RE: Oleanders in containers
- To: "'m*@ucdavis.edu'"
- Subject: RE: Oleanders in containers
- From: V* A*
- Date: Wed, 31 May 2000 04:48:21 -0400
Hi, Damian,
oleanders in Italy are very popular for container cultivation, and they are
a must for terrace gardening: I think that each and every terrace in Rome
has at least a pair of them, specially on the poorest (windswept, sunny)
positions. My mother on her terrace has been growing oleanders in
containers for a very long time, I'd say at least 20 years. Now they are
really old and leggy, and they should have been planted out at least 5 years
ago, were it not for my mum's nostalgic attitude; however for a very long
time they gave quite good results. They are growing in standard terracotta
lemon pots (60 cm diameter), and each year they were given 5 cm new topsoil,
and good liquid feed throughout the growing season. Every 3rd year or so we
took them out of the pot, prune the roots hard (that is slice away all the
outer smaller roots) and repot them with new soil. They were also carefully
pruned in the spring Keep an eye on pests, as oleanders in pot are prone to
scale insects (the black one we call here "half pepper-grain") and aphids. I
think you can count on 10 years of good performance before you have to
transplant them in the ground.
Hope this helps,
Alessandra
Alessandra Vinciguerra
Superintendent of the Gardens
American Academy in Rome
Via Masina,5
00183 Roma Italy
Tel. 39-6-5846444
-----Original Message-----
From: iberbier@cgac.es [i*@cgac.es]
Sent: Wednesday, May 31, 2000 10:18 AM
To: Medit-plants
Subject: Oleanders in containers
I've planted a set of standard size (not dwarf) oleanders in containers.
The containers are 1/2 oil drums. So far, so good - they are growing
lustily and budding for their first flowering. How many years do you
think I can keep them healthy before I have to plant out?
Damian
----
Damian Martin
Talavera, central Spain
