Re: Protea longevity
- Subject: Re: Protea longevity
- From: T* a* M* R*
- Date: Thu, 11 Apr 2002 09:40:00 +1200
david feix wrote:
>
> --- Tony and Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz> wrote:
> > david feix wrote:
>
> > I keep on looking at the poor thing and am loath to
> > let it go, but I
> > fear it is getting sadder every week and a return to
> > health is unlikely.
> > It is going to leave an enormous gap in the bed, as
> I doubt I have
> > enough years left for the
> > leisurely growing of any Protea as replacement.
> > Anyway it would quite
> > likely be a mistake to try and grow another Protea
> > on that site.
>
> Moira.
> If the protea still has some healthy growth on it, why
> don't you try rooting some cuttings? They are
> commercially propagated this way in California, using
> mist inside greenhouses, and aren't that difficult to
> get started. If Phytophtera hasn't been a problem in
> your garden, I wouldn't think replanting another in
> the same spot would be a problem, if you think so, you
> could always overexcavate the planting pit and replace
> with fresh uncontaminated soil.
Alas David
I don't have such a grand facility as a mist propagating unit and over
the yars I have proved to my satsifaction that other rooting methods do
not work for Proteas. Thanks for the suggestion all the same.
And no, I don't have even the whiff of Phhytopthora in my patch, thank
goodness. I have seen it in action on Rhododendrons in a seaside suburb
over the hills from my place and it can do a real hatchet job.
However after fortyfive years occupancy with no feeding I should say my
mighty bush could have used up most of the available nourishment and
before planting _anything_ else, not just another Protea, I shall
certainly add at least some compost to the site. However it may not need
all that much if I go for the Senecio as they are certainly undemanding
plants and all the better for being grown lean.
Moira
--
Tony & Moira Ryan
Wainuiomata NZ,
where it's Summer in January and Winter in July.
