Can I grow native plants in pots?

The short answer is yes!

The related question though that some may ask is why would you grow natives in pots when you can plant them in the garden where they supposedly belong?

The reasons for keeping natives in pots are varied, but it might simply be the case that you don’t have a garden, only a balcony or a courtyard.
Unfortunately, this is an increasing trend these days with new developments, even in rural towns.

A nice specimen native in a decorative pot next to the front door or entryway can make quite a statement and still attract a few local critters to offer a degree of biodiversity.

Keeping natives in pots also offers flexibility in that you can fine tune the media that the plant is to grow in to replicate its natural conditions (see more below).

And keeping natives in pots is a good way to maintain a small collection, either of general or specific species.

Getting started

Let’s begin with a bold statement – you don’t need native potting mix to grow native plants.
What is important however, is to use a red-tick potting mix.

In Australia, premium or professional potting mixes with the red tick symbol adhere to certain AS Standards (typically AS 3743), contain fertilisers with a life expectancy up to 8 months (or more) and a range of other goodies which may include water crystals, wetting agents, gypsium, zeolite, trace elements and more.

Potting mixes with the black tick symbols on the bag generally don’t have any of this.

The old saying about paying for what you get is very true when it comes to potting mix.

But yes, we hear you – Banksias and other Proteaceae species, right !
There’s no easy answer to the Proteaceae question and you do have to be careful with the phosphorous levels re’ Banksias, so a specific native mix (with generally lower phosphorous levels) is typically better for the phosphorous sensitive among us.

Across all WA native species destined for a lifetime in a pot though, you want to open the premium mix out with about a third of coarse sand.
Most of WA’s native species have evolved to live and grow in sandy soils and they don’t mind if the sandy soils you’re giving them have a few more added nutrients by way of a premium potting mix.
Sandy media also aids drainage and can help to prevent root rot issues.

One other ingredient that we swear by for potted natives here at WNG, is compost.

Make sure your home made compost is vegetable and general kitchen waste only though, with no animal products to help keep the phosphorous levels down.

So an all round, healthy blend for your potted natives would be 3 parts premium potting mix, 1 part coarse sand and 1 part home made compost.

Basic maintenance

Over time, all potting mix breaks down and the fertiliser runs out.
Not only so, but the fine sand and other smaller particles can be washed out of the mix.
At some point, your potted native might need to be re-potted, but there can also come a time when a potted native’s root system is ‘happyenough’ to be confined and so long as there is some refreshment every 6 months to a year, everything will be fine.

Refreshment can be done by using a wooden skewer to gently break up the crusty surface on top of the pot, while top dressing with a fresh mix of 50 / 50 premium potting mix / compost and adding a few sprinkles of native fertiliser.
Use the wooden skewer to mix this all up, but don’t pile the new material up against the stem of the plant.

Water in with Seasol water wetter – a brilliant product that we swear by at WNG.

Remember, that as potting mix breaks down, it can become quite hydrophobic.

This can also be an issue in summer, if you forget to water your potted native and it dries out excessively.

In such a scenario, simply place the potted native into a big bath of Seasol water wetter to reinvigorate the original media, before top dressing as described.

Watering & fertilising

There is no one watering rule for all potted natives.
Some might like things a bit drier (Verticordia), while others can drink like the proverbial fish!

Broadly speaking, a full soaking followed by a full drying out period is the way to go.
But do keep an eye out for droopy growth tips and hydrophobic soil.

One of the issues with hydrophobic soil in pots, is that it might appear you are watering the plant fully, as the water runs out the bottom of the pot as fast as you are pouring in from the top.
What is actually happening here is that the water is simply running down the inside of the pot and not saturating the hydrophobic media.
In such a case, the Seasol water wetter bath as described above will help greatly.

Apart from the original fertiliser blend in the premium mix you started with and any top dressing fertiliser additions, your potted natives generally won’t need much more in the way of feeding.
That said, compost toppings are always good and natives will also respond favourably to weekly sprays of generic foliar feed sprays in the growing season.

Pests & diseases

Potted natives might come in for attack from things which may not necessarily be an issue if they were in the ground.
There is a tendency to want to keep potted natives in a sheltered, damp, dappled light position and this is generally true for new or very young plants in forestry tubes.

Such damp, low light conditions and overcrowding can lead to scale and mealy bug problems in colder weather.

As your potted natives go up into larger pots and tubs, don’t be afraid to keep them in full sun for most of the year and with good airflow.

Finally

All of the above can have a degree of variability, depending on where you live and where your potted native actually comes from.
Do some research on your plant or species group.
Is it from around Perth, the Kimberley or Kalgoorlie ?
What soil type does it naturally live in and how much water would it get in the wild.

Experiment and don’t be afraid to go potty with your natives.