Callistemon tips?

[Mimsy]

I'm quite excited, I'm finally able to start my native garden. I researched it to death, and have picked some callistemon, grevillea, native grasses and flowers, and banksia species. I just got the first thing to plant, a callistemon "Mary MacKillop" hybrid. Wasn't my first choice, but after looking it up I'm very happy with that choice too.
I have read up, but does anyone have any "top tips" for growing happy callistemons? I found to my delight when I dug a bit in my garden my soil isn't the heavy clay I thought. It's light clay, almost loamy, so drains ok. I am hoping that will really help.

 

[cpp gardener]

I can't give you any advice on diseases in Australia, but here Callistemons are mostly bullet-proof landscape plants. The watering issues we usually see are letting newly planted ones get very dry and keeping established plants wet. Iron chlorosis is sometimes a problem where the pH is high or Phosphorus is high. Both stunt or kill roothairs which impedes uptake of Iron. I wouldn't expect you to have many problems as long as you don't 'baby' them or neglect them completely!

 

[Mimsy]

I can't give you any advice on diseases in Australia, but here Callistemons are mostly bullet-proof landscape plants. The watering issues we usually see are letting newly planted ones get very dry and keeping established plants wet. Iron chlorosis is sometimes a problem where the pH is high or Phosphorus is high. Both stunt or kill roothairs which impedes uptake of Iron. I wouldn't expect you to have many problems as long as you don't 'baby' them or neglect them completely!

Brilliant, thanks! The only thing worrying me is the approaching La Nina summer, and the possibility it will get a bit too wet. But that's not something I can control, this is something like our third La Nina in a row! Hopefully it will survive ok.