Gum Tree

I love Trees!!! · Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 10:00 pm Post subject: Gum Tree

Hi,

I am going to buy Eucalyptus seeds to sew and grow on out side, is it ok to do this now, or should I just wail till spring?

very excited

Very Happy

tagwex · Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 10:37 pm Post subject:

Hi there,

If I were you I wouldn't plant any Eucalyptus trees any where near your house, up to 2.5 times the height of the mature tree is the danger zone. The reason being that they draw a huge amount of water from the soil through the process of transpiration. This can dry out the soil excessively and you will get subsidence in your house. Check out which variety you want to sow very carefully. These trees have been planted in some places to lower the water table and very effective at it too. Also, some varieties cannot take a hard frost at all. Other trees in the same bracket are Willows and Pear trees.

I love Trees!!! · Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 10:43 pm Post subject:

Hiya, thanks a million for the reply, I was thinking of containers and keeping them pruned? From your comments it seems i might have to water them every 10 minutes though Sad

tippben · Posted: Sat Nov 23, 2013 12:03 pm Post subject:

They really don't do well in containers, basically because they are so greedy. I used to work in a tree nursery, where we grew them on. Whatever the size of plant, they'd fill the container in a summer, and need potting on. They were watered on a drip feed system, plus hand watering. Feeding them just made them fill the pots quicker. They always ended up as spindly, straggly sticks with a few leaves on the top. Species were E. gunnii and E. niphophelia.

Greengage · Posted: Sat Nov 23, 2013 1:58 pm Post subject:

I wouldnt plant them at all at all, they attract no wildlife , shed a lot of leaves, soak up all the water and are suceptable to frost damage, god for flower arranging only, only ever seen two types growing Gunni and Longifolia, there is a collection growing in rathnew the Parnewll estate Co Wicklow, you could also collect seed there as i doubt that the collect it.

Good guy · Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 8:48 pm Post subject:

I had a E Longifolia. It was an attractive tree, with good bark markings but it grew at a hell of a rate - to about thirty feet in ten years. In a way, I was relieved when the hard frosts killed it. I was having to remove sizeable branches to put some manners on it and the leaves were a real nuisance every year.

forest flame · Posted: Fri Nov 29, 2013 6:59 pm Post subject:

eucalyptus is great for burning and has a lovely bark.i had one for years and never let it grow over 2 metres.

Good guy · Posted: Sat Nov 30, 2013 10:15 am Post subject:

You were wise!