Return to the Australian Native Plants Forum
| Post a Follow-Up
Melaleuca and fertiliser
| | |
Posted by australia French riviera (My Page) on Wed, Feb 13, 08 at 13:42
G'day!
I have fertilised a place in my garden with N.P.K 10/12/12,this autumn,and would like to plant a "Melaleuca wilsonii"at that place.
Do you think it will be a problem,with the fertiliser,as everyone knows,Australian native does not appreciate fertiliser ?
Thank you for your advices
phil |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Melaleuca and fertiliser
| | |
| Hey Phil, Most members of the Myrtaceae family, including gum trees, bottlebrushes and Melaleucas are generally regarded as not phosphorus sensitive. It shouldn't be a problem. They're pretty tough. Jim |
RE: Melaleuca and fertiliser
| | |
The "Australian plants don't appreciate fertiliser" story is only partially true. A lot of Australian soils are phosphorus deficient. The plants from those soils have developed special roots which make the most of the small quantity of phosphorus that they can get from their native soil. If they're given more phosphorus, their special roots cause them to take up an overdose and they die from phosphorus poisoning.
Australian plants which need a special low phosphorus fertiliser, are members of the Proteaceae family (Grevilleas, Banksias, Waratahs) and Casuarinas, as well as plants from the poor, sandy soils like boronias and croweas.
Rainforest plants, on the other hand, love just the kind of fertiliser you are using - though they'd prefer it to be organic, of course, as soil texture is very important to them.
(There are also Australian plants which don't like a fertiliser with nitrogen in it - pea-plants and acacias- but this is the same everywhere in the world. Casuarinas don't like nitrogen, either.)
As Jim says, Myrtaceae are very tolerant plants. Myrtaceae of the woody-seed type, like Eucalypts, Callistemons, and Melaleucas have the added advantage that almost all of them come from places where the soil is naturally infertile. They will probably survive your fertiliser, but would be happier without it. Over-fertilising sometimes encourages diseases and insect pests. Don't waste money on any more fertiliser for your Melaleuca.
Trish |
RE: Melaleuca and fertiliser
| | |
Thank you so much "native jim"and "trish g"for your answers,and advices!
For the little story trish g ,i was at Toowoomba tree years ago,visiting that part of Queensland |
|
|
|
|
