Hi, I'm from Brazil and I have been trying to grow Grevillea banksii for nearly 4 years without sucess. This was my first plant I bought in my life (because hummingbirds love Grevilleas and G. banksii is easily found in BR). I have killed 4 already (I didn't know about P poisining, soil mix, etc.) and my 5th one is finally "growing" (not really, I'll explain ahead, but it's not dying). Anyway, I bought it in July and planted in a 25cm tall and 28,5cm wide pot (10,5 liters) with 1/2 peat, 1/4 sterilized cow maneur (it doesn't add any nutrient to the mix, its only purpouse is to keep the soil light and the plant breathing) and 1/4 vermiculite. It's in a balcony facing East (gets direct sun light from sunrise until 12:00-12:30pm; hot enough to fry an egg, literally, it happened before). The problem is: all previous Grevilleas dried to death. This one, even with vermiculite and in a less sunny spot (direct sun light until 10:00am or so) is suffering from lack of water, even though I water it TWICE A DAY until water leaks from the pot bottom holes into a "plate" (not sure about its name in English). In the evening this excessive water has already evaporated or was "sucked" back by the plant. Still, since July, the plant shoot some big leaves at the bottom which eventually end up curling. At the top, leaves are smaller and has brown tips (all drought symptoms, as far as I know) and also end up curling. The plant tried to flower once, but the buds turned black rapidly and all fell.

I've contacted other people in Brazil who grows this plant, but they all grow it on the ground. I live almost in the center of Brazil, which translates into a "Cerrado" vegetation (Brazil savanna-like vegetation). It's hot year round (last Winter lower temperatures were 17�C at night and 22�C during the day), few rains and low humidity (last Fall-Winter it was below 30%).

Anyway, I don't want this plant to die and I'd like to know if it's even possible to grow this plant in containers/pots. I have acess to coarse sand (tried it and the plant dried to death), fine pinus bark (overfertilized the plant; it got "crazy" and shoot many many leaves on top of other leaves and dried to death), vermiculite, coconut fiber, perlite (expensive, otherwise would have tried it) worm cast (similar to pinus bark reaction), among other common stuff.

Here's a picture (from October 11th): {{gwi:2115006}}

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.