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Australian Natives for Pots

Author

Baileys Fertiliser

Published

26 June 2020

Native Plants

A common misconception we often hear is native plants are better suited to gardens and don't do well in pots and containers. While this is true for some, there's an ever-increasing range of Australian beauties selected and bred to work well in pots - delighting those wishing to attract birds and butterflies to their balconies and courtyards. 

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Advantages of Natives 

Apart from their fashionable looks, the growing popularity of Natives can partly be attributed to an increasing sensitivity for drought tolerant, low maintenance plants, environmental health and sustainability. 

Natives are incredibly important for encouraging biodiversity, providing flora for pollinators. They're also better equipped to cope with our challenging climate, requiring less water and being more pest resistant than exotic species. 



Potting Natives

Autumn and early winter is a great time to pot natives in our climate. The cool, mild conditions and reliable rain gives new plants a chance to settle in before summer arrives. 

When it comes to growing Natives in pots, the obvious advantage for us is the mobility and flexibility they provide, controlling aspect, conditions and soil quality throughout seasons ultimately leads to happier and healthier plants.

It's important to use a quality growing media, specifically formulated for native plants, such as Baileys Native Premium Potting Mix, particularly if growing phosphorus sensitive varieties - members of the Proteaceae family, Banksia, Acacia, Grevillea and Hakea species. Remember though, most Australian species are not phosphorus-sensitive and those that are, still require small amounts of phosphorus to flourish.  

Look for a mix made to Australian Standards - indicated by the red ticks on the bag. This ensures good water holding capacity and good air-filled porosity - vital for Native plants. It also lets you know the mix contains a balance of all plant required nutrient to feed for an extended period of time, and that it's been composted to eradicate plant pathogens and weed seeds.


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Care & Maintenance

  • Once potted out, add a layer of mulch to the top of pots to reduce moisture loss. Baileys Moisture Mulch is a fully composted, dark, pine bark based mulch that looks great with Natives and landscaped beds.
  • Baileys Native Premium Potting Mix contains enough nutrients to feed your plants for at least 6 months. From then on feed your plants with a Native controlled release fertiliser in the growing season and after flowering. 
  • After flowering is also the best time to give your potted plants a light haircut with secateurs, removing any spent flowers and dead foliage. 
  • The growth and size of the plant will determine when you need to re-pot them, generally at least every 2 years.  

Watering

Over or under watering is a common cause of potted plant fatalities and regular observation is best. Requirements will vary throughout seasons and with plant maturity. Native plants like very free draining soils and won't tolerate soggy roots.

  • A quality potting mix made to Australian Standards, such as Baileys Native Premium Potting Mix has optimal water holding capacity and drainage for native varieties.
  • It also contains Grosorb Wetting Agent to ensure wettability and even drainage.   
  • A handful of Grosorb, sprinkled around pots and lightly worked into the soil every 6 months will ensure this continues. 


Varieties for Pots

A great way to style stunning large Native pots is to incorporate a few varieties, including: 

  • A thriller - a statement plant in the middle of the pot.
  • A filler - something colourful to soften the pot and draw the eye in. 
  • A spiller - a plant to cascade over the side.

Our top picks include:

 There is a large range of edible native plants which are very trendy at the moment and taste unlike anything you'll typically see growing in an urban garden. 

Examples including finger lime, midyim berry, native ginger, Warrigal greens and our favourite, Lemon Myrtle - fantastic in Thai cooking, a great substitute for lemongrass, or in a cup of tea. 

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