Westringia Plant Information & Advice

Fertiliser For Westringia

Providing the best fertiliser for Westringia is important to ensure the plants thrive. The correct fertiliser depends on whether the plant is grown in a pot or in soil, and getting this wrong can be disastrous for your plants. Our articles provide the best advice about fertilising Westringia so you can achieve the amazing results you are after.

Best Fertiliser For Westringia

Westringia require feeding to keep them growing optimally. The Plant Company's Shrub Fertiliser has been blended to give plants the boost they need and then sustained nutrition for the next 12 months. We recommend the fertiliser is applied to the soil surface in spring just as the plants start to grow actively. More importantly, we advise that no fertiliser is placed in the hole at planting, but rather spread around the soil surface so it can wash through the roots as it releases. The Plant Company’s Shrub Fertiliser ensures that nutrients remain in the soil around the plant rather than being lost through the soil profile to where the plant cannot reach it. This also applies to plants grown on sandy soils. The Plant Company's Shrub Fertiliser is therefore very environmentally friendly and longer lasting than most other products in the market.

Foliar feeding using a liquid fertiliser can be undertaken if you have time but this is not essential if Shrub Fertiliser has been applied. If you think the plants need an extra boost or have some yellowing, however, a liquid fertiliser application won’t hurt. A great benefit of foliar feeding is that it helps keep the leaves strong and lush.

Best Fertiliser For Westringia Grown In A Pot

Westringia grown in containers require different fertiliser to those grown outdoors in soil. In this instance, the correct fertiliser to use is either container plant fertiliser or fertiliser tablets. Each of these will provide safe, sustained, and complete nutrition to the plant for the next 12-months. Using other types of fertilisers can be detrimental to the plant and may result in plant injury or death.

Foliar feeding using a liquid fertiliser can be undertaken if you have time but this is not essential if container plant fertiliser or fertiliser tablets have been used. If you think the plant needs an extra boost or has some yellowing, however, a liquid fertiliser application won’t hurt. A great benefit of foliar feeding is that it helps keep the leaves strong and lush as the nutrition is right where the plant needs it.

Best Organic Fertiliser For Westringia

Westringia are showy plants that do require feeding to keep them looking amazing. A lot of articles have all sorts of advice on this subject which often requires multiple applications so you use more of their products. The Plant Company prefers to take a simpler and more environmentally responsible approach. We believe the best organic option is The Plant Company organic fertiliser which is applied in spring and again in autumn and will keep them well fed. You can safely apply generous amounts of this fertiliser without risk of injuring the plants. More details about this organic fertiliser are provided with the product.

Best Soil pH For Westringia

The soil pH refers to how acid or alkaline the soil is. Westringia prefer a soil pH within the range of 6.5 to 7.5 which means they can tolerate both slightly acidic and slightly alkaline soils. As the pH of the soil moves away from this optimum range, the nutrients the plant is taking up (or not taking up) through the roots changes. If the shift in pH is too far, this can result in deficiencies of some nutrients and toxic levels of others. In either case this can cause the plant to become sick or even die a slow death.

The best way to know whether the pH is correct for your plant is to do a test. The Plant Company has pH test kits available that are easy to use and only take a few minutes to get a result. Preferably this test should be completed before planting so any pH issues can be corrected without risking the plant. A pH less 5.5 should have sparing amounts of dolomite lime applied along with Shrub Fertiliser. A pH above 6.8 should have small amounts of soil acidifying fertiliser applied. In both instances the fertiliser should be thoroughly mixed into the soil before planting. A retest of the soil pH should be undertaken after four weeks and small adjustments made again. If the pH is in the optimum range, just use Shrub Fertiliser thereafter.

Planting And Growing Westringia

Planting Westringia and getting them to grow well is generally easy when you get a few of the basics right. This involves planting them in the right soil type, choosing the most ideal planting position, selecting the best variety, and ensuring the plants have the essentials to thrive. The Plant Company has the right advice to ensure success when you are growing Westringia.

Are Westringia Easy To Grow?

Westringia are very easy to grow, but you need to have the basics right. Choose a sunny spot and prepare the soil by adding compost or sheep pellets. Feeding your plants in spring with Shrub Fertiliser will replenish nutrients and keep them fed for 12 months. They should also be watered regularly during dry periods to keep them flourishing. The Plant Company has produced a suite of articles that covers everything you need to know about growing Westringia.

Are Westringia Hardy To Frost?

Westringia tolerate moderate frost once established, though very young plants should be protected until they are at least 15 cm tall. Frost Cloth is a good option for protecting vulnerable plants if you are worried. Be careful to harden off recently purchased plants if you intend to plant these during winter and frosts are likely. Do this by gradually exposing them to the cooler conditions over a 2-3 week period or until such time as you think that a frost won’t damage them. The Plant Company recommends holding off planting until spring if you are at all worried that new plants might get frosted. Generally speaking, a good sized Westringia planted in spring will cope with frosts the following winter.

Best Soil For Westringia

Soils rich in fertility and organic matter that are well-drained will grow amazing Westringia plants. The soil should be well prepared with either compost or sheep pellets mixed in at planting or spread on the soil surface after planting. It is important that the soil being planted into won’t restrict root growth and for this reason, clay soils are not well suited to Westringia. Clay soils also tend to be very wet which will negatively impact the performance of the plant, and can ultimately result in plant death. The Plant Company recommends that poor draining or clay soils be avoided for Westringias.

Feeding your Westringia in spring with Shrub Fertiliser will replenish nutrients and keep them fed for 12 months. Liberal amounts of organic fertiliser can also be used. Do ensure that plants are watered regularly during dry periods to keep them flourishing.

Can Westringia Be Grown In Coastal Environments?

Westringia can cope with coastal areas provided they are not covered in salt spray. Being constantly coated with sea spray can result in leaf burning and ultimate death of the plant. Planting on the opposite side of the house to the beach is generally fine. This plant is commonly known as Coastal Rosemary afterall.

If the soil is too saline, this can also prove detrimental to the plants and result in them becoming stunted and not performing. If you elect to plant in this environment, The Plant Company recommends ensuring the soil is well prepared with organic matter such as compost, and water regularly during dry periods.

Can Westringia Grow In The Shade?

The answer to this question depends on how much shade. In shaded conditions Westringia tend to become “stretched” as the branches extend to chase light, and leaf colouring becomes less intense as less new growth is produced. In full sun they tend to be more compact with a better colouring. That said, Westringia will grow well with just 4-5 hours of direct sun during the day, or with large amounts of dappled light.

Please note that a Westringia hedge that extends under a large tree or through a shaded area will generally differ in the colouring when compared to other areas in full sun.

Can Westringia Grow In Wet Areas?

Westringia do not grow well on wet or heavy soils, including clay soils. In such circumstances, they are likely to die a slow death. In these environments the plants are likely to succumb to the root rot disease, Phytophthora. You might find articles, How To Test If My Soil Is Poorly Drained and Fixing Poor Drainage On A Clay Soil useful.

Can You Grow Westringia In Pots?

Westringia look amazing when grown in pots and managed appropriately. Westringia Aussie Box and Westringia Grey Box are well suited to this purpose.

To grow a Westringia in a pot, choose a pot that is no less than twice the size of what the Westringia is currently growing in and that has plenty of drainage holes in the bottom. Fill the bottom of the pot to about 1/3 of the way up with potting mix. Do not use soil or compost when growing plants in a container and do not add fertiliser. The Plant Company potting mix has all the nutrients required to sustain the plant for the next 12 months.

Remove the plant from the container it is growing in by either pulling it free or by cutting the bag. We recommend cutting the bag, especially for larger grade plants, to minimise any chance of damaging the roots. Place the plant in the hole without removing any of the growing media or cutting the roots. You can tease them apart if you want but this is not essential. If the roots have been circling the inside of the pot or they look totally root bound, you don’t need to cut them. Add more potting mix and firm this around the plant using gentle pressure, then water well. They should be watered twice a week during hot weather and weekly or fortnightly during cooler periods.

The key to having an amazing Westringia in a pot is to both keep it fed correctly (see article Best Fertiliser For Westringia Grown In A Container) and not to over-water it. Over-watering is the most common reason Westringia fail.

Design Ideas For Westringia

Westringia owe their popularity to not just their great aesthetics, but also to their versatility. Westringia Low Horizon and Westringia Mundi are used as amazing groundcovers. The Plant Company will often use these varieties to plant around specimen trees. Other varieties such as Westringia Aussie Box and Westringia Grey Box are popular for hedging, while Westringia Blue Gem and Westringia brevifolia make great backdrops for smaller plants.

All Westringia varieties are suitable for planting around pools and outdoor living areas. Equally, they can be used in modern gardens or where an architectural flair is required. Westringia Aussie Box and Westringia Grey Box are perfect for this.

The Plant Company has seen the popularity of Westringias increase year on year. They feature prominently with landscape designers and it is hard to see their popularity diminishing.

Do Westringia Have Invasive Roots?

Generally speaking, Westringia do not have invasive roots when compared to other species. However, if you plant it on top of soil drainage lines, the roots are probably going to grow into those lines eventually. If, on the other hand, you’re worried about it lifting concrete, we have not observed this occurring. The Plant Company therefore regards this plant as having non-invasive roots.

How Fast Do Westringia Grow?

Westringia are generally regarded being of medium to high vigour. A healthy Westringia should more than double in size each year until it reaches maturity if grown in the correct conditions. Be sure to start with strong and healthy plants at the outset as a sickly plant can take a lot of time to recover. This can be particularly important if you are growing a hedge, as poorly plants will likely result in an uneven hedge. Our article, What To Consider When Buying Westringia provides sound advice on this subject.

How Tall Will My Westringia Grow?

Westringia varieties differ in their mature heights. Some will grow to just 30 cm tall and others to 2 m or more. The Plant Company has put a lot of effort into determining how big each plant will grow in an unrestricted growing environment. Far too often we see people planting a garden too densely and then having to spend a lot of time trimming or removing plants later. This is something we want our customers to avoid and we therefore provide size information so the planning can be right from the start. Be sure to check out our Westringia varieties and the detailed information that accompanies both this, and our other plants.

How To Grow Westringia

Choose a full sun position for your Westringia. The hole should be dug to at least 50-75% deeper and wider than the container the plant is currently growing in. The Plant Company recommends incorporating compost or sheep pellets into the soil to provide additional organic material, but this is not essential. Do not put fertiliser in the bottom of the hole, rather spread Shrub Fertiliser on the soil surface after planting, and preferably do this when the plant is actively growing in spring.

The Plant Company has produced specific articles to help you grow amazing Westringia: How To Plant Westringia, How To Trim Westringia, Best Fertiliser For Westringia, When To Water Westringia, How To Mulch Around Westringia, and Westringia Issues And Troubleshooting.

How To Mulch Around Westringia

Placing mulch around Westringia helps keep the soil moist and significantly reduces weeds. The Plant Company recommends an organic mulch is used as this breaks down over time to provide nutrients and improves the soil. It is also better for the environment than the plastic-based alternatives. Whatever type of mulch is used, it needs to be free draining so the soil can “breathe” and allow water to penetrate quickly and easily. Heavy rates of lawn clippings are therefore not a good option as they hold too much moisture. The Plant Company has three very good options for mulch. The first is coco fibre matting which is made from the husks of coconuts. The second is Earth Mat which is made from recycled paper. Both of these break down to become part of the soil within two years. The third is black plastic matting which will last 20 years or more. Whichever mulch is used, The Plant Company recommends stones, bark chip, or other similar products be spread over top for aesthetic purposes.

Bark chips or shredded bark makes for an effective mulch provided it is laid thick. A minimum of 8 cm is required to suppress weeds. However, over time this mulch will decompose, so it will need to be topped up every year to be effective.

Compost is not considered an effective mulch as weeds germinate easily and it is only short lasting. It is, however, a very good method of adding organic matter to the soil and should be applied before the mulch is put down.

How To Plant A Westringia

Choose a full sun position with good drainage for your Westringia plant. The hole should be dug to at least 50-75% deeper and wider than the container the plant is currently growing in. A planting spade makes the hole digging a lot easier. The Plant Company recommends incorporating compost or sheep pellets into the soil to provide additional organic material, but this is not essential. Do not put fertiliser in the bottom of the hole, rather spread that on the soil surface after planting, and preferably do this when the plant is actively growing in spring.

Remove the plant from the container it is growing in by either pulling it free or by cutting the bag. We recommend cutting the bag or container, especially for larger grade plants, to minimise any chance of damaging the roots. If the roots have been growing in a circle or are all bound up you can tease them apart if you want but this is not essential. Similarly, you don’t need to remove any of the growing media. The Plant Company does not recommend cutting the roots, even if the plant is root-bound as this offers no benefit. This is explained in our article, Managing Rootbound Plants.

Now place the plant in the hole and make sure it is level with the soil surface before filling in around it. If it is above the soil surface, dig more out. If it is below, put in more soil and retest the level. Once the plant is set level with the soil surface, add more soil gradually and firm it around the plant using gentle pressure as you go. Scatter Shrub Fertiliser across the soil surface after planting and the give the plant a good watering.

Plants To Grow With Westringia

A wide range of plants can be grown with Westringia. The Plant Company often recommends using other plant colours and textures to add variety and interest. Such plants include Lomandra White Sands, Astelia, Phormium Platts Black, Rosemary, Gardenias, Westringias, and Camellias. When they are grown in pots, The Plant Company will often have Dichondra Silver Falls trailing from the sides.

Westringia In The Plant Company’s Database

The list of Westringia that The Plant Company has cataloged, worked on, included in garden designs, and marketed is extensive. Our database of Westringia varieties is listed below:

Westringia "Aussie Box"

Westringia "Blue Gem"

Westringia brevifolia

Westringia "Edna Walling Rosemary"

Westringia fruticosa

Westringia "Funky Chunky"

Westringia "Glabra Cadabra"

Westringia "Green Box"

Westringia "Grey Box"

Westringia fruticosa "Jervis Gem"

Westringia "Lilac and Lace"

Westringia longifolia

Westringia fruticosa "Low Horizon"

Westringia "Mauve Skies"

Westringia "Morning Light"

Westringia fruticosa "Mundi"

Westringia "Naringa"

Westringia fruticosa 'prostrate'

Westringia "Smokey"

Westringia fruticosa 'Variegated'

Westringia "White Rambler"

Westringia "Wynyabbie Gem"

Westringia "Wynyabbie Highlight"

Westringia fruticosa "Zena"

What Is The Best Soil For Westringia Grown In A Container?

Only potting mix should be used when Westringia are grown in a container. Often people will try and cut corners and use soil or mixes that contain both soil and potting mix with poor results. The same applies to when plants are potted up with compost as it holds too much moisture. Soil also contains weeds and tends to become compacted in a container, hence why it is not used in this manner. The Plant Company has nursery grade potting media which is pre-loaded with the correct amounts of fertiliser and micro-nutrients to keep the plant sustained with nutrition and actively growing for the next 12-months. After 12-months, simply add a couple fertiliser tablets to keep the plant fed for the next 12-months.

When Is The Best Time To Plant Westringia?

Westringia are best planted any time from mid-autumn until late spring. During this time, they can cope with the stresses associated with planting (root damage mainly) more easily than if they have to also cope with heat and moisture stress as well. They can be planted in summer provided they are well-watered and the roots have plenty of growing media attached when planted. If watering is a challenge, The Plant Company advises planting any time from late-autumn through until early-spring. Make sure you have a good planting spade to make this job a lot easier.

Where Do Westringia Grow Best?

A full sun position with good drainage and some shelter is essential for getting the best results with Westringia. In shaded conditions they tend to become “stretched” as the branches extend to chase light, and they become less dense. On poorly drained soils they will struggle and may die a slow death. The planting position should also be moderately sheltered which will help with establishment and the overall plant shape.

The Plant Company has produced a suite of articles about growing and looking after Westringia to help you get fantastic results.

Trimming And Hedging Westringia

Growing a Westringia hedge takes some thought and planning to ensure you get what you are after. Factors such as the hedge spacing, desired height, and variety are all important considerations. The Plant Company have produced this series of articles to provide advice for trimming a Westringia hedge and pruning Westringia so you can manicure your plants with confidence and success.

Growing A Westringia Hedge

Westringia make amazing hedges, either formal (i.e., trimmed), or informal (not trimmed). To create an outstanding hedge The Plant Company recommends spacing them 45 cm apart. The faster you want the hedge to fill in, the closer they should be planted is the general rule. With this planting regime they will close in quickly and also push each other upwards as they compete for light. The result is a fabulous hedge every time.

You can go out to 75 cm if the budget is tight but that will often result in a gap at the bottom between plants which is hard to fill. The gap results from the natural vase shape with which these plants grow. In this situation opt for smaller grade sizes and plant more of them rather than going with bigger plants as this will make the money go further and produce a better result in the longer term.

The key to an amazing hedge is to trim them little and often. This helps keep them dense and encourages the colourful, new growth. The best hedges are trimmed 2-3 times per year. The Plant Company has produced articles on trimming Westringia, fertiliser for Westringia, and Westringia troubleshooting to help you grow amazing plants.

How Far Apart Should Westringia Be Planted For Hedging?

Westringia make amazing hedges (both formal and informal) and to create an outstanding formal hedge, The Plant Company recommends spacing them 45 cm apart. The faster you want the hedge to fill in, the closer they should be planted is the general rule. With this planting regime they will close in quickly and also push each other upwards as they compete for light. The result is a fabulous hedge every time.

You can go out to 60 cm if the budget is tight but that will often result in a gap at the bottom between plants which is hard to fill. The gap results from the natural vase shape with which these plants grow. In this situation opt for smaller grade sizes and plant more of them rather than going with bigger plants as this will make the money go further and produce a better result in the longer term.

If 25L grades (or bigger) are purchased which are 1m tall and lush, you can space these 70-80 cm apart without issue. These grades have generally been manicured to ensure they are bushy to the base and will therefore branch and fill in more easily.

How Hard Can I Trim A Westringia?

Westringia will usually sprout when cut right back, even up to 10-15 cm above ground level. However, this relies on the plant having heathy shoots at the outset. This activity is best undertaken during spring or summer using secateurs or a pruning saw. Please note: Westringia grown in shade environments may struggle to re-establish when cut back severely. Similarly, plants growing sub-optimally due to disease or nutritional issues may also struggle to regrow. The Plant Company does not recommend cutting plants any lower than 15 cm above ground level to ensure a better chance of success with this procedure.

How To Grow A Westringia Hedge

To create an outstanding Westringia hedge The Plant Company recommends spacing them about 45 cm apart, as discussed in our article, How Far Apart Should Westringia Be Planted For Hedging?

It is important to understand that the hedge is generally pruned in early spring and late summer with about 10-15% of the exterior vegetation removed. The amount removed depends on how much you need to contain the hedge. The best Westringia hedges are trimmed twice per year with a little and often approach to keep the plants dense and lush. That said, they still look fine with once-a-year trimming. See our article, How To Trim A Westringia Hedge for finer details on this subject. Further, The Plant Company has produced expert advice on Trimming Westringia, Fertiliser For Westringia, Westringia Troubleshooting, and many more Westringia articles to help you grow amazing plants.

Variety selection is also very important as not all varieties grow as tall as each other. Check out The Plant Company's range of Westringia varieties to make sure you get the right one. We have taken great care to provide accurate information and detail about how each one grows. The varieties most commonly used for a formal hedge are Westringia Grey Box and Westringia Aussie Box.

How To Grow An Informal Westringia Hedge?

Westringia make amazing informal hedges (i.e., minimally trimmed) and to create an outstanding hedge, space plants 60-80 cm apart. The faster you want the hedge to fill in, the closer they should be planted.

Variety selection is very important as not all varieties grow as tall and wide as each other. Check out our range of Westringia varieties to make sure you get the right one. The Plant Company has taken great care to provide accurate information and detail about how each one grows.

The hedge can be trimmed as little or as much as you want given it is the informality you are wanting. The Plant Company normally trims only to shape and contain informal hedges.

How To Make A Topiary Standard Westringia

Creating a Westringia topiary standard requires both patience and a straight, single-stemmed plant to start off with. The plant is staked to grow with a straight trunk to just past the mid-height of the topiary (i.e., ball). All the side branches are trimmed off to about 10 cm above the mid-point of the topiary. The top of the plant is cut off just above the mid-point of the ball to encourage sprouting just below the cut. As the new stems grow, they are routinely “tipped” (i.e., the top bud is pinched out) to encourage more shoots. All the time, the ball is progressively shaped until the desired size is achieved. This process can take three years (or more) to complete. If all this seems too hard or you don’t have the patience, contact us and we can generally supply your needs.

How To Trim A Westringia Hedge

Trimming a Westringia hedge so it looks perfect is quite easily achieved with some attention to detail. It does, however, start at establishment if you want a truly awesome hedge.

As the hedge is establishing, keep trimming the outer branches lightly. Removing the tips of the branches during this process encourages more branching and a denser hedge overall. It is essential while doing these light trimmings to keep in mind what width you want the hedge to be when fully grown. Given about 5 cm of growth will be removed at each trimming when it is fully grown, the light trimming needs to occur inside the maximum width of the hedge by about 10 cm. Only when the hedge thickens should it be taken out to its maximum width.

Trimming typically occurs in early spring and again in late summer with a little and often philosophy. Taking off too much will make the hedge look bare, but it will grow back. To get straight lines better than trimming by eye, you can use a string line after the initial cut is complete. When The Plant Company trims hedges, we will often do a light cut over, then stand back and look along the lines to determine the high points for removal. Good luck!

How To Trim Westringia

Westringia are trimmed to remove excess foliage and to shape the plant(s). This is best done during early spring, late summer, or both. You can be as gentle or aggressive as you like when trimming. A mistake often made is to trim the plants hard enough. This error generally results in a woodier plant and a much larger plant that can be difficult to contain. Westringia are very forgiving plants, and even if you get the trimming wrong, they will usually recover!

The Plant Company recommends trimming frequently (at least one per year) and cutting the plants back no further than where you can see leaves. If you remove all the foliage, the plant will need to sprout again from those stems to regrow and this can be quite unsightly. The Plant Company also recommends removing any dead or unsightly stems at this time.

The articles, How To Grow A Westringia Hedge, How To Trim A Westringia Hedge, and How Hard Can I Trim A Westringia?, provide further information.

When Is The Best Time To Trim Westringia?

Westringia can be trimmed at any time of the year, though early spring and late summer to early autumn are the times recommended by The Plant Company. At these times the plants will produce good amounts of fresh, new growth. Moreover, the growth in autumn will not be at risk from frost injury.

Light trimming to remove unsightly foliage can occur at any time of year.

Watering Westringia

Watering Westringia correctly is an important part of growing amazing plants. Importantly, making sure they get enough without being over-watered is paramount.

When To Water Westringia

Westringia require good levels of soil moisture to stay fresh and keep growing actively. They require watering both during establishment and during dry periods. The Plant Company recommends a generous watering every third day during summer, or every third day if the soil is a bit heavier. If plants start to wilt, you need to water immediately. The Plant Company advises watering in the morning or in the evening for water conservation purposes.

If your Westringia is being grown in a pot, watering every second day during summer and once every week during winter is the general rule. This will depend on how hot the growing environment is and the size of the plant of course. A word of caution, over-watering is the most common cause of plant death with Westringia.

Westringia Care

Westringia care is about making sure the plants are thriving. Our plant care articles provide the necessary details to give you the greatest chance of success. Afterall, there is nothing worse than investing in the plants, putting the effort into planting them, and then having them fail. Therefore, follow our advice for Westringia care and give yourself the best chance of success.

How To Care For Westringia

The most important part starts with planting, and our article, How To Plant A Westringia, provides sound advice on how to do this properly. So, let’s now assume your plant is growing well and you want to keep it that way!

Winter is the perfect time for mulching your plants. Organic matter such as compost or sheep pellets should be spread liberally around the plants and then overlaid with mulch. The Plant Company has three very good options for mulch. The first is coco fibre matting which is made from the husks of coconuts. The second is Earth Mat which is made from recycled paper. Both of these break down to become part of the soil within two years. The third is black plastic matting which will last 20 years or more. Whichever mulch is used, The Plant Company recommends stones, bark chip, or other similar products be spread over top for aesthetic purposes. The Plant Company does not recommend adding fertiliser during winter as this is better applied in spring so less is wasted. However, adding organic matter such as compost is quite okay.

Spring is the perfect time for fertilising the plants as they start to bounce into life. The Plant Company has fertilisers which have been specially blended for different plants and in this instance, our Shrub Fertiliser will give them the correct boost and keep them fed for 12-months. A suitable alternative is our organic fertiliser which will also keep them well fed but they will require a secondary application in autumn.

Summer is when the plants need regular watering and this should be undertaken every second or third day on the hottest days. Plants that are establishing need particular attention as their root system will not have penetrated deep enough to secure consistent moisture yet.

Caring for Westringia in autumn is about keeping the plants healthy. Foliar feeding using a liquid fertiliser can be undertaken during spring, summer, and autumn if you have time but this is not essential if solid fertiliser and/or good amounts of organic matter have already been applied. If you think the plants need an extra boost or have some yellowing, however, a liquid fertiliser won’t hurt.

Plants should be checked for pest or disease issues during each season. If anything is looking a little bit unusual, refer to our articles under Westringia Issues And Troubleshooting.

How To Care For Westringia In Autumn

Caring for Westringia in autumn is all about weed control and keeping the plants healthy. Keeping the weeds down around the plant and removing weak or sickly stems will help keep the plants tidy.

Foliar feeding using a liquid fertiliser can be undertaken if you have time but this is not essential if solid fertiliser and/or good amounts of organic matter have previously been applied. If you think the plants need an extra boost or have some yellowing, however, a liquid fertiliser application won’t hurt. A great benefit of foliar feeding is that it helps keep the leaves strong which will aid the plant immensely as it shoots new growth in spring. You can apply Shrub Fertiliser but this should only be done it if can be watered in well.

Finally, monitor for pests and diseases, and if anything is looking a little bit unusual, refer to our articles under Westringia Issues And Troubleshooting.

How To Care For Westringia In Spring

Spring is the perfect time for fertilising and mulching around the plants as they start to bounce into life. The Plant Company has fertilisers which have been specially blended for different plants and in this instance, our Shrub Fertiliser will give them the correct boost and keep them fed for 12-months. A suitable alternative is our organic fertiliser which will also keep them well fed but they will require a secondary application in autumn.

Organic matter such as compost or sheep pellets should be spread liberally around the plants and then overlaid with a mulch (if not done already) during winter or spring. The Plant Company recommends an organic mulch is used as this breaks down over time to provide nutrients and improves the soil. The Plant Company has three very good options for mulch. The first is coco fibre matting which is made from the husks of coconuts. The second is Earth Mat which is made from recycled paper. Both of these break down to become part of the soil within two years. The third is black plastic matting which will last 20 years or more. Whichever mulch is used, The Plant Company recommends stones, bark chip, or other similar products be spread over top for aesthetic purposes.

Foliar feeding using a liquid fertiliser can be undertaken if you have time but this is not essential if solid fertiliser and/or good amounts of organic matter have already been applied. If you think the plants need an extra boost or have some yellowing, however, a liquid fertiliser won’t hurt. If anything is looking a little bit unusual, refer to our articles under Westringia Issues And Troubleshooting.

How To Care For Westringia In Summer

Summer is when the plants need regular watering and this should be undertaken every second or third day on the hottest days. Plants that are establishing need particular attention as their root system will not have penetrated deep enough to secure consistent moisture yet.

Foliar feeding using a liquid fertiliser can be undertaken if you have time but this is not essential if solid fertiliser and/or good amounts of organic matter have previously been applied. If you think the plants need an extra boost or have some yellowing, however, a liquid fertiliser application won’t hurt. A great benefit of foliar feeding is that it helps keep the leaves strong and encourages more foliage as the nutrition is right where the plant needs it. Please note: The Plant Company does not recommend using solid fertilisers at this time of year unless plenty of water can be applied.

The other required activities for Westringia during summer are weed control and monitoring for pests and diseases. Keeping the weeds down around the plant will produce a better plant overall. If anything is looking a little bit unusual, refer to our articles under Westringia Issues And Troubleshooting.

How To Care For Westringia In Winter

Caring for Westringia in winter is all about weed control and keeping the plants healthy. Keeping the weeds down around the plant and removing poor looking stems will help keep the plants tidy.

Foliar feeding using a liquid fertiliser can be undertaken if you have time but this is not essential if solid fertiliser and/or good amounts of organic matter have previously been applied. If you think the plants need an extra boost or have some yellowing, however, a liquid fertiliser application won’t hurt. A great benefit of foliar feeding is that it helps keep the leaves strong which will aid the plant immensely as it shoots new growth in spring. You can apply Shrub Fertiliser but this should only be done it if can be watered in well and is best held off until spring.

Finally, monitor for pests and diseases, and if anything is looking a little bit unusual, refer to our articles under Westringia Issues And Troubleshooting.

Westringia Hedge Care

Caring for a Westringia hedge has several key elements to ensure the hedge grows healthily and looks amazing. The most important part starts with planting, and our article, How To Plant Westringia, provides sound advice on how to do this properly. So, let’s now assume your plant is growing well and you want to keep it that way!

Weed control is vital. Therefore, mulch should be applied at outlined in our article, How To Mulch Around Westringia. Hand weeding is also effective if you have the time.

Fertiliser is also essential. Too often The Plant Company sees Westringia hedges that are weak and looking sparse because the plants are short on nutrition. Our articles, Fertiliser For Westringia, provide advice on the best way to go about this task.

Trimming the hedge during early spring and late summer is key to achieving a dense hedge. Our articles under Trimming And Hedging Westringia, provide great insight into how to grow amazing hedges.

Finally, the plants should be checked for pest or disease issues during spring, summer, and autumn. If anything is looking a little bit unusual, refer to our articles under Westringia Issues And Troubleshooting.

Westringia Hedge Problems, Diseases, And Solutions

Westringia do have issues from time to time. Therefore, it is important to understand the underlying issue(s) and have the remedies to fix the problem. The Plant Company have produced this series of articles to help you in the quest for answers to address Westringia hedge problems and diseases.

Phytophthora In Westringia

When Westringia are grown in wet soils or exposed to prolonged wet through over-watering, the disease, Phytophthora, can take hold. Phytophthora attacks the roots and causes the plant to eventually die. The tell-tale symptoms are yellowing of the leaves, drooping foliage even when the soil is moist, discolouring of the stems, and plant collapse. This can happen over several months during any season and progressively gets worse. This is all resulting from the root system being progressively weakened by the pathogen. Gardeners will often mistakenly think the plant needs more water. Unfortunately, adding water only accelerates the problem prolonged wetness was generally the cause in the first place.

Often the disease will start to show several weeks after a prolonged rain event. It can also occur when plants are regularly over-watered, or planted in soils that are poorly drained or that hold too much moisture (e.g., clay soils). Therefore, good drainage is essential and sites where drainage is poor should be avoided. The article, Fixing Poor Drainage On A Clay Soil gives good advice on how to correct drainage.

Treatment for Phytophthora can be a hit and miss exercise as there are no silver bullets. However, if picked up early, The Plant Company has experienced some success using Transformer. Transformer has fungicidal properties and when used as a soil drench 2-3 times, plants can sometimes recover. However, if the plant is too far gone, The Plant Company recommends removing the plant entirely, and using Transformer as a soil drench before putting in a new plant. Of course, the drainage or watering issues will need to be addressed so the problem does not manifest again.

What Is Causing The Westringia Leaves To Yellow?

Leaf yellowing in Westringia can result from over-watering, being grown in poor draining soil, or Phytophthora. See the article, Phytophthora In Westringia for specifics on these issues. Other common causes are too much shade, or the plants have not been fed for a number of years. A liquid fertiliser can be used to correct issues quickly and should be supported with Shrub Fertiliser during spring if you think this is the cause.

On dense bushes the internal leaves will often yellow before being shed. This is due to a lack of light and is normal.

What Is Wrong With My Westringia?

There can be many reasons why a Westringia looks sick or is dying and it is often an iterative process to determine why. The most common reasons are presented below and organised from most likely to least likely based on The Plant Company's experience.

Plants drowning in clay or heavy soils is very common. Plants are put into soils with nowhere for the water to escape to. Consequently, when it rains the hole fills up with water and drowns the plant. Fixing Poor Drainage On A Clay Soil affords good advice on how to remedy this.

Root rot disease or Westringia Blight are common issues. The leaves will wilt even when there is plenty of moisture in the soil or suddenly turn brown. The article, Phytophthora In Westringia elaborates further.

Fertiliser placed in the bottom of the hole at planting. Doing this can draw moisture away from the roots and cause root burning. The best solution here is to generously water the plant every day. See the article, Best Fertiliser For Westringia, for more information.

Wrong fertiliser or too much fertiliser applied. Killing plants with kindness is very common. The best solution here is to generously water the plant every day and flush the soil with water repeatedly. See the article, Best Fertiliser For Westringia, for more information.

Herbicide misadventure. Spraying too close with glyphosate is quite common and plant death is often imminent.

Plants have not been watered or watered too infrequently. See the articles on Watering Westringia, for more information.

Excessive shade – Westringia require some light of good amounts of dappled light to grow well. If you think this is an issue, simply move the plant to a spot with better light. Do not move it into direct sunlight from heavy shade as this can also damage the plant. Rather, transition the plant to the brighter light by placing it is semi-shade for a week first.

Westringia Propagation

Westringia propagation is a relatively straightforward process when you have the right advice. They are easily rooted and our articles give you the best chance of doing this successfully and efficiently.

Can Westringia Be Propagated In Water?

Westringia do not root well in just water and are more likely to rot. There might be the odd success, but The Plant Company suggests don’t waste your time. Our article, How To Propagate Westringia will give you a lot better chance of success!

How To Propagate Westringia

Westringia is propagated by cuttings. Semi-hardwood cuttings are usually taken from autumn until mid-spring. A stem about 10 cm long is trimmed into a cutting using secateurs with about two-thirds of leaves left at the top, and is clipped just below a node at the base. The leaves can be cut in half to reduce transpiration losses which could cause the cutting to dry out. The cutting is dipped in rooting hormone, then inserted into propagation growing media. The tray of cuttings is placed under mist with bottom heat also applied. The cuttings will have taken root inside of four weeks as a general rule.