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+--- Thread: Care & Feeding of podocarpus? (/showthread.php?tid=3954)
Care & Feeding of podocarpus? - punafish - 11-05-2007
Aloha,
Just planted 24 podocarpus (podocarpi? Podocarpuses?) in my yard. They are all 2.5 to 3 ft high. A city boy from way back, still trying to get my thumb to turn green. My questions for the veteran gardeners out there:
1) Any special fertilizer to get the keiki going? (I chopped holes into the rocky ground, planted, filled each whole with rich,smelly jungle muck, and topped it all off with black cinder)
2) Any other threats to my podo-keiki that I should be aware of?
3) Any good pruning guidelines to raise thick, green (private) hedges?
Thanks in advance!
Tim
RE: Care & Feeding of podocarpus? - missydog1 - 11-05-2007
very easy to grow.
16-16-16 fertilizer is cheap and works fine.
Pick a fertilizer with added iron and trace minerals for Hawaiian soil.
To get any hedge thick, prune often, before the plant gets leggy. Podocarpus is a tree, not a shrub. If you let it head straight up it will become a tree. Topping it periodically will force lateral growth.
Thick branches cannot be trimmed with a hedge trimmer; that's why I advise you to prune reasonably often, to prevent it from forming heavy duty branches.
Let it know who's the boss.
RE: Care & Feeding of podocarpus? - punafish - 11-06-2007
Thanks, Kathy!
I'll follow your advice to the letter.
How often should I prune? And should I wait until after the plants get acclimated before I start pruning? (Planted 'em about a week ago; so far they all look healthy.)
Thanks again for responding so quickly.
Aloha,
Tim
RE: Care & Feeding of podocarpus? - missydog1 - 11-06-2007
hi punafiah --
I only prune "as needed" -- I'm not organized enough to have a schedule.
Your little plants shouldn't need pruning until they really start putting out growth. When the plants take off, clip back long skinny shoots and start developing the shape that you have in mind.
With podocarpus, it's not rocket science so don't worry.
Any mistakes you do make will not matter in the long run.
RE: Care & Feeding of podocarpus? - Puna Kite Man - 11-14-2007
Was the podocarpus plant expensive to buy at that size? I'm thinking of hedging my property.
Vince
RE: Care & Feeding of podocarpus? - punafish - 11-16-2007
Hey PunaKiteman!
We got a deal from a friend. Will call her to see if she can give you a deal. How many ya wanna to buy?
Tim
P.S. Did you ever get my email?
Tim
Other people can talk about how to expand the destiny of mankind. I just want to talk about how to fix a motorcycle. I think that what I have to say has more lasting value.”
Robert Pirsig
RE: Care & Feeding of podocarpus? - Puna Kite Man - 11-17-2007
You mean the email about kites?
I think I remember something like that last month.
Pleas let me know about the plants. I think I would like to line the property with about 20 or so depending on the price.
Thanks, Vince
RE: Care & Feeding of podocarpus? - punafish - 11-18-2007
Vince,
I emailed you some info. Good luck!
Aloha,
Tim