dosileflynn Posted August 17, 2011 Hi guys, so i have recently been lucky enough to have acquired a few rather healthy looking acuminata seedlings ! the problem is, i am a total gardening newb. i really do not have the slightest idea on what i'm supposed to be doing with them, how to treat them properly, what type of soil, what type of pot, what position to be placed for sunlight/cover from rain, all these sorts of things. so i was wondering if you guys could kind of shepherd me through the process with a few tips, or point me in the direction of some articles/guides/texts that can teach me what i need to know to ensure these precious little plants thrive? thanks! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marcel Posted August 18, 2011 In my experience in Sydney, the question is less a matter of what to do to keep it alive, and more to do with how to kill it. Those things are hardy as hell. I've had 6 month old potted plants in full sun, in sandy garden soil, and they just keep ticking along beautifully. I don't feed them. I don't water them (other than rain). I don't even really look at them all that much... (That said, Melbourne's extra rain and cold might change things a bit.) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dosileflynn Posted August 18, 2011 well i'm glad to hear they are hardy sort of plants that will keep on keeping on! but i really do want to be sure to give them the opportunity to be the best they can be, and have them flourish. i can't plant them in the ground just yet, as i am moving house sometime in the near future, and i'm not sure if that will be disruptive to them, to have them planted in the ground and removed. also, as you mentioned, it's winter at the moment in melbourne, and it is rather cold and rainy, so it might be a good idea for me to keep them inside overnight or something and put them out in the day? i have 3 rather largeish size pots, ~30cm in diameter that are ceramic with a hole in the bottom, currently filled with ' cacti/succulents mix and perlite ' (left over from some abandoned san pedros), i'm sure this is not the right mix and wont really help the plants, but i've just gotten them out of the package and in there for the short time. i'm wondering if theres a particular type of pot i need to purchase, or a particular soil mix or anything of that nature? in some other related threads i read it helps to get some soil from local growing acacia trees as they release some kind of chemical into the ground that helps the plants flourish?? i really am a gardening newb as you can see by my responses, so any help is greatly appreciated! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tipz Posted August 18, 2011 the bigger the pot the better. they like to spread their roots. Use a native potting mix and a little osmocote slow-realeas ferts. They are fine outside in the cold. The ones I hgave sent you spent all winter in the hills at temps around zero at times. DONT overfertilise. Remember, google and the search engine are your friend Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marcel Posted August 18, 2011 The "chemical" you're referring to is a bacteria that fixes nitrogen from the air, feeding it directly to the roots. This bacteria, called Rhizobia, lives in symbiosis with many species of the Fabaceae family. It gives these plants an advantage over other plants with which it might be competing. There is a lot of info on the net regarding the addition of these bacteria to the soil of Acacia species to aid in germination and the early, vulnerable days of the seedling. However, I've germinated Mimosa and Acacia species without (consciously) adding any such thing. In fact, I briefly searched for it and found nothing. I think it's more popular in the US as a purchased additive. You could go out into any bit of Aussie bush and grab a handful of dirt from around any Acacia tree and add it to your mixes, but I think it's not necessary. Chances are, the bacteria will find its way into your plants' roots in time. Your cactus mix should be fine. It wouldn't be too much of an exaggeration to say that it'd be perfect, in my humble opinion. Your pots sound like they have adequate drainage. If they look small and delicate (under, maybe 20cm tall), by all means keep them inside for a while. Make sure they get plenty of light (find a north facing windowsill) or take them out into the sun every day. Native Acacias, from my limited knowledge, are easy peasy. The only time I've had difficulty with some A. obtusifolias of mine was when I was a newb and added too much slow-release fertiliser and over watered them. It's possible to love them to death. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jonstn Posted August 18, 2011 No real need to add my 2c because the topic has been covered awesomely! I use native Australian mix, in the same boat as you (can't put them in the ground for a while) I've got them in small pots ATM but am going to build up to 90L pots as they get bigger. Got 6 Obtusifolia seedlings that are doing heaps nice ATM, unlike my last failed attempt due to over loving Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dosileflynn Posted August 18, 2011 Yep, thanks tips, they are much more well established then i thought they would have been. it's great because you've jumped the tricky germination hurdle for alot of people already! I went out to bunnings today and bought some aus native potting mix, i forgot to get the oscmocote slow release fertilizer, i did a bit of googling online and it seems it is an SA company, which i'm not sure whether or not it will be stocked in Melbourne at bunnings or Mitre 10 or something, i'll have a look though. Marcel, yes, thats what i remember now, the Rhizobia bacteria. i may go looking for some if it turns out that the Fabaceae are local and easily identifiable. to be honest i have trouble just trying to I.D. normal acacias! it may be a bit beyond me, but i will look into it. thanks. i will be sure to get them as much sun as possible! haha, i like that phrase -- love them to death, i will do my best not to over pamper them i promise! thats my plan also jonstoned! i'm just starting them off in some 25-30cm pots to begin with, and once they are a bit better established and grown, i will upgrade them to some larger size pots, and then into the ground from there ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
incognito Posted August 18, 2011 acacias dont particularly like being repotted or transplanted. to much root disturbance usually equals death. IME. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tipz Posted August 18, 2011 yep - straight into the 90 litre pots now. I agree Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dosileflynn Posted August 18, 2011 hmmm... i just put them into the 25-30cm pots before reading this. i can go out and get some 90L pots i suppose. do you guys know around about how much 4x90L pots is going to set me back?? it sounds like it will be pretty expensive. looking around the net i think some places were saying they are around about ~$100. thats $400 total would i be best off just going to bunnings and seeing what they have? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
obtuse Posted August 18, 2011 (edited) It may just be me but my experinece with this particular species has not been as successful as with others. In particular, that seedlings really dont like cold. I had frost kill these outright the winter following planting, and being a western australian species may be selected more for warm dry conditions. Those long narrow phyllodes certainly indicate to me that they are more selected for harsh sun and dry conditions, in contrast to the shorter broader phyllodes you get on eastern australian acacias more suited to the understory, and a lot more moisture. given that i dont think these have been grown as much as other species, thought id just let you know what happeend to mine. Cheers, Obtuse. Edited August 18, 2011 by obtuse Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jonstn Posted August 18, 2011 I need to go out and get some 90L pots to if this is the case :S I'm gonna have to get 12 can't afford that ATM lol I thought building them up would help keep the moisture even throughout the pot? And reduce root rot? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
obtuse Posted August 19, 2011 at $100 a pot I'd be getting along to tip shops or recycling centres to try and track down any old large pot. Remember these are gonna grow to be trees, you should only have them in pots for a year, no more than two max, even longer than a year will stunt the roots. I dont mean to be critical, but you shouldnt be growing trees without planning a year or two ahead. i know its hard if your suburban and you wanna grow some of these plants, but as trees they are not going to do well if you cant get them in the ground, that tap root wants to go down. ask a friend with land, ask your parents, maybe sneak them into your local park or bushland. Cheers, Obtuse. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dosileflynn Posted August 20, 2011 ok, thanks for your advice obtuse. it's a little unsettling to know that they are not as reliable as other species, but i'll do my best! my plan is to get it into the ground after its well established, whether that means i have to plant it in a local secluded bush area, or luckily enough somewhere near by, i'll do what i can. obviously it would be best to get them planted somewhere closeby where i can watchover them and look after them more regularly, but i'll just have to see what my situation is like in a year or two. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
