Research on the nutrition of container-grown Proteaceae plants and other nursery stock

Abstract

The nutrition of six species of plants was examined using peat:perlite (1:1) mixes and slow-release fertilisers in factorial experiments. Most plants responded strongly to nitrogen while there was little response to phosphorus. Medium phosphorus levels proved fatal for Protea repens and depressed the growth of Grevillea rosmarinifolia particularly when accompanied by high nitrogen. Tomatoes responded to very much higher fertiliser levels than proteaceoks and other shrubs and there was a very strong N x K interaction with tomatoes even though they were grown in winter.