Outback Planting Mix – number 1 product for improving your soil

Outback Planting Mix – number 1 product for improving the soil

Our unique formulation of composted bark, vermiculite, perlite, and a secret ingredient! Outback Soil Conditioner is designed to improve rubbish garden soils to make them more suitable for planting your eucalyptus. The special mix of ingredients will improve both water drainage and moisture retention, and boost the rate at which your tree can acquire nutrients from the soil.

Our soil conditioner is a soil improver, not a replacement for compost or normal garden soil. Mix with your normal garden soil at a 1 part Outback Planting Mix to 9 parts top soil ratio respectively. Our planting notes go into more detail.

Outback Planting Mix is for use with garden soil, for planting trees in the ground.  If you are looking for a product to use when repotting your eucalyptus, then check out our guidance notes on growing in containers here: https://www.hardy-eucalyptus.com/how-to-grow-eucalyptus-in-a-pot-and-keep-it-alive/

How to use Outback Planting Mix:

• clear the ground of grass and weeds
• dig your hole a few inches wider than the pot
• harvest the top soil into a separate mound alongside the hole
• dig your hole to depth (twice the depth of the pot or to 500mm – whichever is the greater)
• discard the subsoil – I usually chuck mine under the hedge!
• At this point, if it is high summer, you can fill the hole with water and allow it to percolate down into the ground water
• Bring in a quantity of top soil from elsewhere in your garden or bought in screened top soil and add to your mound
• Scatter the correct amount of  Outback Planting Mix on top of the good soil and thoroughly turn it over several times, to ensure it is well mixed
• break up the bottom of your hole so there isn’t a solid compacted pan
• fill the hole with your top-soil+Outback Planting Mix combo up to the correct level – firming as you go, such that when you place the rootball into the planting pit, it rests at the right level.
• the right level is where the top of the rootball sits about 1-2cm below finished ground level
• backfill around your rootball – firming the compost down with a piece of batten or your hand – to make sure there are no air pockets
• complete the process by ensuring the rootball is sufficiently well covered with soil mix
• mulch with a thick layer of bark chips
• Finally – administer several gallons of water to your tree. The larger the rootball, the more gallons it needs.  This hydrates soil, planting mix and root ball, but it also settles the soil around the rootball

How much Outback Planting Mix to use:

For trees in 3 litre, 5 litre, 9 litre 12 litre airpot containers: use 3-5 litres of Outback Planting Mix  well mixed with good quality garden soil or top soil

For trees in 20 & 30 litre airpot containers: use 8-10 litres of Outback Planting Mix  well mixed with good quality garden soil or top soil

For trees in 45 litre and 100 litre airpot containers: use 20-25 litres of Outback Planting Mix  well mixed with good quality garden soil or top soil