AusBonsai

I just collected a few plants. They include leptospermum, melalueca, persoonia and casurina. Most of them have plenty of feeder roots, the melalueca however only has a couple. What should i pot them into? I have cheap brunnings potting mix, searles premium potting mix, propagating sand, perlite, vermiculite, coco peat and peat moss. Can also get good quaility river sand down the road. I have a large coarse sieve and a smaller fine kitchen seive. And mix you can suggest from those ingredients? Also any tips on after care. Will post pics up shortly granted the internet doesnt run out.

John

When I collect, I soak in Seasol mix for a few hours to days ( depending on how long till I can get them sorted) and then pot up into my Diatomite / Zeolite mix.
Use whatever you have so long as it is well draining ( Add some coarse Sqand /Gravel to a normal mix).

Place pots in Dappled shade. I have mine under Eucalyupt trees in the yard.
Keep well watered and I water with a seasol mix every 2 - 3 days as well

Continue for at least 6 weeks or until you see Positive signs of new growth, (not just a post collection Flush of Growth)

Ken

I think the most important tool we can have is a set of sieves But without that I would suggest you sieve any of the potting mix though a section of fly wire. Do the same with the river sand. Add them about 50/50. Maybe since these are collected (bare rooted) trees I would use more of the sand.
The after care would be very similar to cuttings care. You are trying to reduce transpiration of the leaves and also avoiding rot under the soil, keeping the tree alive long enough that it starts to grow again.
So use a free draining mix. Manage the sun exposure considering how damaged they are that would be from only light morning sun to a shade house. Misting is very beneficial or even covering the tree in plastic just like a cutting in the most damaged transplants.
Good luck

Beat me too it KC

Cheers mate, i use seed raising mix for some of my native orchids with added sand, would that be a good mix?

Seed raising mix is very fine and does not drain well. Sand is ok for some instances but I would not like to use it here

I might attach some fly screen over the coase sieve, probably be quicker then using my little kitchen seive lol

Bretts wrote:Seed raising mix is very fine and does not drain well. Sand is ok for some instances but I would not like to use it here

so would the cheap potting mix be better, the one without any added ferts, sieved and mixed with coarse sand?

Yes but I would seive the coarse sand as well it will make a big diference to the chance of survival.

I might pop down to the river, grab some sand from there and seive it. This propagating sand from bunnings seems to have alot of fine material and gets waterlogged very easy

Hi John
I use a good potting mix mixed with 40% diatomite for all my plants including natives. After repotting I use Seamungus and have found good results with it. It is also safe to use on natives and I can attest to this with no losses.

Tony

bugger me, sifting this sand and potting mix is no fun at all lol

Na after years of that I am now happy paying for better ingredients that don't need much if any sifting

Hornet wrote:bugger me, sifting this sand and potting mix is no fun at all lol

Used to do that, now just use diatomite

Ken

Heres a great for tip for all,
go to your local Homeart or Copperart, which ever its called and you can pick up
a metal 29x22cm kitchen sive with 3mm spacings for $9. They may even have
bigger sizes there also. I wasnt looking after i spotted this one. Its just the right
size for me.

This season for the first time I'm integrating about 30% diatomite with my regular organic mix, hopefully it survives summer , then I'm sure it'll prove much better draining for next winter.