Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design 1 Sep 19, 2010 11:00 pm Hi Fu! We've finally got our keys to the new place, but won't be moving in for about 4 weeks. We're going to the new house this coming week to start levelling out the front yard and doing some soil prep. I want to take my established agapanthus from this place to use as a 'hedge' on top of our retaining wall. It faces due west, we're a little elevated and will cop really heavy sea breezes (gusts!). We're in Yangebup, so about 6km direct line from Coogee/Woodman Point. My aunty reckons the aggies are really hardy and should be fine in that position.. do you agree? We're going to be getting top soil mixed with a good dose of soil conditioner from our local soil supplier (either 1:3 in favour of conditioner, or 2:2), apart from your general soil prep tips around the forums, is there anything in particular I should add or avoid adding to strengthen it for the aggies? Thanks for your advice, as always! Oceanic with Nautilus upgrades. Handover 8 September 2010 Re: Agapanthus Soil Prep 2Sep 20, 2010 1:05 am I wouldn't worry with the particular soil mix you mention. Zeolite (Can be found at ag supply shops and pond shops) Bentonite clay from ag shops and also cheapest form in kitty litter Yes kitty litter! and that isn't a joke ) from the super market. If it is a small bed then use bagged products that are certified organic. Not just saying organic on the bag If you get soil in bulk then from Gardenersdirect.com.au or The Greenlife Soil Company. DSATCO is also going to be a ripper place to buy from with their bulk bag of "piggy post". Just amazing stuff that!! You won't need as much to mix through the soil compared with what you would with the local soil place's soils. Do this for all your soils and you won't set a foot wrong. Cut corners and when we get one day or god forbid in our sandy windy coastline, no water, you will be screwed. Mulch with straws like Pea Straw or Lucerne or what ever straw you can get your mits on. Being a new garden it's important to give it a massive kick start. No straw won't blow around. In fact it won't budge at all in even winter cold fronts with 100km plus winds. It needs to be applied really thick. 10cm. Pull it away from the aggies. If the aggies are in pots, then just plant them as they are. If you are ripping them, splitting them and then planting them, then chop the foliage off before planting. They will recover but you might miss this years flower but next year they'll be looking amazing Get some Olsens Green bio also as it helps soils that encounter salty winds and also kick starts all your new soils with some microbial life I have not mentioned man made fertilisers for a reason. Get some molasses too and use that over the next few months especially. That is going to be a sustainable very low water soil. Water is going to get so expensive, many will cry at what it costs compared to now so get it right and you'll be fine Oh and you need to mix the soil amendments and cert organic soil or piggypost into the top 300-400mm of crap sand you have Re: Agapanthus Soil Prep 4Sep 20, 2010 2:01 am Leave an inch or two of foliage. Just tufts of green If you dig 'em up as they are, the foliage os going to take a heap of moisture and nutrients from the bulbs/root etc. It will also be using stored energy to regrow roots. Thinking about it, they may not flower next year either But the year after all good at the most It will be worth while Re: Agapanthus Soil Prep 6Sep 20, 2010 2:06 am That they will If you cut corners with the soil, they will go yellow Thanks for your reply. I will just wait and see I guess. Trying to get some more information from our builder. 9 11741 I am not sure whether Perth has its own way of doing things in regards to this. Most of Perth has class A (sandy soil), except for some areas near rivers or hills. 2 8276 We were lucky in that our old house was so small (86 square metres) compared to the new house, they were able to take enough readings around the old backyard house before… 8 24868 |