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need expert help! grevillea thelemanniana
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Posted by alyss Z 10 CA Coast (My Page) on Thu, Jan 26, 06 at 17:21
| Hi. I'm hoping to get some advice on GREVILLEA THELEMANNIANA (Fernleaf Hummingbird Bush) from any of you Aussie experts out there....
I just purchased several healthy 5 gallon plants and am hoping to get more specific information on ideal growing conditions including:
- Soil pH and composition (In what conditions will they do best?)
- Watering frequency (Should they be allowed to dry out between waterings or kept moist until established?)
- Fertilisation requirements / recommendations (I know not to use phosphorus, but what should I use...preferably organic.)
BACKGROUND PLANTING INFO: I am located on the Southern California Coast (Newport Beach CA) Maximum temp: 85 degrees F, minimum: 40 F, medium relative humidity, average annual rainfall: 14 inches.
I originally had clay soil which has been amended over the years with compost, sand and peat to drain well, neutral pH. Water here is rather alkaline at 7.8
THANKS FOR ANY SUGGESTIONS YOU MAY PROVIDE!!
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Follow-Up Postings:
RE: need expert help! grevillea thelemanniana
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Here is a link on growing Grevilleas which may be of interest to you.
Cheers,
Dee. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Growing Grevilleas
RE: need expert help! grevillea thelemanniana
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- Posted by alyss Z 10 CA Coast (My Page) on
Fri, Jan 27, 06 at 18:51
| Thanks...great website. Also appears to have helpful info for the Acacia Cognata/Subporosa that I keep killing! Take care! |
RE: need expert help! grevillea thelemanniana
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- Posted by roysta Gosford NSW (My Page) on
Sat, Jan 28, 06 at 0:27
Just a small point for our American friends, remember when giving temperature, rain figures in your posts on Oz plants that we are not with yourselves and the Brits.
Our temps are in Celsius and rain in millimetres.
It's easy enough calculating inches to mms (x 25) but hell, I gave up the F to C temp conversion business 30 years ago.
How much is 85 degrees F? Cheers
Roy |
RE: need expert help! grevillea thelemanniana
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- Posted by alyss Z 10 CA Coast (My Page) on
Sat, Jan 28, 06 at 11:35
| I can't blame you for not wanting to deal with our archaic system of measurements. Here's my conversion - Hopefully it's correct: 40f = 4.4c
85f = 29.4c
14 inches = 35.5cm When I was a kid (back in the dark ages), they tried switching the U.S. to the metric system. It made SO much more sense to me...especially easier to calculate distance and volume. But apparently, it was just too confusing for the "average" American so the government abandoned the whole concept of trying to teach us. After all, why should we worry about how the REST of the world does things? (This line of thinking might also explain why America has the worst scholastic test scores in the civilized world....) Measure once, cut twice - That's our motto! Take care, A |
RE: need expert help! grevillea thelemanniana
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| Hi - I have these in my backyard and we do not need to give them any additional watering once established. During the first two to three seasons, we watered once a week in the really hot summer (35 - 38 degrees C) and watered weekly during the first couple of months after planting. The one thing I would say is they respond wonderfully to pruning, both in terms of bushier growth and flowering. Definitely avoid digging around the roots, they will pack up and die. Hope some of this helps. |
RE: need expert help! grevillea thelemanniana
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| Hello, I have two forms of this bush. One has very fine leaves and is large and sprawling, the other has slightly coarser leaves and is more upright. Both seem to be extremely drought tolerant. I'd water them weekly until next fall, then pretty much leave them alone. I don't feed any of my Grevilleas or Hakeas or Banksias. Its real easy to overwater these plants (especially the Banksias). Grevilleas are much more forgiving. -Ron- |
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