"Mitchell McCreath" wrote in message
...
Morning all,

Well it looks like my Orange Splendour has gone belly up.
When I get the new one I aint gonna use any compost etc.
Just gonna wack it in the ground like I did the summer beauty.
instead of using mulch / fertiliser. I have a feeling that is what
sent it to its maker.

Really the tree shouldn't have suffered from the compost unless there were
toxins in the compost.
Also, unless the mulch was tallowood or mulch that hadn't yet broken down
(freshly chipped/mulched) then that shouldn't have hurt it either.
Over fertilising may have or use of chook poo in the hole before it's
planted may have too.
All the trees on the course where I work are mulched with trees put through
a mulcher. These aren't chips, but shredded wood that is sometimes stringy,
not woodchip. It's allowed to break down in a large pile for a few months
before use.
Also, most are fertilised with dynamic lifter long life pellets, along with
many other natives. On average, say a 6-12 foot Eucalypt would be fertilised
by putting 3 or 4 holes around the base of the tree, say approx 1.5 to 2
foot away from the trunk, using a crowbar. A handful of pellets in each one,
then cover over, done once a year.
None of them have yet died, and the fertilising really makes a big
difference to the brush box.
They range from growing in nice soil, to hard clay/rock ground. The latter
only have a problem with stong winds, which we are currently bracing for :-(

I commend the supplier though. She came out and inspected the
dying eucalypt and said the she will replace it gratis.

Fingers crossed that all will be ok with the new one!

No fertiliser. Just a little dynamic lifter.

Cheers,
Mitchell