Melaleuca help

[Gumnuts]

Being a frequent reader of this site I knew where to get expert advice.

I recently found a nursery selling natives with a whopping 75% off.

I couldnt resist so I grabbed few Mel.quinquenervi and Mel leucadendron (weeping mel). They are all around 2 metres tall with lots of thick bark and decent trunks.

Never had mels before so what now???

The weather is cooling down in Sydney so have I left it too late to touch them or can I trunk chop and repot now??
What is the best fertilliser for them? Would they be better left alone in the pots to thicken up?? As for soil????? I have recently been reading up on diatomites,and might be tempted to try them on Melaleucas???




So many questions.


Thanks in advance

[Pup]

G,day gumnuts, I have read you plea. Not having worked on either one of these Melaleucas. I cant say much about them except that they both have rather large leaves to start with which I should imagine will reduce with time.The one I have be growing for the last 4months is Quinquenervia. What I have observed it does shoot back on old would readily. Melaleucas like all of our natives have many growth spurts throughout the year.
So observation of this will allow you to do work on them throughout the year. Trunk chops on them as I have said I have only done this on Quinquenervia, it did as I said shoot back well. I am not sure of leucadendra, but I would assume similar results are obtainable. Try it on a small area first that way you can watch the reaction. Then you can pass that on.
The soil mix you mention I am not familiar with most Mels that grow in swamps like an ACID soil much like Azaleas so that is what I give mine.
Fertilisers the same. People worry about Natives and Phosphorus there are two ferts I use with no ill affects on even Banksia's one is Phostrogen and the other is Miracle gro for Azalea's and Camellias.
I have been using this for20+ ears with no ill affects at full strength.
I am sorry that I could not help any more than I have but until I am sure of any thing by my own deeds I do not like to pass it on. Pup

[Gumnuts]

Thanks pup

Thats plenty of info to start with!

Thanks for the reply.

[Rory]

I couldnt resist so I grabbed few Mel.quinquenervi and Mel leucadendron (weeping mel). They are all around 2 metres tall with lots of thick bark and decent trunks.

This appears to be the only thread I could find where someone has attempted Melaleuca leucadendra. How did you get along with them Gumnuts?