63 replies to this topic

[Mycot]

I am more into 'sowing frenzy' this year and I am doing my sowing from early on to avoid having to hangle sensitive baby seedlings in the hot days of summer.

Give them a little shade or shadecloth to harden if neccessary as summer may be the best growth priod for young seedlings enabling them to grow large enough to handle the following winter during which growth slows down.

[mutant]

I can confirm that getting them to sprout is not hard as I thought after all. In fact it's easy.

Weakening the seed coat with a thin file and soaking overnight in normal tap water will do it.

A.phlebophylla indeed seems to be more hesitant though. Next time [only got 4 or so seeds left] I will not sow until I see rootlets.

So, all there's left is learning to get them to grow as well as sprouting!

Power to those who don't give up!

Edited by mutant, 21 February 2011 - 07:50 PM.

[mutant]

plantlets sprouting [acuminata, obtusifolia]

so I can declare I unlocked the sprouting thing for them.

I got sent some Mimosa hostilis seed. Should I do the same method for them?

[planthelper]

the mimosa seeds get nicked, and the big difference is, mimosa's can take a bit of fertilizers, whils't i never fert my acacias.

[ferret]

A quick observaion (/rant) I feel like sharing.

Searles Native Plant Mix is utter shite (IME).

Last year I potted up a bunch of Acacia spp. using either of the 2 native potting mixes I can find in my area- "Searles Native Plant Mix" and "Grow Better Native Potting Mix".

Repotting them yesterday, the GrowBetter plants had super healthy root-balls, every plant has extensive healthy nodules on the roots

Now the Searles plants- when I was tapping them out of the pots, the entire top half of the soil fell out of the pots, totally uncolonised by any roots. In the bottom of the pot is a totally compacted and waterlogged mud, suffocating a piss poor tangle of thin and half dead looking roots.

Even when I first opened the Searles mix, I remember being really dubious about the quality. Whilst the Grow Better mix is nice and dark and humusy but really well draining mix, Searles was a much lighter brown colour with an absolute SHITLOAD of little bark chips floating around in it. But I have always read good reviews of Searles other products and thought they know what they are doin.

Has anyone else ever had this problem? Of course it may have plenty to do with my watering regime and whatnot, maybe I just got a bad bag, but I know what works for me now and I'll never buy that shit again.

(by the way I have never had a problem with Searles Cactus Mix)

[mutant]

alright here I am



considering I didn't sow many this second time, it's not a bad rate, but

growing wise, this is not very impressive result

it has barely grown, all this year!

what should I do with this dude now, that the winter colds [mild, up to 5 C usually]? should I minimise the water intake? should I try to put in some more friendly place, maybe warmer?

second plant is kind of shitty , don't hope high for it...

good news is I think it's starting to widen the stem... or maybe my eyes are blimfling!

should I add more of the bigger maidenii's soil to it?

here is the maidenii, lloking good. does it have the bacteria? who knows?

[mutant]

hey, I prepared a next - small batch of acuminatas, and thinking of doing some obtusifolia too...

could I access this symbiotic bacteria acacia needfrom commercial bat fertilizer or seeweed fert? could I buy this somewhere?

[buster]

plants are looking awesome! i just put in some a.acuminata theyre starting to take off. how old is that maidenii?

[Jox]

Hi Mutant, I planted some A. obtusifolia on the 8th April (Autumn) i just soaked them in boiling water for 24hrs & over that time regularly added more hot water, I then potted them in osmocote professional seed raising mix, 1 seed per pot, planted at a depth of 5mm to 10mm, I placed them in a little plastic greenhouse (1m wide 1m deep 2m high) on the top shelf, it gets very warm & humid as its in the sun all day, the green house is covered by shade cloth that only lets in 50% sun light. 85% are up & looking very good but from what I've read about this species i know theirs along way to go. I'll keep you posted as to how they go. Good luck with your acacias

[mutant]

buster >>

I have no idea how old from seed the maidenii is, because it was given to me by a friend, it used to be in a colder place and was pretty stressed when I received it, and anyways, it wouldn't make it outside, the dude had to bring in at winters etc.

This must be around 4 y.o. , I estimate, this year I planted in the soil, in a pretty sunny spot, she seems to loving it, throwing lots of new growth and fattening the stems!

Jox>> the acuminata from last year seems to be doing fine and growing too - I also started the new acuminata seedlings from this year in a mini greenhouse I got, much similarly to what you seem to have done [ part shade, of course] and now leaving half of them there and acclimatizing some in the roof [sunnier] to see what's best.

[Jox]

Hi Mutant,
I was talking about A.obtusifolia. But its good to hear your acuminata are doing well as I'm planting them tomorrow.

[mutant]

edit: oh, I just sowed some obtusi's

ok the pics

new acuminatas in the GH





maidenii with new growth



acuminata from last year



new acuminatas on the roof, sunnier spot [there doesn't seem to be a difference up to now - or is there?

Edited by mutant, 09 May 2012 - 10:24 PM.

[phyllode]

What a lovely thread this is! I've seen some of these acacias really take off after being planted in a happy ground location.

[mutant]

^^^^^

could you please write further on the "happy ground location" ??

I indeed planted the big maidenii in the ground, a nice protected place, pretty bright some hours of direct sun.

Please include wind and min temperatures, as I plan to experiment in a less protected place. Can they handle a short little frost a couple mornings?

Which of them would be the most cold hardy? maidenii, acuminata, neurophylla, obtusi?

keep the thread alive with pics!

PS: on a side note. I germed them in a mini green house, but I found out they like to be acclimatised in drier place rather soon!

Edited by mutant, 25 June 2012 - 02:13 AM.