Apart from picking, the main winter activity on the protea farm for us is planting. Proteas are characterised by a special root system. They have deep roots that anchor them, like other plants, but they also have a "proteoid" root system that is shallow and renews itself every year. Proteas are very cyclical plants. Winter is their root growing season, and this makes winter a good time for planting.
Last year, we planted around 200 plants. I'm very excited about the varieties - White Ice - a beautiful white protea with icy white "fur". Another variety we put in is White King. It is a type of Protea Cynaroides, the largest flowering protea with a flower the size of a dinner plate! The white variety we planted should be a stunning flower! It will be 3 or 4 years before we see the results though - King Proteas are slow to mature. But it will be worth the wait!
This morning I rang a supplier about ordering some more plants for planting this winter. I hope I am able to get the variety I'm after! This time next year, they'll be established, and growing, and I'll hopefully be blogging about them! I love winter!
