Millie highlights some suitable trees to grow in containers and shows how to look after them. Subscribe 🔔 http://ab.co/GA-subscribe
Resilient Trees:
The Queensland Bottle tree (Brachychiton rupestrisa) is a really good choice in a lot of different climates because it has inherent resilience. It’s swollen bottle truck s essentially a storage organ which means if you miss a watering, this tree is not going to drop dead that day! Look for that resilience and you will have success.
Bonsai Techniques:
You won’t need to become a bonsai practitioner but many of the techniques can be used to keep ornamental trees in pots. Millie grows a lot of eucalypts in pots and you can get a fantastic result trying this at home. One of the great things about this technique is that you can buy the cheapest and most twisted and contorted plant at the nursery, cheap as chips and they make a really beautiful display!
One of Millie’s favourites is Eucalytpus orbifolia. It comes from the arid parts of Australia, and one of the benefits of growing it in a pot is that it can be moved around in the garden to enjoy it! It has a beautiful ‘minni ritchi’ bark that has a peeling characteristic. It does need a little bit of maintenance however, so keep that in mind before you pot one up! If you prune in late summer or autumn, you can really shape the tree. If you want to make it more bushy, you can prune in late winter or late spring.
When to Re-pot:
Even the best cared-for tree in a pot will eventually fill that reservoir out and run out of puff. Good indicators of this are yellowing leaves or just a lack of new growth in spring. Millie’s noticed that her Red Box is in need big old overhaul.
Inspect the Roots:
Use a wheel barrow with water in it to place your plant – The first thing to do is soak the root-ball and inspect the roots. Tight circling means there’s no small roots that can take up nutrients and moisture.
Pruning:
Snip the root system back. If you need to be drastic with the pruning, you’re better to do this in the cooler months when the plant is going to be under less pressure from the heat.
Re-pot and Prune:
Backfill, and remove about half of that root system, so even though it’s going into the same sized container, essentially there’s a whole lot of new potting mix, nutrients for those roots to explore.
Get the tree at the right height and to keep it straight. Firm in the potting mix to support the tree. Then add some mulch and give your tree a big drink.
After such a radical prune of the root system, take out a little bit of the foliage for balance.
While it make look drastic, in most cases, a tough plant like will respond with vigour and will last a lot longer in the pot.
Don’t forget, when a plant is in a pot, you are all that is has got, so you need to keep up the water and the fertiliser.
You can have heaps of fun growing trees in pots, so have a try and see what works best at your place!
Featured Plants:
QUEENSLAND BOTTLE TREE – Brachychiton rupestris
SILVER-LEAFED MOUNTAIN GUM – Eucalyptus pulverulenta ‘Baby Blue’
– Eucalyptus sp.
ROUND-LEAFED MALLEE – Eucalyptus orbifolia
RED BOX – Eucalyptus polyanthemos
WOLGAN SNOW GUM – Eucalyptus gregsoniana
Filmed on Taungurung Country | Central Victoria
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6 Comments
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Atsuuup 👍
Thank you GA team & Millie for showcasing more informative and encouraging detail for great gardening. Your clear explanation is so very helpful now, and has been in many-many episodes prior. Oh my, Squid is looking quite the distinguished gentleman. He is adorable and it is always great to see footage of him. I love the series’ on ABC Australia and I love this channel 🧑🏻🌾🌱 🐶🤎💚
Air pruning is a much better way of growing trees in pots – even if they never end up in the ground. I’ve been growing fruit trees like this for years. It allows me to transport them to new houses, and I don’t have to keep on pulling them out of the pot to prune the roots, or change the potting mix.
I would love to plant trees in pots in my apartment, but worry about “tree abuse” since its roots have no room to grow?? Are there trees that naturally have shallow roots?
Nice video 👍👍💯💯🤔