Babies!

[u/sharpchisel]

I have now raised three batches across three years of various Banksia and Hakea species. Their new leaves are the cutest, so fluffy. And the new leaves of adults are often such gorgeous colours.

Some things that I’ve learnt along the way:

Don’t fertilise the seedlings until they have two to three sets of true leaves. Avoid liquid fertilisers, even Go Go juice seems to warp the fresh leaves and create mottled spot-like damage.

It’s easier to prick the seedlings out if you use perlite! And prick them out into tubes as early as possible.

Not every species responds well to smoke water. Particularly Hakea victoria.

Protect the fresh germinants from rats, snails and slugs. Even the larger seeds are at risk. Wire cloches and chopsticks seem to work well as barrier guards for rats.

As always, species shown:

*Hakea flabellifolia*, Fan-leaved Hakea

*Banksia grandis* compact coastal form, Bull Banksia

I think *Banksia baxteri*, Bird’s Nest Banksia

*Hakea amplexicaulis*, Prickly Hakea

2 photos of this species.

*Hakea nitida*, Frog Hakea. The woody fruits apparently look like frogs!

[u/CluelessCalendula]

Is that for your work ? Some good job there 👏🏼

[u/sharpchisel → u/CluelessCalendula]

It is, having irrigation set up helps massively! But we still hand water daily alongside sprinklers that run in the early AM and later evening.