How to encourage lilly pillys to thrive?

Sar0697-

I’m in desperate need of some help 🙏🏽 

we have a fence line of Lilly pillys some are thriving while others are looking pretty bleak!

My questions is the ones that have bush down the bottom and nothing up top are they salvageable? Is there anything I can do to help them grow? Or do I need to cut my losses are pull them out 😭 also what tips do you have on pruning them to keep them all nice! Thank you ☺️ 

MitchellMc

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @Sar0697-. It's splendid to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about Lilly pilly care.

It looks like the tops have died back on some of the stunted plants, so to save them, we’d first need to diagnose the underlying cause. If the issue has been resolved, there’s a chance they could catch up over time. I can also see a bit of dieback in the tops of some of the healthier plants.

One thing worth pointing out is the rocks around the base. While they look great, they can actually cause problems. They heat up and scorch the delicate surface roots, and they also dry the soil out by pulling moisture away. I’d recommend replacing them with an organic mulch instead, as this will help keep the roots cool and hold moisture in the soil.

Here’s a handy guide that steps through common issues and treatments: How to diagnose and revive a sick lilly pilly.

It would also be helpful if you could check for any signs of insect damage on the plants and let us know what you see.

Ultimately, unless you are going to replace these plants with more advanced stock, it would be worth trying to save them. However, if there is a disease or pests present, we'll want to control that or risk it spreading to the other plants.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell