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Banksias
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Posted by TAMnDEON QLD Aust (My Page) on Mon, Sep 5, 05 at 0:06
| I originally come from SA and have longed to grow a banksia in my garden. But we have very rocky, clay soil that, when it rains a lot, gets very swampy and boggy, even though we have all our gardens built up. I have tried countless times with no success until recently. I bought a Banksia integrifolia, coastal banksia, from a market and put it in a pot rather than the ground. It is going really well but I'm afraid to plant it out. Does anyone have any advice on how I can put it in the ground and keep it healthy, or can it stay in a pot and if so what size would it need. Also are there any better varieties to grow for my area and soil type and where can I get them from. We live in North Queensland. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Banksias
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I think you had really best pay even more attention to drainage if you want to grow the integrifolia in the ground, and it will eventually get too big to stay in the pot, unless you bonsai it!!!
Try the Hinchinbrook Is banksia, which has beautiful silvery flowers, and should be available in your region.
Tony |
RE: Banksias-Follow up
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Not native to your area but with good prospects are B oblongifolia, B spinulosa, & B robur, also worth a try. There is one from the Top End whose distribution extends into FNQ, but I can't think of its name off the top of my head.
Tony |
RE: Banksias
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| Tam/Deon I have successfully grown Banksia robur in heavy clay in Brisbane. Its native habitat is swampy. See the attached link - it should be fine in your area. The new flowers are a very attractive iridescent green. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Banksia robur
RE: Banksias
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- Posted by roysta Gosford NSW (My Page) on
Tue, Sep 6, 05 at 19:31
Agree with Frank, I'm a good deal south I know, but our soil is heavy clay and I mixed in plenty of sand before putting the Robur in the ground.
They like it wet. Cheers
Roy |
RE: Banksias
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| As a general technique for getting temperamental plants to grow I have come up with a nifty solution: I grow the plant in a polystyrene foam box with suitable potting mix in it. then just place the plant in the final position and leave to grow. The plant will grow through the bottom, and over a few years you can pull away the foam and enoucage the root system. Using this technique I've managed to grow darwinias, grumpy wattles and verticordias in our swamp soil. It worked for a euc caesia too. B. robur likes wet clay soils once established, anyway. |
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