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Post by Cheerypeabrain on Mar 10, 2007 20:43:28 GMT
Just wondered if anybody else was trying 'exotics' from seed this year, apart from succulents and cacti that is. I've sown a few ensete ventriculosum, trachycarpus fortunei and kangaroo paw (fankoo SL!). They've been in for about 2 weeks and are festering away in the heated propagator. Apparently germination can be sporadic...anyone grown these pants from seed before? I could probably do with a bit of advice (only sown a few seeds, kept some back just in case) ;D
CPBx
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Post by andy on Mar 11, 2007 6:52:26 GMT
Your seeds are fine....just leave them. Some may take 6 months to germinate. I've got loads of Daturas (Brugmansia) in at the moment. One lot i sowed at the beginning of feb and nothing's come up yet. Some garden centres sell small rooted cuttings of exotics. They come all pre-packed and i think the company that grows them is from New Zealand. here's the website www.patioplant.nl I bought a large passionflower and i might go back today and get some lantana and abutilons. |
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Post by Cheerypeabrain on Mar 11, 2007 16:31:56 GMT
Cheers Andy ;D
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Post by mickthecactus on Mar 12, 2007 9:33:46 GMT
I've never grown pants from seed CPB. I usually get mine at the M&S nursery.....
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Post by Cheerypeabrain on Mar 12, 2007 17:27:39 GMT
 one of the bananas has germinated ooh I'm dead excited....
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Post by andy on Mar 12, 2007 17:41:30 GMT
Nice one CPB.....you'll feel like you're in the Caribbean this summer !!!
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Post by Cheerypeabrain on Mar 12, 2007 19:22:24 GMT
I will if they all germinate...planted 5 !..ooh I hope this means that the fan palm and kangaroo paw will be inspired to get going ;D
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Post by Cheerypeabrain on Mar 14, 2007 20:08:49 GMT
Today a teeny weeny kangaroo paw seedling has emerged....obviously shamed into making an appearance by the ensete's astonishing growth rate (1.5 cm in 2 days..)
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Post by mickthecactus on Mar 15, 2007 9:04:46 GMT
Presume the KP looks lit a bit of grass.........
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Post by Cheerypeabrain on Mar 16, 2007 20:54:49 GMT
Yep, and now there are TWO ;D
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Post by andy on Mar 17, 2007 6:41:51 GMT
I know nothing about Kangaroo paws CPB. I've never grown them either.
What can you tell me about them ?....can you buy them readily in garden centres and are they hardy ?
Ta muchly
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Post by Cheerypeabrain on Mar 18, 2007 18:23:15 GMT
I dunno anything about them either Andy, Mick's your man. All I know is that my big sister is drooling over mine and may well kidnap them. She lived in NZ for several years and visits her daughters in Oz where they grow....now if I could just get some banksia seed......
I just wanted to grow them for my sister...and because I liked the name ;D
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Post by Cheerypeabrain on Mar 18, 2007 18:24:25 GMT
Potted up the biggest banana seedling yesterday...it's nearly too big for the heated propagator now  |
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Post by andy on Mar 28, 2007 9:18:50 GMT
My tropical garden is now taking shape. The daturas have germinated at last and will grow fast once potted. The bananas are going mad and i've just planted a 6' high red cordyline.
But the "piece de resistance" will be a 5' high tree fern which my mate has just GIVEN me ;D....he's got about 12 and the one i'm getting does not fit in with his plans. He's also giving me a good clump of musa basjoo and phylostachys nigra ;D ;D ;D
This all fits in well with all the cannas i've got coming up, a large passiflora, plumbego, citrus, pommegranite, fatsia and a gorgeous Catalpa bignonoides 'aurea'
Pics will follow
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Post by madonplants on Mar 28, 2007 11:33:18 GMT
My tropical garden is now taking shape. The daturas have germinated at last and will grow fast once potted. The bananas are going mad and i've just planted a 6' high red cordyline. But the "piece de resistance" will be a 5' high tree fern which my mate has just GIVEN me ;D....he's got about 12 and the one i'm getting does not fit in with his plans. He's also giving me a good clump of musa basjoo and phylostachys nigra ;D ;D ;D This all fits in well with all the cannas i've got coming up, a large passiflora, plumbego, citrus, pommegranite, fatsia and a gorgeous Catalpa bignonoides 'aurea' Pics will follow Wish I had a mate like that!! I am stuck with maybe spending £100-150 for one! Keith |
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Post by jean on Mar 28, 2007 20:51:40 GMT
Started off 2 bannana seeds in the propogator today, been soaking for 4 days. CPB & Andy, will be wanting to know what to do next in a while. Don't ask what variety they are please - Musa is all I can understand from the packet. I also have 2 red bird of paradise seedlings growing on my window sill that I haven't got a clue what to do with - youngest daughter thought she would bring me some seeds back from holiday (all perfectly legal) - any advise please?
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Post by Cheerypeabrain on Mar 29, 2007 18:38:50 GMT
I'm new to this too medear...so it's a case of following your instincts...I've just sent for some more banana seed (flushed with success from the last ones!)...from what I can gather they're all pretty tender, altho the root stock of musa basjoo and a couple of others is hardy in our temperate climate. I always keep my banana plants in pots so that I can whip them under cover in the winter...so far the musa basjoo has done really well in the unheated GH, but the ensete ones all needed more protection, so they come into the conservatory.
Have you a heated propagator?...if not I'd put the pots either in sealed plastic bags in an ordinary propagator in a warm sunny (but not TOO sunny) spot indoors if possible (GH might be too cold)
Mine took a few weeks to germinate but are now growing like weeds, 2 are in the conservatory window with lemonade bottles (with the bottoms cut out) as protection...soon be too big for those. Once they start growing I think its a good idea to pot up when they look like they need it as they can grow really quickly...lots of water and feed in the summer (I just give mine gro-more)....
I've not grown BofP plants from seed...I'd have thought they'd require similar treatment tho...I have a small plant that's just coming back into life after a winter sleep...they take several years to get big enough to flower according to a book I read...GOOD LUCK!
CPBXX
PS..Andy I am sooooooo jealous of your tree fern! your plans sound fab...really my sort of garden! can't wait to see the pics!
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Post by jean on Mar 29, 2007 19:16:14 GMT
Thanks CPB, I've got a heated propagator and my 2 musa seeds are tucked up in the warm. I think pots will be a good idea as they will have to over winter in the Poly Tunnel. I am not very good with indoor plants and tend to kill them off, so the BofP might need a bit of reading up on. I've also got one Mount Cape Lily (giant white ranuncula from NZ) that has germinated  Not usually a patient gardener but I can see that will have to change  |
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Post by mickthecactus on Mar 30, 2007 7:32:54 GMT
Kangaroo paws are a bit tricky in the first year but once you get them past that first winter they grow like mad. I did leave one pot out over last winter and it has survived pretty well although it was hardly the coldest winter I have ever seen.
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Post by andy on Mar 30, 2007 8:54:45 GMT
If anyone else has any suggestions what might constitute "exotic", i'd love to hear it. So far....i have Ensete maurelii (red banana) Musa lapioscopa Musa Basjoo Another un-named musa Dicksonia antartica (tree fern) Mixed Daturas Lemon tree Phylostachys nigra Fargesia nitida Fatsia Japonica Punica Granatum (pommegranite) Lots of mixed cannas. Passiflora quadrangularis plumbego capensis Cordyline "Torbay red" Catalpa bignonoides "aurea" Other suggestions are... Gunnera mannicata Zantodeschia Nerium oleander Lantana Cassia. Next summer, if this is a success, i might put a pergola over the top and rig up a misting system linked to the mains. Any suggestions welcome |
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Post by Cheerypeabrain on Mar 30, 2007 9:32:17 GMT
no suggestions as yet Andy...just drooling over your plants. I got some seed yesterday for a musa sikkimensis (can't remember how to spell it off hand...)
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Post by andy on Mar 30, 2007 10:06:36 GMT
Just got back from homebase and they've got some nice phoenix palms. They've only just come off the lorry so as yet un-priced ;D
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Post by Rosefriend on Mar 30, 2007 12:39:05 GMT
Well I don't know whether you would class them as exotics but I am pretty pleased with myself that I have managed to keep my Dipladenia Madevilla "Alice Du Pont" alive over the winter.  and it is in the hall at the moment growing well. The other plant that I have every year is the Pepinos - Solanum muricatum, - they taste so good. Also very easy to take and root cuttings. Children of all ages eat the fruits that taste of melon and pear.  RF |
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Post by Cheerypeabrain on Mar 30, 2007 18:21:12 GMT
Do pepinos need to be in a GH RF?...never heard of them before...but they sound lovely ;D
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Post by Rosefriend on Mar 31, 2007 11:58:12 GMT
Do pepinos need to be in a GH RF?...never heard of them before...but they sound lovely ;D No they don't need to be in a GH - thank heavens but you could overwinter them in one although in actual fact it is better to just take cuttings. If you once get one, you will never want to be without one. The fruits are beautiful to look at and the taste is really something. -They say that they are ripe as soon as the purple strip appears - however I leave mine a little longer, it makes them just that little sweeter. They are sold here in small pots around this time of the year, so I never bother with cuttings. A tip - they are marvellous to put in hanging baskets as well. RF |
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Post by andy on Apr 4, 2007 7:28:18 GMT
Latest pics of the red banana (ensete maurelii). Potted it on recently and it's put on a few large leaves. Approaching 5' including the pot.   |
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Post by Cheerypeabrain on Apr 4, 2007 9:14:52 GMT
phwoar ;D
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Post by Cheerypeabrain on Apr 8, 2007 18:51:20 GMT
I had a dig about in the pots I'd sown my trachycarpus fortunei seeds in (Feb 6th)...well two of the seeds (out of 6) have long roots coming out of them YAY!
Repotted these into individual pots of moist JI seed compost, covered in cling film & returned to heated propagator...
I have sown some Papyrus seeds today, also in moist JI seed compost, 20 seeds (minute!) covered pot with cling film, stood it in a small pot tray of water (as advised) and put in heated incubator too...
Flushed with success over the fan palm...might try sowing the astrantia seed tomorrow...OoOooOOOoo
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Post by Rosefriend on Apr 12, 2007 18:46:09 GMT
Can anyone tell me what my musa basjoo needs please - a lot of water, little water - fertilizer etc.
The card that was with it was was severely lacking in anything but Congratulations to your new Banana Plant.
Thanks
RF
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Post by Cheerypeabrain on Apr 12, 2007 19:09:51 GMT
Where are you keeping your musa RF? I would keep it indoors or in the GH for now (until after the threat of frosts have passed)...as for watering etc, at the moment it should be revving up for the summer, mine are all starting to grow new leaves...so I'd make sure that it doesn't dry out (but don't water-log it).
In the summer it likes plenty of water (but don't drown it) and I feed mine every fortnight with a diluted general plant fertiliser like gro-more.
Position wise...I've had my plants in full sun and in partial shade and the only difference I found was that the one in full sun needed watering more often! Andy will probably be able to give you more advice as he's very knowledgeable when it comes to exotic plants.
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