newsletter - NSW Camellia Research Society
Transcription
newsletter - NSW Camellia Research Society
Country corner...(cont’d). Yes, I used Neutrog’s Kaloona as the early summer fertilizer and it appears to have produced an excellent outcome. A supplement of potash was applied to most of my japonicas in March. Camellia sasanquas received potash at the end of January. Affiliate of Camellias Australia Inc. David and Anne Maher NSW CAMELLIA RESEARCH SOCIETY INC. April, 2013 www.camelliasnsw.org Pests and diseases have been non-existent, thankfully. Often I claim that I have never had to spray a sasanqua. In my next contribution, we plan to provide some photographs. Camellia hybrid “Lady Gowrie” NEWSLETTER Issue No: 4 May 2013 Price: $1.50 Contents From The President; Camellia Calendar; Photos from April’s Monthly Meeting; Cultural Notes for May 2013; Interesting Articles on Air Layering Camellias and the Importance of a Balanced Potting Mix; and Country Corner from David & Anne Maher Next Meeting: Monday 20th May 2013 at 7.45pm Program Program— —See page 5 for full details 16 Opening Remarks by President Peter Levick; Quizmaster Richie Griffiths will run a new quiz; Pam Watson will give a photo presentation of her visits to gardens in Victoria and South Australia; Monthly Bloom Competition is in full swing this month; BONUS: Donation Prize camellia plant draw kindly provided by Bill Parker of Parkers Camellias plus this month we have an extra two 250mm/10” plants donated by Flora Nursery, West Pymble. Supper NSW CAMELLIA RESEARCH SOCIETY INC A.B.N. 16 873 158 367 COUNTRY CORNER….From David and Anne Maher, Tamworth . Thank you for another informative issue of the Newsletter. We country members do appreciate the connexion that it provides. Reg. No. Y17693 Y17693--47 Patron Her Excellency Marie Bashir AC CVO President Peter Levick 73 Roland Ave Wahroonga 2076 9489 4482 Email: [email protected] Vice President Marion Moyes 3 Walpole Place Wahroonga 2076 9489 5363 Secretary Rachel O’Conor PO Box 9 Killara 2071 9498 2227 Email: [email protected] Treasurer & Public Officer Peter Levick Membership Secretary Margaret Levick (as above) Committee Pam Watson (Past President) 9489 4482 9653 1036 12 Knights Road Galston 2159 Email: [email protected] Dale Andrews 3 McKechnie St. Epping 2121 9876 3098 Email: [email protected] Richard Fischer 7/70 Albert St Hornsby 2077 9476 3141 Richie Griffiths 39 Hazelmead Road Asquith 2077 9476 6325 Diana Herrald 6 Lisgar Road Hornsby 2077 9482 4487 Juliet Muras 11 Ackling Road Baulkham Hills 2153 Newsletter Editor 9639 5445 Liz Navin PO Box 2515 Bowral 2576 Email: [email protected] 4871 1146 John Hadlow 17 Tudor Place St Ives Chase 2075 Email: [email protected] 9449 8989 National Councillors Rachel O’Conor & Marion Moyes Email Address [email protected] Camellia sasanqua ‘Margaret Lyle’ is in full bloom and ‘Weroona’ has obliged today with its first two flowers of the year. Other cultivars are in heavy bud and will follow soon. As always, ‘Hiryu’ seems to top the bud count. We are constantly reminding beginners of its worth in this climatic zone. ‘Exquisite’ and ‘Beatrice Emily’, in adjacent pots, took a battering from the intense heat in mid-January but have recovered marvellously; only ‘Exquisite’, however, will have a heavy flowering. Each received an application of 30 grams of potash at the end of January. I wish space in our garden permitted more appropriate sites for them as they are exposed to mid-afternoon summer sun. All our Camellia japonicas have budded generously and were disbudded from January onwards. Pleasingly, ‘Federation’ will flower this year after a no show last year. ‘Swan Lake Monrovia’ will again produce the largest flowers but ‘Great Eastern’ will only be a short ahead astern. The latter looked a little tired and depressed towards the end of summer so I poured 2 litres of Trace Elements around its root system and then re-mulched with tea tree mulch. Its improvement is striking. Whether the desirable outcome is the consequence of the dose of Trace Elements or the application of 80 grams of Neutrog’s new product, Kaloona, in late December, I do not know. When a new admirer of Camellia japonicas asks me to recommend a Camellia japonica as a starter my answer is always ‘Great Eastern’. It truly is one of the doyens of the genus. ‘Grand Marshall’ was a new addition to our small collection in August, 2012, and its first flowering in this environment is awaited eagerly. We have seen it flowering magnificently in an Albury nursery. Interestingly, ‘Black Tie’ which flowered so profusely in 2012, does not have a single bud. This phenomenon seems to suggest that it expended all its energies on flowering in 2012 and has decided to have a gap year. Perhaps Peter Levick has an explanation for this undisciplined behaviour. ‘Cinnamon Cindy’ was languishing in autumn 2012 so I decided to take early drastic and irregular action. It was lifted, root pruned heavily and stem pruned on 26th May. This autumn it is healthy and loaded with buds. Normally, I would have lifted and re-potted immediately after the completion of flowering. I do not necessarily suggest that re-potting in May is an appropriately timed practice. (cont’d next page) 2 15 Bloom Competition results for April 2013... cont’d NOVICE C1 Sasanqua Single C2 Sasanqua Doubles & elegans Form Coll. C2 Sasanqua Any 3 Blooms Same OPEN CHAMPION 1st Plantation Pink Juliet Muras 2nd Wahroongah Juliet Muras 3rd Plantation Pink Juliet Muras 1st Shishigashira Juliet Muras 2nd Shishigashira Juliet Muras 1st Plantation Pink Juliet Muras 2nd Wahroongah Juliet Muras As I have been urging members to plant camellia seeds, I thought that I should pass this on. A putative seedling of Mathotiana Supreme has grown vigorously but until this season had not set buds. I was very interested to see the first flower which came out during the week. Mathotiana Supreme is a red irregular semi double that some observers might call informal double. My seedling flower turned out to be red but there the resemblance ended, it had only seven petals, what used to be referred to by society members as a LRS (little red single or irreverently, little red stinker). During the same week I was seeing advertisements for Lotto with $50,000,000 prize money; with one ticket the chances of winning are very nearly the same as not having a ticket i.e. almost none. Growing seeds is the same, to increase the chance of a good outcome the number of seeds planted should be increased; another benefit of an underperforming seedling is that it can be used as grafting understock to produce a desirable known cultivar. Plantation Pink from Juliet Muras AGGREGATE SCORES OPEN NOVICE Peter & Margaret Levick 23 Bill Fleming 14 Elizabeth Fuller 10 Dale Andrews 9 Juliet Muras 7 Pam Watson 6 John Hadlow 4 Juliet Muras As I write this on the absolutely perfect day that was Anzac Day 2013 in Sydney I am reminded of our early years in the society when members used to gather for a picnic lunch on the lawn at Eryldene after the “march”. This was a very enjoyable occasion as the sasanquas were in full flower with even some of the japonicas out; this was another of the benefits of belonging to the NSW Branch of the Australian Camellia Research Society as it then was. At the recent committee meeting we were disappointed to be advised that the cost of hiring the hall at Ravenswood for our July Show was to be more than doubled. There was almost no support for the proposal that the show be cancelled; this was suggested because of the difficulty we have in getting members to staff the various operations necessary to run a successful show. Therefore, when an appeal in June is made calling for volunteers to be available for a few hours at least, please put your hand up. Our show is the last one remaining in Sydney and it is our most important vehicle for presenting camellias to the public. You can let Pam Watson know as soon as you like, you do not have to wait to be asked. NOVICE CHAMPION Alexander Hunter from Peter & Margaret Levick From The President 39 Best of luck with your seedlings! Peter Levick 14 3 2013 Camellia Calendar Bloom Competition results for April 2013 May 2013 20th May Monthly Meeting at which Pam Watson will give a photo presentation of gardens she visited in Victoria and South Australia OPEN C1 Sasanqua Single June 2013 17th June Monthly Meeting C2 July 2013 13th & 14th July Annual Camellia Show at Ravenswood Girls School, Gordon, to be opened by Judy Horton, Yates gardening expert and popular gardening presenter on Radio 2UE 15th July Monthly Meeting C3 Sasanqua Doubles & Elegans form Japonica Single August 2012 4th August Annual Gala Day at Lisgar Gardens 19th August Monthly Meeting 29th August-1st September Camellias Australia Inc., Annual Congress at the Quest Knox Apartments and Conference Centre, Wantirna (about 26kms from Melbourne), near Dandenong Ranges. For Bookings contact venue directly, and enquiries can be made to Jenny, on 03 9801 6044;all enquiries and bookings should quote Group Reservation No. 56657. See page 10 of Autumn edition of Camellia News. Monthly Meeting 21st - 22nd September The Society will have a display at the Mosman Home Gardeners’ Society’s “First Flush of Spring” Floral Festival celebrating its 70th Anniversary. The Festival venue is the Mosman Art Gallery and is open to the public on Saturday 10am-5pm and Sunday from 10am-12 midday for a sale of exhibits (Plants/paintings/flowers). For information go to mosmanhomegardenerssociety.com. 21st October Elizabeth Fuller 3rd Wahroongah Elizabeth Fuller 1st Early Pearly Peter & Margaret Levick 2nd Paradise Rebecca Peter & Margaret Levick 3rd Silver Dollar Pam Watson 1st Elizabeth Fuller Kamo-honnami 2nd Tama-no-ura Peter & Margaret Levick 3rd Kamo-honnami Elizabeth Fuller San Dimas Bill Fleming C5 Japonica Semi-double 110mm-+130mm 1st Alexander Hunter Peter & Margaret Levick C6 Japonica Elegans form +70mm-110mm 1st Takanini Bill Fleming 2nd Takanini Bill Fleming 3rd Takanini Bill Fleming 1st Margaret Davis Dale Andrews C10 Japonica Formal Double 1st Susie Fortson Bill Fleming C12 Miniatures, incl. Hybrids 1st Otome-sazanka John Hadlow Japonica Informal Double +70mm-110mm Monthly Meeting Coll. C2 Sasanqua 3 Blooms 4 2nd No Name 1st C16 Clusters & SpraysSpecies & Hybrids The NSW Camellia Research Society meets on the third Monday of every month February to November inclusive at the Baptist Church Hall, corner of Park Avenue and Garden Square, Gordon at 7.45pm Juliet Muras Japonica Semi-double +70mm-110mm C8 October 2013 Plantation Pink C4 September 2013 16th September 1st 2nd Lipstick Bill Fleming 3rd Otome-sazanka John Hadlow 1st Brevistyla Var. Rose Pam Watson 2nd Brevistyla Var. Rose Pam Watson 1st Dale Andrews Edna Butler 13 Next Monthly Meeting is on Monday 20th May 2013 at 7.45pm at the Baptist Church Hall, Park Avenue, Gordon Program Bloom Competition results for MARCH 2013 As there was insufficient space in last month’s newsletter to detail the bloom competition results for March I’m including them below: OPEN C1 C2 C3 Sasanqua Single Sasanquas Doubles & Elegans Japonica Single 1st Plantation Pink Peter & Margaret Levick 2nd Kanjiro Peter & Margaret Levick 3rd Plantation Pink Juliet Muras 1st Beatrice Emily Peter & Margaret Levick 2nd Shishigashira Juliet Muras 3rd Shishigashira Juliet Muras 1st Kamo-honnami Elizabeth Fuller NOVICE C1 Sasanqua Single 1st Plantation Pink Juliet Muras C2 Sasanquas Doubles & Elegans 1st Shishigashira Juliet Muras 2nd Wahroongah Juliet Muras 3rd Wahroongah Juliet Muras 1st Waterlily Juliet Muras C14 Other Hybrids OPEN CHAMPION NOVICE CHAMPION Beatrice Emily exhibited by Peter & Margaret Levick Shishigashira exhibited by Juliet Muras Opening remarks from President Peter Levick; Richie Griffiths will run a new fun quiz; The Monthly Bloom Competition for 2013 will be in full swing this month so why not come along and try out your blooms against the regular entrants - many newcomers have had great success in the past; Pam Watson will show photos of parks and gardens in Victoria and South Australia. Highlights include the National Rhododendron Garden at Olinda, which will be visited during this year’s Camellias Australia National Congress at Wantirna near the Dandenongs. Richie Griffiths and Richard Fischer will answer any camellia-related questions you may have; BONUS Donations: In addition to our regular Donation Camellia Plant from Bill Parker, Flora Nursery in West Pymble has kindly offered two 250mm/10”Camellia japonica plants. Tickets for the donation prizes are still only $1 each or 3 for $2. Thanks to Bill Parker of Parker Camellias (see advertisement on back page) and Flora Nursery for donating the plants; As usual, the evening ends with a friendly chat and a light supper; if you are able to come please endeavour to bring along a plate of something to share. Notes on our 15th APRIL monthly meeting Although we were missing some regular members at the meeting we were delighted that Tracy and Rod Grono (who you might remember last year walked away with the Champion Bloom of the Annual Show with Hagoromo) attended the meeting having come all the way from Windsor! Richie Griffiths was unable to attend the meeting and so his quiz was deferred to the May meeting. President Peter Levick pointed out Margaret Levick’s floral display on the information table which had blooms in it of Daikagura. A highlight of the evening was Bill Fleming’s photo presentation and talk on several gardens he visited in New Zealand in late last year. These included gardens in Auckland (Savage, Eden and Auckland Domain) and gardens in New Plymouth and Wellington. Many were spectacular for their ponds, Japanese maples, mollis azaleas and rhododendrons. 12 Another highlight was the Donation Prize draw which included a reticulata (Miss Rebecca) from Parkers Camellias and, as a bonus for those who were able to attend the meeting five large, very healthy sasanqua plants donated by Marian Grove. We are very grateful to Bill Parker and Justin O’Malley of Marian Grove Nursery for their donation. 5 The importance of a balanced potting mix Cultural notes for MAY 2013 With autumn’s cooler nights and the soil still warm (despite the aforementioned) however more so the absence of extremes of temperature, now is the ideal time to move or plant a Camellia. So how does one move a Camellia? I'm not talking about from a pot to a pot or pot to the ground, I am talking about in the ground to in the ground. This can be a big job and if it is a case of move the Camellia or it will die, there isn’t much to lose. If you have a large camellia that is small enough to move you have to weigh up the pros and cons. Usually we are talking about a plant that is irreplaceable. If it was it would cost $1000 for a new one still smaller. Then again it isn’t necessarily a job light on the back and may result in many weekends helping friends move! Anyway.......For example let's say we are moving a Camellia that is 2.5m (8.4'+) high by 1.5m (5') diameter and that is thick, bushy, healthy and about 20 or more years old. The species, cultivar or variety is irrelevant. Ideally a month or two before a spade is lifted (maybe when a DA or Environmental impact statement is sought) the plant should be inspected in terms of health and any nutritional problems, pests or diseases dealt with. If any fertilizers are used they should be used sparingly and be low in nitrogen (which will encourage unwanted foliage growth) in comparison to Phosphorus and potassium (which promote health, Strength and root development.) Ready? A plant of the size we are moving will have a root system at least 50% wider than the diameter of the foliage. A compromise has to be made as to how much root system and soil (and plant) can be physically moved, given the equipment and help at hand. Let's say we are taking a root ball 1.8m (6') diameter and 40cm(1'4") deep. Start by digging a trench one third to one quarter of the way around the circumference of the root system. The trench should be at least 40cm deep, its width is not important however the width of your favourite sharpened square mouthed shovel will make life easy (so will an excavator if you have hired one). Also push the shovel back in under the root ball to start cutting the plant from the ground. The trench should be clear and empty with cleanly cut roots lining the inside. Clean cuts are important to prevent disease entry into the roots, just as is talked about for pruning otherwise. It may not be only Camellia roots you are cutting, you may be pruning other plants roots? The Eucalypt from next door? The Liquidamber from the street? (For this sort of pruning in the ground I don’t like to use my ‘best’ tools and get them full of soil. Rather buy cheap secateurs and depending how they go they can be almost treated as “single use only”, for $5? If you find you have numerous 15-20cm+ thick roots in the ground requiring good clean cuts I am sure you could probably get a cheap (under $100) chainsaw for the job. How many Physio sessions will it save you and your back?) Anyway, that’s all for now, be it May 1 or April 1, if you can move your Camellia properly, all you have to do now is begin preparation on the new planting hole. (cont’d next page) 6 By Charles Cowell, Camellias Illawarra (taken from Camellia News of Autumn 2008) The question was posed to me “ Why do some camellia plants transplant and continue to grow better that others, leaving aside that some varieties are more robust than others?” In my opinion it has to do with potting mix, fertilizer, and watering at the nursery. What is needed is a well-developed root system and strong stem, a plant that is not over fertilised and grown too quickly or half -starved. make the transition from pot to ground easier. The fertiliser we used was a mixture of three to four month release chip and a nine-month slow release plus blood and bone: this was incorporated at the time of mixing the components and used fairly soon after. If this potting mix is left unused for some time and moisture enters the mix, the fertiliser can start to release and root burn could occur if potting up struck cuttings or young plants with little soil around their roots. The potting mix needs to have air space, with large and small particles, and have good drainage but still hold enough It is hard for me to say how much fertiliser moisture and nutrient for the plant. to add to the mix as it was some time ago To do this we used aged pine park that and we mixed four Bobcat buckets at a had been composted in big heaps for time in a rotary cement mixer. some time and gone a dark colour. We used to have Australian Native Landscapes mix half of what they called horticultural grade pine bark about the size of a thumbnail and half called fines, the small sawdust sized particles left after the pine bark had been milled and graded into the different sizes. This mix of pine bark was then mixed with boiler ash from a coal-fired boiler. This also had medium to fine particle size that did not break down over time, hard to come by these days, at a rate of three parts pine bark to one of boiler ash. This gave us a nice open mix with air space that drained well but still retained enough moisture for the plants. The plant roots were able to penetrate the mix easily and when planted out in the ground were ready to move into the surrounding soil. We suggested mixing some potting mix with your soil that you were planting into to The four-month release fertiliser we used was Plantosan N15, P 3.5, K 12.5 plus trace elements and nine month release Plantcote N14, P 3.9, K 12.4 also with trace elements made by a German company. We used these fertilisers because we found them to be stable in the amount of release over time. Some other brands were not as stable at the time we started using slow release fertiliser, but now there are many more brands to choose from. With watering, a small amount often is the best. The commercial lettuce growers that were near us at Theresa park have found that by not saturating soil it stays aerated and the roots are much more vigorous in searching for food and moisture. In writing this article it has shown me just how much one can forget. It is coming up to seven years since we sold our nursery. 11 Six to Eight weeks later it is time to take the next step. Dig the next quarter or third of the trench. You may need to put some stakes in and gently stabilise the tree as half to two thirds of the plants roots are no longer doing so. Also despite being the middle of winter or so now is the time to start keeping a closer eye on the plant in question. Watch for any signs of the plant drying out and work out an appropriate watering regime. Winter can be cold and damp or windy and dry and overwatering is as bad as the opposite. Repeat the previous step if you are trenching in quarters. Rest up, the real work is coming. Now at the end of winter/beginning of spring is the time to take the final cut .In the lead up control of the watering is crucial. You want to keep the root system moist enough to support the foliage yet at the same time too much water can mean at least one hundred extra kilos in weight depending on the soil. Make sure you have everything you need lined up, whatever that may entail. If you’re moving the Camellia from one part of the garden to another then lunch, beer and whisky may be needed for all the helpers. If your Camellia is going from one part of the city to the other, a ute or small enclosed truck hired is much more appropriate than having all this work strapped on the roof rack of a 3 door hatchback. As much of the original soil should be left behind as possible. The roots however must be wrapped in moist hessian or similar for protection. When you unwrap the root ball just before final placement check all the roots to ensure nice clean cuts as they invariably can be damaged in the move. You should already be seeing delicate white fine feeder roots emerging from larger roots that were cut first three or so months ago. When your ‘new’ Camellia is in its new position the root ball must be tamped down to ensure perfect contact between the soil and roots. Again appropriately stake and tie the plant to keep it stable. The first watering can not be thorough enough (don’t forget the mulch). Only now at your Camellia’s final position should you prune any dead or damaged branches. This pruning of the foliage will help to compensate for the damage to the root system. The soil you have prepared should be nutritious enough to not require any feeding until the following autumn. In the days, weeks and months after the transplant watering is again most important. If foliage starts to die off/burn, prune it back to healthy green growth and re-evaluate your watering regime. Foliage burning off is usually caused by too much foliage on the plant for the roots to support. Some Seaweed base plant tonic never goes astray and ‘Plantstarter’ is good for root growth. At our May meeting we will have another two extra raffle prizes. Both 250mm/10’ Camellia japonicas. One a great old Australian-bred cultivar, the other is one of my favourite bicoloured formal doubles kindly donated by Flora Nursery 3 Loftberg Road Pymble (9498 7878). You will have to be at the meeting to find out what they are though! 10 Richard Fischer 7 Photos from April’s Monthly Meeting and some Editor’s Picks at this time of Year Air Layering Camellias (with thanks to The Southeastern Camellia Society of USA for article on Page 10 and these photographs). Open Champion: Alexander Hunter from Peter & Margaret Levick Exhibits in New Seedlings Class Novice Champion: Plantation Pink from Juliet Muras Shishigashira Mikuniko Tama-no-ura 8 9