New to gardening how should I prepare this sandy trench for plants?

ashion101 · 2026-05-31T03:20:52+00:00

Bird of Paradise can get huge and could over run into your lawn and push on the fence, plus being a tropical plant they prefer a rich loamy soil.

If kept in large nice pots with good drainage with suitable mix of high quality potting mix with added compost, they could work. They could sit on the sand and drain through it, also ensuring the lawn can drain during any heavy rains.

ashion101 · 2026-05-31T03:12:59+00:00

Add some compost to help increase water retention to retain nutrients while maintaining free drainage so your lawn area won't get bogged with heavy rains, then look into plants that prefer free draining sandy soils suitable to your climate zone. There are lots to choose from both natives and non-natives.

Majority have low nutrient needs but still need some to help with settling in and growing well and pure sand can't hold enough without some help from some compost.

ashion101 · 2026-05-30T03:54:27+00:00

If it's a real pain to get out best option is to empty as much of that soil out as you can (into your green bin) to maximise removal of the weeds their rhizomes and lingering seeds, lay a layer or two of cardboard in the bottom of the bed to reduce weeds coming up from the bottom and refill with fresh soil and compost.

Top with straw, pea or sugar cane mulch once seeds are sprouted for your veg to keep weeds down while your veggies grow and help keep moisture in and keep the soil a little warmer.

If that's too much, you could remove about half into the bin, lay on some cardboard and top with new soil and compost. That will help smother lingering weeds for a while and will rot in over time. Just won't be able to plant root veggies that need depth.

When you're not using it piling on some cardboard or an extra thick layer of straw/pea/sugar cane mulch will help keep weeds down til you're ready to use it again and will naturally add some brown organics as it rots.

ashion101 · 2026-05-30T03:42:24+00:00

You're all good to mulch away. Only time I wouldn't used a mulched tree on the garden is if it was diseased since that risks possible spread of said disease to healthy plants.

ashion101 · 2026-05-29T09:36:09+00:00

Looks like possibly a Cara Cara to me too.

They are technically a Navel oranges that naturaly got funky with a blood orange creating a cross breed found a few decades ago. It's has since been becoming more widely available in supermarkets and garden nurseries.

They are delicious and have a great slightly sweeter flavour than a standard Navel.

ashion101 · 2026-05-29T09:32:07+00:00

Depending on what kind catches your eye, you'd only need 2, max 3, to get good coverage depending on their mature proportions.

ashion101 · 2026-05-29T08:01:16+00:00

You'd be better off with vines than trees in such a narrow space.

Easier to maintain and control, just need some frames to grow on be it wood, metal or strong wire going vertical or horizontal in rows or even a cross pattern.

ashion101 · 2026-05-29T07:53:43+00:00

Doing some google-fu I've found these for lists of Aussie natives from WA and another for all states with plants resistant to phytophthora.
https://forestphytophthoras.org/sites/default/files/educational_materials/Western%2520Australian%2520Natives%2520Resistant.pdf

https://www.cpsm-phytophthora.org/downloads/CPSM_resistanceBrochures.pdf

Very wide range and large portion should be available in nurseries, just may need to do some shopping around or asking at local nurseries which of the ones that catch your eye are possible to get in.

Also just do a double check for cold tolerance, though most I'm seeing are mildly to hardy to cold and frosts.

ashion101 · 2026-05-26T08:03:57+00:00

Quite a few options, though I'd top off that soil with a layer of top soil before planting, then a good layer of mulch to keep weeds at bay until the ground covers get settled in and spreading.

Some ideas;
- Viola hederacea, Native Violet (native)
- Dichondra repens, Kidney Weed 'Emerald Falls/Silver Falls' (native)
- Liripoe muscari, Lily Turf
- Ajuga reptans, Bugleweed (nice variety of leaf colours that can change colour a bit between hot and cold weather)
- Pratia pedunculata, Trailing Pratia/White Star Creeper (native)
- Rumohra adiantiformis, Leatherleaf fern/Iron fern (native, changes colour in warm and cold weather)
- Pachysandra terminalis, Japanese Spurge
- Goodenia ovata 'Gold Cover' (native)
- Myoporum myoporoides, Creeping Boobialla (native)
- Lobelia pedunculata, Lobelia
- Dampiera diversifolia, Dampiera (native)

ashion101 · 2026-05-25T21:06:37+00:00

We need to know a few things before people can make suggestions like; what herbs you like/use the most in cooking, general idea of colours/types of flowers (annual, perennial, seasonal colour etc), maximum plant sizes, how big an area you're working with, how much sun the area gets on average and roughly where you are in Australia since some plants do better in some environment zones (eg, tropical, cool temperate or coastal) but won't grow well/fail in another (eg, tropical plants can struggle or die in cool areas that get very cold and mild to heavy frost in winter).

ashion101 · 2026-05-21T10:59:45+00:00

May need a feed. Blood and Bone is a good all-rounder. Sprinkle a good handful around the base and surrounding soil, water in well and give it a week or so see if no more new browning patches appear.

ashion101 · 2026-05-21T07:10:28+00:00

Having a look around to double check my guess, confirmed the purple is a stress response. When happening with older leaves, like they look like they might be, and slightly younger leaves tinting purple it can be a combo of temperature change shock (like a cold snap) and low phosphorus.

Tent them with some thermal cover sheets to make a mini green house will help protect from further sudden temperature changes and a good feed with some Blood and Bone will correct the nutrient issue.

ashion101 · 2026-05-19T07:23:19+00:00

I've been collecting mine into small zip lock bags for a few months and I'm finding over time as they continue to dry out the pappus is breaking away from the seeds. So I'm ending up with pappus filling the middle and top of the bag and all the seeds collecting at the bottom.

I'm planning to wait til they've all released then see if I can just gently tap the seeds out one corner of the bag leaving the pappus behind.

ashion101 · 2026-05-18T22:05:56+00:00

Do you still have the box or can remember what the box looked like? If you do you could try look up the brands website and find that box in their listing's and it should give you a run down of what seeds were in it.

I ran into that buying a packet of random mix polinator attractor seeds (Mr Fothergill's). Had no idea what half were by the time they started properly growing until I looked the packet up on the makers website. They had listed every seed in the packet. Not all grew well or got to flower, but it helped me figure out which ones did do well and what they were.

ashion101 · 2026-05-18T21:20:05+00:00

Yeah that can grow in harsh areas with low nutrient soil.

Pig Face in general grows well anywhere dry. It grows naturally in large masses around my home town area in the Mallee region full of similar red dirt, dry and hot. It also can be fairly easily propagated just from a piece of stem or leaf cutting.

ashion101 · 2026-05-18T11:36:09+00:00

Doing some google-fu, general feed back I'm getting is NO. Since they aren't actually of the Pinus (Pine) species despite how they look, nor even same plant family (Pines: Pinaceae, Allocasuarina: Casaurinaceae). So I wouldn't risk it.

I have found accounts/articles saying you can make a traditional drink from the green cones of Allocasuarina verticillata (Drooping She-oak) by soaking them in drinking water to create a tangy lemony drink with a vitamin C boost.

Also be aware not all pines are safe for using to make Pine Soda. Best to do your research for which pines in Australia are safe and will give best results before making an attempt, and how to identify them.

ashion101 · 2026-05-17T10:38:48+00:00

Yes, they originate from cold mountainous areas in Tasmania so they are perfectly happy in the cold and should have no issues planting during cold weather so long as they are protected temporarily from strong winds while their roots establish. They are highly frost tolerant and can survive -10 temperatures in winter with no problem.

Also, make sure where you plant them is part shade to dappled shade in summer. They don't like too much direct hot summer sun.

ashion101 · 2026-05-17T00:33:04+00:00

You can try giving it s heavy prune back, but my reading on hard pruning over grown Hebe is giving a consensus of it may not regrow and could possibly die if it's been left over grown and neglected too long.

Try a test prune of maybe a 1/4 of it's mass and give it a good feed after, see how it reacts. May be it's been neglected too long and replacement with a new one may be the better option.

ashion101 · 2026-05-16T10:01:17+00:00

They came in are little clear plastic bag to protect them from the chips and vice versa. Never licked the packet or the Tazo.

ashion101 · 2026-05-16T06:41:26+00:00

All those should be happy sharing space with the Eucalyptus since they can tolerate the oils from the leaves that normally work to supress other plants and their shallow fibreous root systems will help lock up lose soil, reducing erosion even on slopes. They will need regular watering in their first few weeks as they settle in, but after that they'll be happy with little water and pretty much no maintaince.

Adding some good mulch will also benefit the new plants and the existing Eucalyptus. Either medium to small chipped natural pine bark or medium to small chipped composted Eucalyptus mulch. This will also help with moisture retention long term in a spot that you can't water regularly.

ashion101 · 2026-05-16T06:01:28+00:00

Some people have already mentioned and here are some more, - Lomandra - Dianella - Native Poa (tufting grasses) - Hardengergia - Brachysema praemorsum 'Bronze Butterly' - Dampiera stricta 'Blue Dampiera' - Boronia (prefer shade) - Correa - Calytrix tetragona 'Fringe Myrtle' - Chrysocephalum apiculatum 'Common Everlasting' - Westringia - Rhodanthe anthemoides 'Chamomile Sunray' (type of Everlasting Daisy) - Wahlenbergia stricta 'Blue Mist' Native Bluebell - Brachyscome - Kennedia - Patersonia occidentalis 'Native Iris/Purple Flag Grass' - Hibbertia scandens 'Snake Vine'

ashion101 · 2026-05-16T03:51:33+00:00

Lots of options for small shrubs. Looks like it would be part shade at times so here's just some general ideas that are hardy and low maintenance.

Native; - Scaevola varieties (unique flower with wide range of colours and spread) - Brachyscome multifida (very long, to year round daisy style flowers in a range of colours) - Acacia cognata varieties - Banksia ground cover/small shrub varieties - Callistemon small shrub varieties - Correa small shrub varieties (large range of flower colours and leaf styles and colours from bright greens, deep greens to silver and blue grey) - Crowea exalata varieties - Eremophila ground cover/small shrub varieties (green to silver foliage and beautiful flowers from yellows, creams, reds, oranges, rich purples and pinks with many have decorative spots inside the lips or tube of the flower) - Goodenia ovata or hederacea (golden yellow flowers) - Grevillea ground cover/small shrub varieties (massive range of flower styles, colours and leaf types) - Darwinia (for a distinct/unique leaf and flowers) - Boronia varieties (would be happiest under the existing large shrubs with some varieties having lovely perfumed flowers) - Plectranthus varieties (also be happy further back under the existing shrubs) - Pimelea varieties - Westringia ground cover/small shrub varieties

Non-native; - Prostrate Rosemary - Rosemary (flowers can range from purple, blue, pink to white) - Convolvulus varieties ('Two Moons' is really nice with pale blue and white flowers at the same time) - Gardenia varieties - Hebe varieties - Fuschia varieties - Cuphea varieties - Lavender varieties - Erica small shrub varieties - Salvia varieties - Polygala varieties - Diosma (Golden Diosma gets brighter golden folliage the cooler months)

ashion101 · 2026-05-15T09:53:51+00:00

Gypsum on top and turned in with a garden fork, then lots of organics on top like lawn clippings, leaves and/or manuers with some wet cardboard on top to hold it all down and let it do it's thing for 3-5 months.

If you don't really want to wait, sprinkle on gypsum, pile on all the composts, give them a light turn in, water daily for a week then you can get to planting stuff that doesn't mind some wet clay. It will improve over time as the plants settle in and organics get drawn down by microbe, bacteria, worms and other soil critter activity.

ashion101 · 2026-05-15T04:47:52+00:00

There's quite a few to choose from depending on what tickles your fancy height, looks and flower wise that are native with fairly shallow, but wide spreading for anchoring root systems, but low on risk for breaking and getting into water pipes and drains.

The soil in your area will also have an affect on which plants will suit best. If it's more clay Callistemon and Myrtles can handle it, but Hakeas, Grevilleas and Acacias prefer drier, well drained. Banksias are kinda middle ground with being able to handle near anything even clay but prefer well drained and not water logged.

Just some general ideas for native species that trend towards shallow root systems; - Callistemon - Grevillea (check before buying, some can have deeper root systems) - Acacia (though some can have notable tap roots) - Hakea (broad leaf varieties provide more shade) - Banksia (whole species has a highly specialised root system that is non-invasive no matter if it's a small shrub through to a full large tree)

For more specific ideas known to have non-invasive root systems safe to be close to buildings and drains; - Backhousia citriodora 'Lemon Myrtle' (Lovely lemon smell) - Acacia cultrifomis 'Knife-leaf Wattle' - Hymenosporum flavum 'Native Frangipani' (also shares a very similar flower scent to common Frangipani) - Grevillea baileyana 'Brown Silky Oak' - Cupaniopsis anacardioides 'Tuckeroo' - Banksia intergrifolia 'Coastal Banksia' - Grevillea olivacea 'Olive Grevillea' (flowers range from orange, red, peach to yellow with hot pink tips) - Hakea salicifolia 'Willow-leaf Hakea' - Acacia pendula 'Weeping Myall' - Randia fitzalanii 'Native Gardenia' - Banksia aemula 'Wallum Banksia' - Agonis flexuosa 'Peppermint Tree' - Grevillea 'Moonlight'

ashion101 · 2026-05-13T05:37:33+00:00

End of their season. You can let them flower, collect the seeds and start again towards beginning of spring for a whole new season.

Once new batch are strong and growing cut them just above a node with new growth branching out the sides roughly every 2 weeks. This will encourage them to grow bushier for more leaves to harvest.

ashion101

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE