flourishing daphne

Discussion in 'Woody Plants' started by Catherine Westwood, Jul 21, 2007.

  1. Catherine Westwood

    Catherine Westwood Member

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    Location:
    Melbourne, Australia
    Having failed dismally with a daphne plant late last year, I tried again with a different variety (the pink flowering one) and to my glee it has flourished and has 13 healthy flowering heads. My question is, being that it is still in its original pot (10cm pot) I am unsure as to when to prune and repot. I obviously don't want to disturb what is so far extremely successful growth but do realise the importance of proper care when pruning, feeding, watering and repotting a daphne. Any suggestions out there?
     
  2. Liz

    Liz Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Location:
    Victoria Australia [cool temperate]
    Pruning is after flowering. I would not be too severe as it is still young just snip spent heads off. Trick appears to be, have well drained soil. Not happy with wet feet.

    Mine is a large elderly specimen made from a cutting 20 years ago. It grows beneath a birch of similar age jammed into a rockery wall corner next to a driveway. I chose the spot because I had no where else for this cutting that took. The soil is a mix of gravel and our red acid mountain soil. I mulch it but it gets what ever water it can find except when very dry (drought conditions) I watered it once a week. I have only pruned it so we can get past it on a path. I feed it blood and bone (bone meal) once a year and that is it. Flowers happily every winter sometimes better than others. I think it depends on what the temp was like during summer. If you decide to go via the planting in a pot route be careful it is not exposed to hot sunlight as it will cook the roots. seem to be happiest in light filtered light where I am familiar with them.

    Liz (In the Dandenongs)
     
  3. Catherine Westwood

    Catherine Westwood Member

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    Location:
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    Thank you Liz- very helpful advice.
    With regards to pruning - should I wait until each flower within the one head blooms as the middle buds seem to take much longer to bloom? Also when I repot, should I do this before of after pruning, and if after pruning how long should I wait?
     

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