Banksia Serrata - Western Australia

[Patmet]

Thought I would start a progression thread for this Banksia Serrata I am growing here in WA.

I bought this as nursery stock March 2022. So far just growing and cutting back to thicken trunk and develop taper. Out of the nursery mix and into my mix and shallower terracotta pot late winter this year. Lots of options for this. I am loving growing the species so far.

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September 2022

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Around December 2022

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October 2023 after some free growth following repot

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October 2023 cut back ready to grow again.

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Different angle

[Ryceman3]

You’ve got some pretty nice stuff developing Patmet, both native and otherwise… enjoying the development/progression posts!

[Kevin]

Hello Patmet,

This Banksia is developing nicely for you in your area. The distinctive trunk roll that's characteristic with Banksia has started and is looking great on this little tree.

I love our natives and the trees from your collection which you have posted recently have always been in exceptional growth and style, I know you have had a few hiccups, but overall your trees have responded exceptionally to your care and location.

Which brings me to a question I ask myself every time I read you have just re-potted a tree and it's in the middle of Winter or in this instance you re-potted this tree in late Winter. Are the Winter months in your area (which I presume is around Albany WA) mild? I looked at Albany's latitude and you are just a tad further south than my location, closely aligning with the latitude of Canberra.

Over on the Eastern states the sage advice for the past several decades is to work and repot natives in the warmer months, with the minimum temperatures at or above 15 degrees. In Winter just past we had many a night with below 0 temperatures and Canberra had nearly every night below Zero. It's only around now that I plan to do some re-potting.

I know your coastal, but obviously your trees don't seem to mind, actually they thrive with your care. What are your Winters like

Sorry for the long winded question. But I'm interested in this theory "repot natives only in the warmer months".

Thanks,

Kevin

[Patmet]

Hello Patmet,

This Banksia is developing nicely for you in your area. The distinctive trunk roll that's characteristic with Banksia has started and is looking great on this little tree.

I love our natives and the trees from your collection which you have posted recently have always been in exceptional growth and style, I know you have had a few hiccups, but overall your trees have responded exceptionally to your care and location.

Which brings me to a question I ask myself every time I read you have just re-potted a tree and it's in the middle of Winter or in this instance you re-potted this tree in late Winter. Are the Winter months in your area (which I presume is around Albany WA) mild? I looked at Albany's latitude and you are just a tad further south than my location, closely aligning with the latitude of Canberra.

Over on the Eastern states the sage advice for the past several decades is to work and repot natives in the warmer months, with the minimum temperatures at or above 15 degrees. In Winter just past we had many a night with below 0 temperatures and Canberra had nearly every night below Zero. It's only around now that I plan to do some re-potting.

I know your coastal, but obviously your trees don't seem to mind, actually they thrive with your care. What are your Winters like

Sorry for the long winded question. But I'm interested in this theory "repot natives only in the warmer months".

Thanks,

Kevin

No worries Kevin. Yes I am in Albany on the southern coast which is classified as a "warm mediterranean" climate, characterized by warm dry summers and cool wet winters. It is generally very mild here. We don't often get extremes in temperatures both hot and cold. Maybe this is why I can successfully repot in winter but I think a lot of it also comes down to the species, the health, the age of the tree, and aftercare. I am still very much experimenting with what gives me the best results though.

[Patmet]

Took this to a little workshop with my local club today. It's been on my list to get some movement going in the branches before they get too thick, so I was happy to get that done today.

There is a bar section with the two lowest branches, that I will pick one or the other to keep later. For now I'm happy to just let them both keep thickening the trunk.

Going for a many branched up and out natural style with this one.

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Before

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After

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Base

[Hanro]

Hi Patmet,

Nice start , Interested to see where you take the design. I expect in your environment it will put on size fairly quickly and the branching options will change as you refine it.

I have struggled with mine at times and our short growing season.
It broke its pot last year .

[Patmet]

I've been admiring the striking red new growth on this lately. It's really nice to see in the garden. I hadn't noticed it as much previously, but maybe it has never been quite as red.. I can't remember.

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