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What's wrong with our ragged Phormium?
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Posted by seansmith zone 10 socal (My Page) on Sun, Sep 20, 09 at 0:06
| We have no lawn in our zone 10 coastal (socal) garden!!! We do have a variety of trees and shrubs including several acacia and eucalyptus species, flax/phormium, agave, dracena and Australia tea trees. The soil drains very well, the yard gets full sun and there is a lot of compost in the soil. Drip is our only source of irrigation. We use organic methods to improve soil fertility, manage pests and viral diseases. Our problem is that the 20+ flax/phormium that are growing in a drift on a mild slope in our garden and are looking sort of ragged. What's wrong? More nitrogen, more water, too much sun, pruning? Thanks for any advice you can offer. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: What's wrong with our ragged Phormium?
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Phormiums are pretty rare here in Phoenix, but I've found out a few things about them, in my mostly futile attempts to grow them:
They hate low humidity, and they hate high temperatures (>100 deg. F), so if you live in the desert, you're going to have problems.
They hate high sodium, so check your soil or water.
They hate high phosphate levels, so test the soil, and if there is average or higher phosphate, apply vinegar and/or humic acid to ameliorate the problem.
Too much organic matter can be as much of a problem as not enough, especially if it isn't evenly mixed into the soil.
Hope this helps! : ) |
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