Growing Fynbos

Autumn, when the soil is cool and moist, is an ideal time to plant fynbos species that are indigenous to South Africa. Fynbos, which is endemic to the Western Cape winter rainfall region includes Protea’s, Erica’s, Leucadendrons, Pincushions, Buchu’s and Restios. These plants use the winter rains to establish themselves before the hot, dry summer arrives.

Growing Conditions
Most fynbos plants need a full sun position. While they may grow in the shade, they won’t produce flowers with too little direct sunlight. They also need good air circulation so plant them in a position where they will be exposed to the wind. The soil needs to be very well-drained and slightly acidic.

Planting
Do not plant fynbos in soil that has cement or builder’s rubble mixed into it. The high alkalinity can actually kill the plants. Also, choose the position of the plant very carefully. Once planted, fynbos doesn’t appreciate being moved and can easily die due to transplanting shock.
Fynbos are accustomed to nutrient poor soils so don’t add chemical or artificial fertilizers to the soil. Do not add any manure, mushroom compost or bonemeal either. The reason for this is because the plants strongly dislike any form of phosphorus. You can however, mix in some acid compost to increase the acidity of the soil.
Avoid disturbing the roots of the plant as far as possible. Weed the area thoroughly before planting. If any weeds come up afterwards, cut them down rather than trying to pull the weeds out. This can disturb the soil too much and the fynbos plant can suffer a setback. When planting, be careful to not disturb the roots at all or shake loose the soil in the pot. Once you have planted, don’t dig in the soil around the plant either.

Keep the soil moist
Mulch the soil around your plants with either acid compost or decaying pine needles. This will help keep weeds down and also help to keep the soil moist. For their first two years after planting, they require a thorough soaking two to three times a week, especially over the hot summer months. Also remember that fynbos in containers need regular watering so don’t allow the pots to dry out.

You can create a natural-looking garden by mixing different types of fynbos together and planting them in groupings. Start by positioning the larger plants like Protea bushes or Pincushions first. Then fill in the space with restios and smaller plants like buchu’s. Plants like Erica’s and Pincushions are also useful for attracting birds to your garden. Sunbirds and sugarbirds feed on the nectar found in the flowers.

The beauty and ecological importance of fynbos make them well worth the while growing. I trust these guidelines will help you grow a fynbos garden successfully.