If you've purchased grass trees for yourself or a client, you've likely already made a fair investment. You want to ensure they have the best chance of survival possible, so you need to plant them well. Equip yourself with with these tips and video guide so that you give the plants the best chance possible to flourish in their new home.
1. Pre digging your holes makes things efficient - especially if you're planting multiple trees. Measure the size of the rootball as it currently is, then dig your hole about 5-10cm wider, and no deeper than the rootball.
2. Osmocote or Nutricote for natives are high quality slow release fertilisers that can be mixed in the soil or thrown into the hole during planting.
3. Lift carefully so that you stay safe AND so the rootball stays in tact as much as possible - watch the video for techniques. Don't try to be a hero. You could hurt yourself or damage the rootball as you're struggling to manoeuvre the plant into the hole.
4. Water in well upon planting. Ideally, you want the roots to have fairly consistent access to moisture over the the initial 12 months after planting. This may mean watering once or twice a week. Maybe slightly more often during hot dry times if your soil is super sandy and cant retain moisture. You can water less if you've had rain. Adjust for your conditions... but basically the principle is that with consistent (but not flooding) moisture in the soil for the roots to access, the plants will grow best.
]]>Finding a sick grass tree in your midst can be very disconcerting. Have you ever noticed that your grass tree leaves didn't quite look right? And then upon closer inspection, you find that some of the inner leaves were brown. And then, perhaps, when you looked very closely you could see white, flakey, spots on the leaves? It's the most common insect problem that grass trees encounter.
Unfortunately, there is so little information available to help resolve grass tree problems. Even many suppliers are inexperienced and have little help to offer. Having dealt with this particular insect problem for decades in our own nursery, and having helped hundreds of people deal with it in their own gardens, there is good news - it's easy to treat!
White Wax Scale is a sucking insect that feeds primarily on the inner, softer, fresh growth of the grass trees. Left unattended to fester and multiply, the White Wax Scale can cause some serious harm to your grass trees. But simply by using a common white oil spray, the scales breathing pores are smothered and the insect suffocates. Repeat the process of generously spraying all the leaves with white oil every couple of weeks until there is no more scale present. And then check on the inner leaves from time to time.
After you have treated scale successfully, the leaves will have lost some colour in the spots where the scale have been sucking the nutrients. That's ok, eventually those leaves will grow out.
Here are a few photos to help you identify the scale. As you can see, if left for a long time, it can affect the health of the plant.
]]>I'm willing to bet that you can relate to this story...
Grant and Stephanie are wanting to transform their garden. You help them decide that grass trees are the perfect feature plants for their space. They've splurged a little, but when planting day arrives, they're over the moon with their choice - the grass trees look stunning.
Some months later, you get a phone call from Grant. He's concerned. One of the grass trees doesn't quite look right. The leaves aren't looking as full they once were. Stephanie thinks it's gone a bit "flat" on top. Some of the leaves have even discoloured a little yellow. They're worried it's dying.
What do you tell Grant and Stephanie? Is it sick? Is it dying? What's happening? How do you reassure them?
Two years ago I planted a cluster of grass trees in my own front garden. Four out of the six flowered a few months later. As an experiment, I cut a couple of the flowers off and I left a couple on to grow their full measure. Three of the four took a couple of months before they shot back with new growth.
But the fourth, well... check out this photo.
My friends have been hassling me about this tree for a while. Telling me it's sick and dying. But I know it flowered. I know it's just dormant.
Flowering is quite a rigorous process for the old grass tree. It uses a lot of water and energy to produce that fantastic flower at quite a rate of knots. After flowering, it will often lay dormant for long periods of time. Of these three trees pictures, only the one on the right did not flower. The middle tree appears to be struggling.
Just the other day, I discovered these new shoots! In 6 months or so, these little green shoots (they look greener in real life) that I'm pointing at will be almost full length. I'll remove the older yellow leaves and you won't believe it's the same grass tree.
The first question to ask Grant and Stephanie is if their tree has flowered recently? If the answer is YES, you can reassure them that this is totally normal for the tree to go through a period of dormancy.
Grass trees are survivors. Shonky harvesters have given grass trees a bad reputation. But in reality, grass trees have an amazing ability to survive - and going dormant for long periods of time is one of those strategies that make grass tree stunningly unique.
Patience and consistent watering is the best way to nurture it through this dormancy period. Regular seasol won't hurt either. The tree is exhausted, depleted and stressed from flowering. Like an introvert after a week of visitors, it just needs some time out to recuperate. Be patient and soon it will be thriving again with new life.
]]>
These 2 trees have recently been sold to Brett from Newcastle. They are going to make a stunning feature to his garden. The big double headed tree is one of my favourites and in some ways, I’m a little sad to see it leave the nursery. I know Brett will enjoy it for many years now that it has been removed from the threat of land clearing.
**UPDATE** April 9th 2015
We received the following comment and photos from Brett on our facebook page 14 months after this original post.
Hi Mitch,
I would like to thank you for the two most beautiful and stunning grasstrees that I purchased from your company last year. So with 12 months on I would like to show you the progress of both grasstrees. Your customers will see the existing picture of them just before they left Bruinsma Grasstrees for me in Newcastle, in a picture down this page this was in March of last year. Thank you also for the excellent transporting options. Sorry my camera skills might not be great, but the single tree is over 1.5 metres tall and the double is over 1.8 metres tall, and both grass trees are very healthy and both trees speared.
Please see the other pictures of these stunning Grasstrees in the comments section.
Once again thank you Mitch & Bruinsma Grasstrees
]]>
We have been working hard over the recent harvest season to fill the nursery with a fresh supply of stock. It’s always an exciting time to see the new trees grow back successfully as they recover from transplantation and get ready for sale. As usual, the survival rate has been impeccable and the new stock will be rolling out soon. The photos below capture the new stock before they are ready for sale. We keep the trees in the nursery until we know they are healthy and completely recovered, and have developed a full head of new grass.
]]>