Growing kangaroo paws in Western Australia

Field planting

Plantlets for commercial cultivation are grown from tissue culture and supplied from laboratories in eastern Australia.

Soil preparation may include the incorporation of a base dressing of compost. A base dressing of 500 kilograms per hectare of superphosphate (if the soil is lacking in phosphorus as indicated by soil test results) may be used for all species except M. fuliginosa. This species is sensitive to phosphorus, so do not apply a base dressing. Use half this amount for A. pulcherrimus.

Trace elements should be included in the base dressing at recommended rates.

Although plants may be established at any time of the year, it is best to plant during the cooler months. Kangaroo paws tend to flower about six months after planting but in the following season they flower at the normal time.

In the past, growers have used a spacing of between 80cm and 1m between plants within a row, in beds with four to five rows, each 1m apart with a 3m gap between beds for tractor access. This equates to 6000 to 8000 plants per hectare.

Other plantings have used much closer spacings, sometimes with only 20cm between plants. This can be a problem with less upright varieties as the stems will tangle, making picking difficult. The optimum plant density for flower production has not been determined.

Kangaroo paws grown commercially as a row crop under drip irrigation

Irrigation

Plants are watered using trickle irrigation. Irrigated kangaroo paws continue to grow throughout the summer. Although the effect of water quality has not been determined, total soluble salt levels less than 800 parts per million (50 grains or 145mS/m) are advisable.

Exact water requirements for kangaroo paws are unknown. Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia recommends watering rates according to Table 1. Due to the higher rainfall on the south coast, irrigation from June to September is only needed to supply nutrients.

Alternatively, if growing in a loam or sandy loam, water to a tensiometer reading of 30 centibars at a depth of about 30cm.