Remove old shrub or not?

[SteveC]

Hi all.

I have a Banksia bush in my garden that has a large number of dead branches. I am trying to decide wheter to remove it and replace with something else or try and rejuvenate.

Thoughts and advice welcome.

Regards, 

Steve

[Jason]

Hi @SteveC,

There's some advice in the discussion How to revive a banksia with dried leaves? that might be helpful to you. 

Like in that discussion, it might be helpful if members had some background about the tree and it's growing conditions. Could you please let us know things like where you are based, how old the tree is, when you noticed the leaves turning brown, how much you water the tree, and what the soil is like.

Thanks,

Jason

[SteveC]

Ok,

I don't water it much. Probably over 20 years old. Live in NW Sydney.

Soil is not great, not sure when it started turning brown.

[Jason]

Thanks @SteveC.

Let me see if helpful members @Noelle or @mich1972 might be able to share their thoughts.

Jason

[Noelle]

Hi @SteveC 

Your banksia's not looking good!

Many native shrubs, like banksias, are not long-lived so 20 years or just over is a reasonable lifespan in a domestic garden. The trunk is particularly gnarled, indicating it may have had a bit of a tough life, especially if the soil's not great and it doesn't get a lot of TLC.

Looking at your photos closely, I think it's probably reached its Use By date and isn't likely to recover, even if you remove the dead sections to promote regrowth. All the live branches are at the very top of the tree, making me think it's dying from the roots up.

While it is sad to have to pull out old shrubs, I think that's probably the best option in your case. Then you can replace it in autumn with a younger native shrub that will give you another 20 years of generous growth and flowering.

[SteveC]

Thanks. 

After I pull it out I will have to see what I can do to improve t h e soil.

I do have access to a fair amount of leaf litter but probably best to bring in some soil improver. 

I am planning on redoing the entire garden beds over the next few months including fixing up the poor soil. Any tips on soil improvement appreciated. 

It seems to me that if the current soil is wet it is quite good but when it dries out it is not so good.

 

 Might need to move the garden reno to a differnt thread.

[JacobZ]

Hi @SteveC,

Sounds like a good plan. Once the banksia is out, you will have a great chance to reset the bed properly. What you are describing with the soil behaving well when wet but poorly when dry is pretty common with tired or low organic matter soils. They often look fine after rain but set hard and repel water once dry.

Leaf litter is an excellent start, so definitely use it, either dug through lightly or as a mulch. I would also add a quality compost or soil improver to boost organic matter and soil life. Mixing it through the top layer rather than digging too deep usually works best and helps avoid bringing up poorer subsoil. If drainage is an issue when it is wet, adding some compost or well-rotted organic material can really help balance that out.

Once replanted, keep the beds topped up with mulch to protect the soil while you work through the rest of the garden over the coming months. It will help hold moisture, improve structure over time and make everything a bit more forgiving while the soil continues to improve.

We can certainly offer ongoing advice as you work through the garden reno.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob