8 replies to this topic

[dosileflynn]

ok, so i have recently acquired some 200L " UULUU " growbags (which area bit bigger then i thought they would be) to re-plant some acacia acuminata i have acquired. they are doing well, and have visibly grown a bit in the mean time. two of them were a bit droopy and sad looking, but they are starting to straighten up and grow stronger.

tomorow i have a landscape supplier delivering roughly about 1sq metre of native soil , suitable for acacias, and i am going to replant the acacias from their pots into the big 200L growbags, as per some previous advice.




but my first question is in relation to drainage of the growbags - do i have to cut holes or make incisions in the bottom of the growbags to allow for adequate drainage?




and my last question is in relation to fertilization. i didn't fertilize them when i first transported them from the small plastic containers they arrived in into their current ~25cm pots. but since then i have acquired to different types of fertilizer - " Osomocote - native gardens " and " Osmocote - Fruit & Citrus , plant food + soil improver " fertilizer.




so i'm wondering, is it necessary for me to fertilize the acacia's?



i'm undecided because i have heard a few people saying one must be careful with fertilisers that contain a high phosphorus count, as they can burn the roots (this is why i bought the native brand), and also because i have heard people say that acacia's will do fine without fertiliser and can survive with just water and good sunlight.


So if it is indeed beneficial and necessary to fertilize them, i was wondering if some of you could tell me how i would go about doing this? i'm a total gardening noob and really have no idea.
do i just replant it and sprinkle some on the top layer of soil around the base of the plant?
do i fill the growbag to near full capacity and make a hole for the rootball, and fertilize around this cavity?
do i apply the fertilizer directly to the rootball before planting it into the growbag?
do i mix the fertilizer through the whole contents of the growbags soil so it is evenly distributed?


thanks in advance guys! your patience and helpfulness is much appreciated by both me and my pretty little acacia minions

[Jonstn]

You champ, these are all the questions I'm wondering but can't be assed asking lol.

All I've read in regards to fertilizer is seasol, apart from hearing that they don't really need any.

I've used sesol on half my acacias just to see how they go with it, it's only been a week but there's no sign of anything bad.

Let us know how you go mate good to hear you got everything together

[cacti jihadist]

A good loam not too finely broken up and a fourth of leaf-mold and a smallamount of horticultural charcoal mixed with the soil will greatly help to keep it in good condition and will suit the acacias in pots, if any fertiliser i would only recommend a very small amount of slow-release osmocote, speak to your local garden centre about compatibility of different ferts with acc.spp, but i really think its unnecessary.

It must be well drained, If the pots are not porous and self draining then you will need to introduce some drainage without jeopardizing the structural integrity of the grow bags ! They will also be very hard to transport weighing a couple of hundred kilos in whats not much more than a hessian sack.

So think ahead. I also noticed the bags are dark black in colour and in direct sun will absorb a lot of heat. Im not sure how much of a problem this could be but its something worth considering.

They really are better off in the ground.. I am lucky enough to have a friends farm where i can plant copious amounts of plants, but if i didn't i would actually consider finding an outdoor plot in a nearby reserve or conservation park and plant it there instead for future use ( as long as the plant is endemic to the area and wont upset any ecological balances).

Im by no means an expert, but seems though you weren't getting much response i thought my opinion 'might' help

(edit) Seasol is not by definition a fertiliser it is more so a soil conditioner.
Its use is more of a means of promoting healthy vigorous growth in plants, improving resistance to insect and fungal attack, and reducing the symptoms of stress from excessive heat, frost damage and transplanting.

Also, read this : http://www.plant-car...le-acacias.html

Edited by tipz, 03 September 2011 - 01:27 PM.

[dosileflynn]

alright, thanks tipz. the growbags are grey coloured, and positioned to receive a fair ammount of direct sunlight. maybe it might have been a better idea for me to plant them into the ground somewhere. just the problem is that there is no where suitable close by, and i am moving from my current rental property within a year. i kind of jumped at the opportunity that you presented as well. but oh well. live and learn right? i'm sure they will do fine, even if it is not optimal, i'll look after them at home here for a year or so and then get htem out into a nice suitable space once they are well established.


but jesus that was back breaking work. herculees would be pleased with my efforts! those 200L growbags were alot more then i bargained for thats for sure. they are really going to be difficult to transport when it comes time to move house!



alright, i'm thinking of making a hole on each four sides of the growbags at the base in the middle, or two on each side. it's going to be difficult for me to get holes in on the bottom of the growbags as they are now filled and are really difficult to manuever around.



for fert, the pack says 1 tb spoon (15g) of fert per ~30cm of the plant at replanting, but i'm only going to use a tiny ammount, maybe not even half a tb spoon for each. they are roughly about 45-60cm tall. i'm going to make a well in the centre of the growbags and then spread out the ferts evenly around the well, then insert the rootball and cover it all up.

[dosileflynn]

well, i got a new camera and decided to take a few photos of my new minions for you all to see,


firstly, heres the star of the bunch, i named him " Chonyid " because he looks to be the most promising so far


secondly, this is " Titan " because he's the tallest


thirdly, " Phoenix " because i accidently over watered him one time and a few of his leaves at the base started discolouring and dying, but he is being nursed back to health

and finally, " Phillip " named after my late father


so those are my minions, they have been lightly fertilized, 8 drainage holes have been cut into the bottom of each bag, and i have put up some stilts next to the plants to help them stand up straight and not grow pear shaped.

people might call me a bit looserish for naming them, but FU, i thought it was cool to give them an individual name.

Edited by dosileflynn, 20 October 2011 - 05:49 PM.

[Jonstn]

Those are some big ass bags!!!

Looking good Flynn nice names ;) my San Pedro is called cleetus haha still gotta name the other plants, don't want to until I know they won't die though lol

[dosileflynn]

haha thanks, they are 200 litre growbags, ~60x60 i think they are a bit too big though, i mean, they are almost immobile with how much they weigh. i kind of feel sorry for the removalists who are going to have to move them when i move house


haha, cleetus is a cool name as well. yeah, well i always knew i wanted to name them, but i couldn't think of any names straight away, but yeah , its funny, as soon as i found the right name i knew instantly. i didn't even have to really think about it, it would just randomly pop into my head and i knew that was the right name for each one.

[Jonstn]

Maybe you could put the bags on a dolly, or something with wheels? Would make it easier for if you needed to move them around the back yard for any reason. But yeah, I don't want to be the dudes moving that haha poor guys!

I'll probably end up naming mine after Beach Boys and Beatles references lol

[dosileflynn]

well yeah, thats how i moved them around to start with, with a wheel barrow. but it is really back breaking work just being able to lift them on and off of the wheel barrow in the first place.



haha, nice one with the reference names. my philosophy when naming things is not to rush it and just wait for the right name to become apparent.

best of luck with your minions as well ! do be careful with the overwatering, i nearly killed phoenix with over watering!