Well it is called a Saw Banksia after all.

[Grant Bowie]

As it happens I trimmed and repotted this tree a couple of weeks ago.

It had grown a lot the last year or so and was in need of a trim; the base had sprouted lots of buds and the top had gone berserk.
I repotted it to raise it higher in the pot and for extra mix in the pot. I left the top to elongate quickly to establish a trunk line.

BS 1 Front.jpg

BS 1 Close up.jpg

Banksia serrata 1 - After trim and repot.jpg

After the work it is back in my compound where it gets maybe 10% shade from the mesh. The weather has been mild except for one day last week when it was 38 degrees and really windy. Hasn't skipped a beat.

Grant

[Peter Hobbs]

Great development Grant. I have a banksia I need to chop (my first) ...wish you were looking over my shoulder cheers, Peter

[John Henry]

Hi Grant what do you feed all your natives with also what sprays if any do you use for pests ect
Cheers John

[Grant Bowie]

Great development Grant. I have a banksia I need to chop (my first) ...wish you were looking over my shoulder cheers, Peter

This is a safe time of year to do a major chop to Banksia. Even if something goes wrong and it partly dies back I am sure it will survive. I have a B integrifolia that has had some deadwood on it (trunk both front and back) where it died back a bit a few years ago but it is also doing fine. The living wood, although it is soft, doesn't seem to deteriorate when dead if kept dry. I haven't used lime Sulphur on a Banksia ever so I don't know if it would make a difference; good or bad.

Grant

[Grant Bowie]

Hi Grant what do you feed all your natives with also what sprays if any do you use for pests ect
Cheers John

I haven't sprayed this year for anything as everything looks fine; however I usually do a spray of Confidor, Mavrik and Pest Oil as a preventative for everything.

I also have not applied any Anti Rot stuff for root rot or Di-Pel for caterpillers as it has just not been necessary.

I fert with Native Osmocote when I repot and Powerfeed and Seasol through the season; but i have been a bit erratic with Ferts this year I must admit. Because my mix is not totally inorganic it seems to be doing fine if I am a bit erratic.

I have added a small amount, about 10 %, of Akadama to my mix this year. I found my Trident Maples and Chinese elms were drying out a bit too quick so I have added 5% of the finest Akadama and 5% of the next size up, to all my mix for now.

Grant

[DangerousDave]

This tree still about? Or in another thread now?

[Grant Bowie]

This tree still about? Or in another thread now?

Sold a while ago but working on a B serrata Green Cape which is doing OK but a few damaged leaves at the moment.

grant