large persoonia and all your precious water will run away too fast. Most petrophile, good quality terracotta and plastic pots come with stenocarpus and good drainage holes; a medium-sized pot should have telopea no less than four, about the size of a five cent piece. + plus some others not readily available for pot A good-quality potting mix containing water-saving cultivation. granules and controlled-release fertiliser is suitable for most Australian plants. Searles Terracotta and Tub Mix is All these plant types also excellent. However, for plants in the Proteaceae family require perfect drainage. (see list, right*) use a mix specially formulated for native plants such as Searles Native Plant Mix (which is suited for planting native plants into larger tubs or containers). Plants in this family and others from low rainfall areas with light, sandy soils will do best if the growing mix is lightened with one part river sand.

WATERING

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Develop a watering regime which keeps the soil just moist but not too wet. Use your finger to test this. Frequency of watering is governed by:

• Time of year. Generally less watering is required in winter. Queensland and northern NSW native plants, unlike exotics, are geared to a wet summer and dry winter. However, because these plants are still active in the cool season and, when potted, can’t draw any residual water from the soil,they will need some water to stop them drying out completely for too long. • Sun or shade. • Indoors or outdoors. • Basket or pot - baskets require more frequent watering. • Rate of growth - a fast-growing plant will take up more water. • Use of water-saving granules.

The best time to water is in the evening or at night from late to early autumn, and in the tropics it’s best to water in the evening all year round.

FERTILISING Use a plant food such as Searles Kickalong® Organic Native Plants at the recommended rate for the pot size and apply every 8-12 weeks from early spring through to autumn.

MULCH Large pots of rainforest plants can be topped with organic mulch to conserve moisture. Dryland species which usually grow in bare ground can be mulched with gravel or pebbles. Searles Mulch Plus is an excellent product for this purpose.

INDOOR AND OUTDOOR Generally, rainforest and understorey plants can be grown indoors or on verandas and patios while those which require long hours of sun should be kept out of doors. However, even the most shade- loving plants need to be spelled out of doors occasionally, say at least one month twice a year, and sunlovers can be kept indoors for short Leptospermum ‘Naoko’ periods (perhaps for a few days when Aussie blossom flowering) or where there is direct sun for much of the day, for example a north- facing window. Air conditioning and artificial heating both cause plants to dry out; so ferns and rainforest species in particular will need to be ‘misted’ with a light spray of water to maintain healthy foliage.

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Below is a selection of Australian native plants suited to various types of container growing - but there are plenty more so check your local garden centre or specialist native nursery.

INDOORS & SHADE SUNNY PATIO OR OUTDOORS Black Bean (Castanospermum australe) Alexandra and Piccabeen Palms Cordylines Silky oak (Grevillea robusta) Palms: e.g. Alexandra and Kangaroo paw Piccabeen palms (Archontophoenix Norfolk Island pine alexandrae and A. cunninghamiana Baeckea black palm (Normanbya normanbyi) Ceratopetalum ‘Summer Star’ fan palm (Licuala ramsayi) Correa Carpentaria palm (Carpentaria Little Penda (Xanthostemon acuminata) and walking stick palm verticillatus) (Linospadix monostachya) Prostanthera Native ferns e.g. blechnum, davallia, Thryptomene Drynaria Brachyscome daisies Zamia fern and Byfield fern Callistemon ‘Little John’ Kauri Compact lilly pillys such as ‘Tiny Trev’, Rhododendron lochae ‘Lillyput’,‘Little Lil’ and ‘Bush Podocarpus elatus Christmas’ Prumnopitys ladei Banksia ‘Birthday Candles’ Various ficus species Syzygium ‘Cascade’

BASKETS

Birds nest fern (Asplenium nitidium) Pandorea Sturt’s desert pea Chorizema Lechenaultia Dampiera Scaevola Peperomia leptostachya Bracteantha (paper daisies) Tassel fern (light shade) Hoya Drynaria whitei (fern) Asplenium nitidium Birds Nest Fern

Cherry Candles Banksia is a dwarf shrub Bracteantha ‘Little Snowdrops’ is suitable for pots. 50cm H x 90cm W. Great for pots.

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