How dry do you let your Lilly Pilly's get

[Bretts]

I bought this Lilly Pilly for $30 at Bonsai by the harbour a few years ago. It has been a fun tree to work on.

lilly.jpg

Took this shot a few days ago to show how dry I let it get some times and to catch the flowers
I hear some people put natives in a tray of water over summer but I never do. This lilly pilly would get this dry about say half a dozen times a year over Summer. It even dries to the point of drooping maybe a couple of times over Summer and it does not seem to mind. It also grows in full sun 95% of Summer
After being out of my care it took me a season to get the tree correctly nourished agian and I have noticed the last week or so I need to step up the fert agian.

Anyway I was just wondering whether anyone else grows Lilly Pilly's in full sun and has noticed they don't mind drying out some?

lillys.jpg

[kvan64]

Not very dry. My last dried Lilly Pilly is a dead Lilly

[bodhidharma]

Me neither Bretts. I let mine dry out by accident and nearly lost it. Mine is in semi shade and watered daily. My ma in law had one in Newcastle never got watered and in full sun it just powered. It was in the ground though.

[Pup]

Being an old grumpy pensioner I do not let my trees dry out. I have the time to do the watering. Like today when I got home from my classes with the Kids, which was fun.

I watered and I did sweat while I was doing it, it was 39 with 60 humidity, how you bloody Queenslanders live it that, you must have gills

I never let my trees dry if possible, if by bad luck a sprinkler breaks down and you do not see it till 3 in the arvo on a stinker like today. Two Japanese maple and two trident maple cuttings have gone to the big garden.
Cant win em all, but never dry if it can be helped. Also never in water trays, on top of gravel trays with water in them.

Cheers Pup

[Bretts]

That's interesting. Just to clarify this guy is often watered 3 times a day. In fact since I know they love water I basically water it whenever the hose is in my hand, almost as much as the willow. The Bottle brush comes second. I know some water in it's pot will never hurt as well. It is a corse mix with a very shallow pot. Yet when this guy was undernourished as recent as early spring I was concerned it was taking upto 3 days to dry out.

Yet some times as the above picture shows which was about 5pm, It gets dryer than I plan. Yet it never seems to mind

Here it is when I got it

bonsai lilly pilly (2).jpg

bonsai lilly pilly (4).jpg

[Bretts]

Even though it was due for a repott I didn't for al least two years as I wasn't game not knowing the species.
Just tarted it up for the aussie comp

Bonsai Lilly Pilly Jan09.jpg

It was growing so much I must have clipped it 3-4 times in the season yet being over due for a repot it dried out just as this season. Even to the point of drooping a few times. Again in full sun and often watered 3 times a day.

[Bretts]

No pics how I got it back after it went out of my care. Only this after I trimmed and repotted for the first time.

lilly2.jpg

That was about a year ago and although it has slowly returned to health (always looked undernourished until recently) I can't remember clipping it since getting it back.

[Petra]

No,never have. Once was dry and leaves drooped. That was when some trees were here and there . Now their pretty much closer and they all get a good soak 2X a day. When its sitting in water it droops also. But then i dont have my lilly in full sun either.
Besides where's this Bonsai place by the harbour


Hey, we'res my luv it, emoticon, steven

[Bretts]

The best description of Bonsai by the Harbour is an Ausbonsai thread
viewtopic.php?f=25&t=5100
It is a fabulous event over a weekend once a year. Multiple demonstrations all weekend in a cosy venue on the harbour in Sydney.
I do not know the name of the Lady that had this tree up for silent Auction but she has been at maybe every bonsai event I have ever been to and I always look forward to chatting with her. What a pleasant lady
I hope she sees this as I know from her chat with me after the purchase she would be interested how I am going with it.
This tree gave me a love of pre owned trees

Glad you like Petra

[Steven]

It's looking great Brett. Gotta love those firework flowers
Have you found scale to be a problem with it at all?

Regards,
Steven

[Bretts]

Maybe had scale once or twice from memory but I just squashed them off. Might have had a spray of pest oil but I think that was just to make it look all glossy

[Damian Bee]

On the topic of drying out Lilly Pillies, Mine do dry out from time to time and this is visible with wilting. I would rather they didn't dry out as they do grow better with a good moisture level and they tend to shed flower buds if it is too dry.
I have lost the odd one or two through neglect and a couple have dried up to the point where I thought they were gone but they shot back a few weeks later, it was kind of like a defoliation.
Die back of branches is a serious risk if your lilly Pilly dries out. Although they are a tough and forgiving plant, they can't bounce back every time.
As far as a good specimen goes for Bonsai though I think they are great