The amount of care a native garden requires is going to depend on the ‘look’ you’re after. Some people like their plants shaped and well-manicured, while others prefer the more natural bush vibe. The main difference between the two is really how frequently you prune. Tightly balled plants such as correa, pomaderris, westringia and alyxia will require monthly pruning to keep their shape. However, even if you’re not wanting to create that perfectly trimmed aesthetic, it is still important to do some trimming a few times a year.
Tip pruning is a technique that helps keep the structure of a plant while promoting branching and new growth. And you don’t need to take the hedgers or secateurs out to do this. It’s really as simple as pinching off the tips of the longer branches of your shrubs while you’re wandering around the garden. At the same time you can check on any pest and disease issues you may have: little nibbles or discolouration on the leaves, blackening of stems, dry or droopy appearances etc.
Speaking of pests and diseases, it is important to be able to identify these health issues early before the plant begins to really suffer. Caterpillars, scale, mites and fungal problems can cause significant damage to a plant very quickly, so having the ability to quickly remedy these concerns is going to give your plants the best chance of recovery. Most good gardening sheds should have a few pesticides and fungicides on the shelf, including pyrethrum, a horticultural oil such as Eco-oil, a caterpillar spray such as Dipel, and a broad spectrum fungicide like wettable sulphur or Mancozeb. This small but effective artillery should help you knock back most pest and disease issues you will come across in the garden. It is important, though, to be mindful when you use any of these that the larger flying insects like butterflies and bees are not around when you spray. First thing in the morning is generally a safe time, but be vigilant.
Fertilising your native plants isn’t something that is on most home gardeners’ radars. The assumption for many has always been that the native garden will look after itself. However, because of the way we generally structure our gardens, the plants aren’t able to access as much nutrient as they otherwise would growing in the wild. This could be partly because we rake up our prunings, plant relatively densely, and don’t have native animals’ waste supplementing our plants’ diet. So another item to have on your gardening shelf would be a tub of native plant fertiliser. Tossing some fertiliser around your plants periodically can make a huge difference to the amount of new growth you’ll see and allow your plants to really thrive.
Observation in any garden is key to maintaining plant health, and this is most certainly true for native gardens. A garden left to look after itself can either slowly struggle to grow or quickly become overgrown. Either way, plant health may decline without our thoughtful input.
Drew Cooper
Peninsula Plants Nursery
peninsulaplants.com.au
