RE: Is there an answer??

Hello Moira
Thanks for those interesting comments. Yes, I understand now that one needs
to really do some homework on this and find out more about what's best for
each plant.
After much agonizing over what to plant in the large containers we have, we
decided on about 30 Callistemon vinimalis 'Kings Park'. They went in last
October and they are doing very well at the moment and just about ready to
flower with masses of spikes.  Luckily we didn't touch the root balls!
By the way my Magnolia stellata which I replanted last year with your
mulching instructions under Pinus halepensis is just coming into flower, it
looks very happy and no leaf burn as yet.  According to your comments the
root ball on this plant should not be disturbed. So I think I was lucky
again here.
Re the Ocimum x basilicum purpureum. I read it was a perennial in frost free
conditions ( which we have) and the plant does have a think woody stem. It
doesn't look like an annual at all but I may be wrong............
Re Poinsettia. We moved a tiny and sick Poinsettia (stayed about half a
meter for 3 years) which we inherited. It was under a pine and not putting
on any growth even after pruning twice.  We dug it out (roughly in a square)
and moved it to an open position and it has now grown to about 2 meters over
the winter while I was away.  I have been quite amazed, a case of  right
plant, right place, I think  Poinsettias do grow well here, we have another
one which is about 5 meters.
Hope you are well and enjoying the lovely NZ summmer! A bit of change, I
think!

Pamela

-----Original Message-----
From: Tony and Moira [t*@xtra.co.nz]
Sent: 03 March 2008 08:26
To: pamela.steele@re-taste.com
Subject: Re: Is there an answer??



Tony & Moira Ryan,
Wainuiomata,
Central New Zealand
----- Original Message -----
From: Pamela Steele
To: Medit-Plants
Sent: Friday, February 29, 2008 7:47 AM
Subject: Is there an answer??


I have been given a lot of conflicting advice regarding planting small trees
and perennials from tubs over the past years and whether one should plant
the root ball intact ('don't touch it'! I  have been told)  or tease out the
roots gently.   My (part time) gardener here in the Costa Blanca (not
Spanish I hasten to add) says that I must not disturb the root ball.   I ask
this because I have had several plants die on me after 2 years ( Echium
candicans, Leonotis leonoris as examples) and when I pulled up the plant the
root ball was completely bound up, dried up and had not spread out.  Both of
these plants had 'sister'  plants' planted at the same time and which are
very successful.  I have a watering system on all plants until established.

The conflicting advice to 'fan out the roots'  when planting is very much of
interest and I would be fascinated to hear opinions from the very
experienced members of this group about this conundrum for me and would
appreciate any other information that could be helpful.

I am thinking of planting a Papaya ( Paw Paw) this Spring.

Hi Pam
I see you are safely home again now!

I think the conflicting advice you have been getting about the treatment of
root
balls when planting out is because it is certainly a case of "one size
definitely
does not fit all". There are at one end of the scale plants for whom root
disturbance means death almost every time in contrast to those at the other
end of the spctrum whose roots are regularly shortened drastically on
replanting and the plant grows just the same..

Taking the really fussy ones first. The main group which I know of in this
category is the entire Proteaceae, No Protea nor any of its relatives will
tolerate root disturbance. They will come from the nursery in some sort of
container from which they must be extracted with virtually no disturbance
even to the boundaries of the root ball. Before planting you are recommended
to make completely sure the plant is where you want it to stay, as the
possibility of shifting it again without its dying is practically zero.

At the other end of the planting spectum would be deciduous trees and shrubs
which failed to sell bare rooted in the gsrden centres and which are
sometimes (here anyway) potted up, hoping to sell them in growth during
spring -  or whenever. I have dealt with these in another post which you may
have already received.

Trees and bushes which grow normally in forest conditions  (such as
Camellias) and which produce a crowded ball of may fine roots are another
type which, though a good deal less fussy than the Protea family, definitely
prefer minimum root disturbance if they have to be moved. They do not
however normally produce long circling roots if confined. If  the plant
shows signs of poor growth it has probably been so long in the container it
has virtually run out of soil and will rapidly rspond to being put into a
site with plenty of soil in which  to expand. Don't attempt o tease out such
a root ball, but if the plant is is poor health (yellow leaves and/or little
recent growth) you could cautiously trim a little of all round the ball.
Such pruning will often encourage the stagnent roots to start into growth
again.

As to the Echium and the Leonotus. I think the very dry plants might have
been saveable if you had given them an overnight soak in a bucket of water
and then replanted them. It is never any harm to try anyway.

Where I lived in East Africa at one time Leonotus was defintely regarded as
a weed. I am sure one could have treated it pretty roughly without
discouraging it!

Moira
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index