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Ericaceous compost is a very versatile tool to have in your garden arsenal. This rich, loamy compost helps all sorts of decorative plants and shrubs, such as rhododendrons and camellias, thrive in your garden. Will it also help decorative trees such as eucalyptus grow well?
Yes, you can use ericaceous compost for eucalyptus. Eucalyptus thrives in acidic conditions and needs plenty of organic nutrients and well-drained soil to grow, all conditions that ericaceous compost fulfills.
Whether you are growing a neatly pruned eucalyptus shrub in your home or hoping to let a tree grow to its full potential in your yard, ericaceous compost can help your eucalyptus plant thrive.
What Benefits Does Ericaceous Compost Have?
You may be wondering why some gardeners opt for ericaceous compost over regular garden compost. It seems like more trouble to go out and get special compost!
However, ericaceous compost’s special blend of loamy soil and organic materials leads to compost with several unique properties. Ericaceous compost has a low pH, making it ideal for plants that thrive in acidic soil. It is also very rich in nutrients and drains well while retaining enough moisture for plants to drink water.
Not all plants thrive in ericaceous compost, for example, plants that prefer neutral or alkaline soil. However, this long list of benefits makes this compost a great choice for many plants.
What Are Eucalyptus Plants?
You don’t have to be a koala to like eucalyptus trees. These evergreen trees that are native to Australia are favorites with gardeners around the world due to their unique blue-green leaves and special bark.
There are many varieties of eucalyptus. They differ in terms of size and growing conditions. Some even thrive in containers, which not all trees can do. Thanks to their versatility, eucalyptus plants are becoming more and more popular as decorative plants in modern gardening.
Can You Use Ericaceous Compost for Eucalyptus?
Yes, you can use ericaceous compost for eucalyptus trees, particularly when growing them in containers. Eucalyptus is not very picky about the pH of its soil, so if you don’t have ericaceous compost on hand, you don’t necessarily need to go out and buy some.
However, eucalyptus does like slightly acidic soil, so in that case, ericaceous compost can help. Ericaceous compost is particularly useful if the soil you are trying to use is very alkaline to help neutralize it.
It isn’t the acidity of ericaceous compost that makes it such a great option for eucalyptus but another quality—its drainage. Ericaceous compost is unique because it retains moisture without becoming waterlogged, draining away excess water while allowing plants to drink their fill.
Eucalyptus needs well-drained soil because it is prone to damage if it sits in too much water.
Thanks to its drainage properties, ericaceous compost is a great choice for eucalyptus.
How Can You Plant Eucalyptus with Ericaceous Compost?
Most gardeners recommend using ericaceous compost when planting eucalyptus in containers. That’s because, in containers, it’s even more important for the eucalyptus to have well-draining soil since it is far easier for plants to become waterlogged.
When planting eucalyptus plants in a container, you can plant them directly into ericaceous compost or in a mix of potting soil and ericaceous compost. Some gardeners recommend adding water retaining granules and slow-release fertilizer as well.
These additions improve the water retention and drainage of the soil and save you the effort of having to fertilize the plant later.
However, experts don’t recommend spreading ericaceous compost when planting eucalyptus directly in the ground. They caution against spreading any compost or fertilizer when doing so because it could make the eucalyptus grow too fast.
An initial growth spurt will make the tree top-heavy and too leafy. Let the tree grow on its own because sustainable growth will help it last longer.
While ericaceous compost is not recommended in all situations for eucalyptus trees, it is an asset when growing them in containers.
What Alternatives Are There to Ericaceous Compost?
If you don’t have ericaceous compost on hand, you have a few alternatives when planting eucalyptus trees in pots. As mentioned above, if you are planting these trees directly in the ground, it’s best to avoid compost or fertilizer at all.
One of the simplest ways to plant eucalyptus in containers is to use regular garden compost that you can find at any garden store. However, mix in 20-30% horticultural grit. Horticultural grit or garden grit is a type of sand that is lime-free, making it an asset in the garden.
Adding it to your compost mix improves drainage by creating pockets of air where the water can flow out.
Any free-draining compost will do as an alternative to ericaceous compost, especially if you add in water granules and sand to create a well-draining mix.
However, avoid any peat-based composts. Peat retains water far too well and will cause your eucalyptus to become waterlogged. Plus, peat harvesting is bad for the environment, and many localities are banning it.
If you’re growing your plant in a container, it may also need sporadic fertilizing after it starts growing. The eucalyptus growing season is from April to September, and in containers, these trees don’t have access to the nitrogen they need to maintain growth.
Feeding once a month with any liquid fertilizer (just make sure that it has nitrogen) should be enough to help your eucalyptus thrive. Eucalyptus trees growing in the ground usually don’t need fertilizer unless they have just been hard pruned and aren’t recovering well.
Final Thoughts
Eucalyptus plants are easy to care for and add a decorative element to your garden or home if grown in a container. They are one of the few trees that grow well in containers, as long as you plant them in the right kind of well-draining compost.
Ericaceous compost is one of the best options for eucalyptus trees because it drains well, but you can use any free-draining compost, including regular garden compost combined with garden sand.
Sources
- https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/eucalyptus/growing-guide
- https://www.eucalyptus-trees.co.uk/GrowingYourTree/aftercare-eucalyptus.html#:~:text=Eucalyptus%20are%20vigorous%20growers%20so,the%20Spring%20and%20Summer%20months.
- https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-grow-and-use-eucalyptus-1762354#:~:text=that%20faces%20south.-,Soil,neutral%20soil%20pH%20is%20best.
