AusBonsai

Hi all. My brother owns some scrub with lots of nice little stunted melaleuca plants with nice dead wood and live veins. The problem is they are in very sandy soil with no fine root whin 2m of the plant. Need to know how to collect them? I am thinking there is three ways to go about it. The 1st is prob no good but I could dig one side close then fill with spagmoss or something that will hold moisture then do the other side next year. Only prob is I definitely will not be able to water them. Number 2 is will they survive being dug as they are collected only with a couple of fat root and no fine ones. Then soaked in seasol and potted up. I dont know the species or how tough they are? The 3rd and final thing I was thinking is to air layer them for 6 months to a year and then collecting them as an air layer does not need any special care. Peoples thoughts?

Hi Sammy,
Your option 1 would be the safest but you have already ruled it out unless you can work out some way of providing occasional water so the new roots can develop.
Depending on species your option 2 may work. I would try first with a smaller specimen and see if you can keep it alive. Remember that most melaleucas grow quite easily as cuttings (no roots at all) so it is theoretically possible to get them to grow new roots from roots that have been cut. Melaleucas that grow in the conditions you describe are tough but that does not always mean they are easy to grow. Some species just cannot tolerate the better conditions we give them in cultivation.
Air layers may also be difficult. You do need to monitor the moisture content to make sure the layer doesn't dry out.

You could try layering some roots with sphagnum wrapped in plastic (sort of cross between 1 and 3?) Buried in the ground it won't dry out as quick as air layers.....(maybe)

Try all 3!
I, too, would like to know as I love Mel's!
Pup has given an example in a thread on how he does it and he has no problems - he uses cuttings and Honey (for it's antibacterial properties)...

viewtopic.php?t=2641#p28142

It's a bit if a read and it focuses on Calistemons, but I believe it's his preferred method for natives (please correct me if I'm wrong, Pup). I made it work only to allow the new cutting to completely dry out and die!



Cheers
Elmar

Hey mate

I did exactly this 12 months ago and I got so little root I thought the poor thing was dead for sure, but it survived. I live in south west rural Sydney so get hot summers too. I did 2 days in the seasol bath then into the soil in a semi shade position with 3-4 hours morning sun and shade after that.

Hope that helps.
Hags

Thanks hags. I might give it a try on a couple and see if they survive. Will save the best for later when I can collect them with a better than 80 percent chance of living. Plenty there though.

I remember reading a while back how John Naka collected the san jose junipers. Similar to your option one, but use a bag of potting mix with the bag split on one side. The bag is placed with the opening to the pruned roots on the one side of the tree and then back filled. THe following year, the other side is done. the year after that the tap root is severed and the tree collected along with the potting mix bags. This will retain the moisture more and will contain any new roots growing. I haven't had the opportunity to try it but it sounds like an interesting idea.

AG