Rainbow Eucalyptus need to stay well watered at all times, especially when young and/or in pots.
Upon receiving your tree, immediately water the pot very well with water. If the tree is a little droppy from shipping, don’t fret, it will spring back after a good watering in a few hours.
If your tree is in a 4″ pot, check to see if you notice roots poking out the bottom holes. If so, you can carefuly bump your tree up to a 3 gallon (10 inch) pot. You can skip the 1 gallon pot and go straight to a 3 gallon, as Rainbow Eucalyptus grow and root very quickly.
Bumping your tree up to a larger pot will help it stay more properly hydrated, as the additioanl soil will hold extra water.
Use a potting mix that has alot of peat or coco coir, so that it holds alot of water. Don’t use a mix that is too light and drains super easily.. this will increase your odds of forgetting to water and the tree gets too dry.
Keep the tree in a partial sun to full sun, and allow good air circulation, but avoid constant heavy winds until it is a bit larger.
Add a bamboo stake and lightly tie the trunk to the stake to help keep the tree growing straight, and to act as a support should it experience heavy winds.
Once your tree is fully rooted into a 3 gallon pot, you can plant in the ground (keep the stake) or bump it up to a 7 gallon pot, and so on.
Fertilize with HALF strength liquid fertilizer (Maircle Gro, Peter’s etc) about once every 1-2 weeks.
Use a good true time-release fertilizer such as Osmocote, Nutricot or Dynamite to top dress with a granular.
AVOID cheap shrub/palm fertilizers, as these can release too much Nitrogen too fast, and burn the roots.
THe biggest thing to remember is KEEP THE TREE WELL WATERED for the first year. The second year, if in the ground, it will start to be able to find it own water, but local irrigation is highly recommended. Also, the more water you can supply, the more the trunk will swell and bark peel- this is how you get the colors on the trunk!
Have fun with your new Rainbow Eucalyptus!