skip to main content

Australian Native Plants

Watering native plants

12 years ago

Hi All

Firstly please excuse the silly question!

We have a small garden at the back of our Sydney terrace. The garden is within built in raised planter boxes, as a guide one of six planters is approximately 150cm x 50cm x 40cm deep. Planted within are grevilleas, banksias, paper daisies, dianella grass, geraldton wax flower, lilly pillies and other native shrubs.

We have an irrigation system in with low lying spray heads. The question is how often and for how long should I be watering? At the moment I have it set for 20 minutes once a week - is this too much for native plants?

Thank you

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

funnelweb
12 years ago
20 minutes once a week, probably ok but might depend on the type of soil you have in the planter boxes. My guide would be to test each morning how quickly the site dries out - by pushing finger into soil should give a good indication - if it's bone dry after 4 days or 5 days then you might consider adjusting. Some of those natives you've mention, however, do require more space than you've indicated: banksias, grevilleas, lilly-pillies, depending on the variety, for example.
born_free
Original Author
12 years ago
Thank you for your response.

The planters all contain native soil and the plants have been in for a year.

I will check the soil daily.

Attached a photo taken a few weeks ago when I replaced plants. There is mulch on the ground now.
Related Discussions
Local Sacramento Water Plants Native
Q
Comments (2)
Have you tried the California Native Plant Society? They have a chapter in Sacramento, and it looks like lots of activities. You might also search for "riparian" plants, that might narrow your search results. Here is a link that might be useful: Calif. Native Plant society, Sacto chapter
...See More
Rain Gardening
Q
Comments (9)
Definitely a step in the right direction. Thanks MountainMan for sharing. I might take that class or one like it, too! Shortly after moving into my neighborhood a little over 2 years ago, I took a walk among all the newly developed housing. My "eyeball estimate" was that in our particular area, 40 percent (or more) of the land mass was under pavements and rooftops. The land was formerly a seasonally swampy prairie, with scattered sparse trees or woodland atop practically bottomless clay. So much of what rainwater once soaked in or sat stagnant, now is being added to the crowding in drainage systems for gravity-assisted throw-away into the Gulf of Mexico. The old ecosystem is history. (I "rescued" a few of the wildflowers before the bulldozers wiped them out.) But there seem to be many, many things that we new residents could do, to restore the retention-to-runoff ratio to some semblance of the old system. Happy to hear my most recent former state of Virginia is out in front!
...See More
Sorry for the late notice...Hennepin County Master Gardener Learn
Q
Comments (0)
Hennepin County Master Gardener Learning Garden Tour will be open to the public on Saturday, July 12 from 9 am to 5pm. The price of the ticket is $15 prior to the tour date and $20 the day of the tour. The tour includes eight gardens designed, built, and maintained by Master Gardeners from Hennepin County. Each garden has a unique theme: Japanese, water gardens, native plants, vegetable and herb gardens, hybrid tea roses, urban tropical, hidden and terraced gardens, and even a whimsical garden. Master Gardeners will conduct interactive demonstrations at each site on a variety of topics including: small space gardening, organic gardening practices, low maintenance & drought resistant native plants, tree selection/planting for city homeowners, rain gardens, container gardening, and more. Yard and garden art will be featured and for sale. The proceeds from the sale will benefit the Master Gardener program. Here is a link that might be useful: Hennepin County Master Gardener Learn
...See More
A Gardeners Daydream
Q
Comments (11)
Spedigrees, I had to look up wild parsnip Wild parsnip can cause phytophotodermatitis to the skin. If the plant juices come in contact with skin in the presence of sunlight, a rash and/or blistering can occur, as well as skin discoloration that may last several months. no wonder you mow! I think wild parsnip may equal posion ivy! Carol, LOL, if it makes you feel any better I was just comiserating with fellow gardeners at my community garden about the poor results we have gotten from carrots this year. The only plot that has some really beautiful carrots planted them very early, perhaps it is the warmer than usual spring that they are not happy with. Is the contemporary trend of using native plants in the landscape actually doing more harm to native plant populations? terrene, What I was trying (poorly) to communicate was the trend in newly developing areas in particular resort areas where folks don't want to pay for or spend their vacation time maintaining landscape they are not altering the existing landscape when they build under the auspices of native landscaping. The photo taken two years ago of a property in my community is a good example of what I am trying to say, I am certain if I walked around their yard it would be chock full of invasive plants that the homeowner would consider native because he didnÂt buy them at a nursery rather mother nature planted them.
...See More
born_free
Original Author
12 years ago
Just adjusted to every 4 days as the soil was drying out quickly. The planters are raised and cop a lot of sun and wind.

Thanks again Funnelweb.
funnelweb
12 years ago
No worries, born_free but you know, it's all going to get a bit crowded in those trays and natives do resent root disturbance. However, good luck with them all.
emmaharris
12 years ago
Interesting topic here. I have been toying with the idea of planting some natives in planter boxes along our front deck. What has been mentioned above confirms my concern with allowing enough room between plants. I am new here and I am learning alot already. Sure beats asking the staff at Bunnings ! I love this forum
funnelweb
12 years ago
With all due respects to Bunnings gardening section staff, all they are there for is to sell plants; in the main they are not trained horticulturists: the plants are cheaper (cheaper than nurseries) but professional advice, well, it's overall better than Big W's.

b.
PS. If you are thinking of natives to plant in planter boxes, restrict your selection to the hardiest species, and buy from reliable nurseries. Ask the advice of trained staff.

Related Stories

GARDENING FOR BUTTERFLIES 3 Ways Native Plants Make Gardening So Much Better

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

You probably know about the lower maintenance. But native plants' other benefits go far beyond a little less watering and weeding

GARDENING GUIDES 10 Top California Native Plants, Trees and Grasses

By Debbie Ballentine

Enjoy a fuss-free, water-wise garden in the Golden State by growing plants naturally in tune with the climate and wildlife

GARDENING GUIDES 10 Top Native Plants for Southern California Gardens

By Debbie Ballentine

Enjoy a fuss-free, water-wise garden by growing plants naturally in tune with the climate and wildlife of Southern California

GARDENING GUIDES 10 Top Native Plants for Northern California Gardens

By Debbie Ballentine

Enjoy a fuss-free, water-wise garden by growing plants naturally in tune with the climate and wildlife of Northern California

GARDENING GUIDES Great Native Plant: California Flannel Bush

By Annie Thornton

Forget watering once this bush is established. But the yellow burst in spring and summer, you'll remember

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Anemone Canadensis Adds Pizzazz to Water’s Edges

By Pollination Press LLC

Plant Canadian anemone along pond, lake or stream edges for a splash of white flowers in late spring

NATIVE PLANTS Plant These Fall-Flowering Natives in Early Summer for Pollinator Love

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

These 3 groups of plants will support masses of beneficial insects come autumn

GARDENING GUIDES 9 Clay-Busting Native Flowers for Summer Sun

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

These plants survive and even thrive in tough clay soil east of the Rocky Mountains

GROUND COVERS Native Alternatives to English Ivy, Japanese Pachysandra and Periwinkle

By Curtis Adams

These shade-loving ground covers are good for the environment and say something about where you are

GARDENING GUIDES 15 Native Flowers That Feed Native Bees

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

These perennials offer superfood to hundreds of bees and are gorgeous in their own right

Sponsored