Re-potting baby palms

[Pip]

I've been really impressed with the rate of growth my Pritchardia hillebrandii sprouts. Today I inspected them and found a few had pushed their roots out of their pots and into the soil below so decided to pot them into larger pots.

The plants before re-potting

[Pip]

Task completed 

I used a general purpose slow release fertilizer that has micro nutrients. 

I do have a question about how much sunlight Pritchardia hillebrandii can take at an early age?

[Mohsen]

Thanks Pip for sharing...which brand of slow release fertilizer you are using ? Osmocote ? if yes which Colour?

 

[Pal Meir]

Pip, did you also check this website:

http://nativeplants.hawaii.edu/plant/view/Pritchardia_hillebrandii

   »Soils: Sand; Cinder; Coral«

[Pip]

11 hours ago, Mohsen said:

Thanks Pip for sharing...which brand of slow release fertilizer you are using ? Osmocote ? if yes which Colour?

 

I used what looks like a product that was bought in bulk and decanted out into smaller quantities. I bought it from one of the near by plant nurseries that I have been a customer of since I was a kid. I've never had advice from any of the staff.

 

Pal, thanks for the link. I have visited it a few times before. I'm not that fussed on replicating Hawaiian soil mainly because these plants will eventually be planted out into my garden, by the looks of things they all ready like it. The closest area with volcanic soils to me would be found approximately 440km south east at Mt Gambier famous for its blue lake that is actually inside the cone of the extint volcano. There is a lovely sunken garden also iside the volcano consisting of hydrangeas and two old Washingtonia robusa. I used a premium general purpose potting mix that is composted wood chip and sand.

[Phoenikakias]

The hil-loulu is a very easy plant for mediterranean type soils. Therefore this kind of fertilizer should also do the job properly if not overused. However there are other spp which are very prone to potassium deficiency in the same type of soil. For latter plants a huge dose of potassium is very beneficial. 

[JT in Japan]

Good effort, Pip. What sort of mix did you use for the new soil? In particular, did you use a little or a lot of peat?

JT

[Pip]

2 hours ago, JT in Japan said:

Good effort, Pip. What sort of mix did you use for the new soil? In particular, did you use a little or a lot of peat?

JT

JT, I used a commercially prepared premium grade general purpose potting mix bought from the garden shop. I'm not certain to the ratio of sand, composted fines or wood chip is but it does drain well. It only has enough added nutrients to sustain plant growth for a month.