Exotics

[Rosefriend]

Yes andy - I very carefully bung the whole pot in the cellar and forget about it until February when I re-pot it. I don't even water it. I had decided to keep it in the house last year but it died down naturally.

I have been looking around for other varieties and I can't find them here. I will have a look on the web and see who can deliver them - hope they don't go on weight though!!

RF

[Rosefriend]

My Mimosa - Albizia Julibrissin - has come to life - I re-potted it in February and it has only just started to do anything. Mighty slow aren't they - it will die down in a couple of months again.



My Punica granatum hasn't flowered again this year for some reason.

RF

[andy]

Mine's not flowered yet either RF. Have you thought about growing the sensitive plant from seed next year RF (mimosa pudica)....they have an exotic feel to them

[Rosefriend]

Yes I have thought about it Andy and I actually saw some seeds recently and was in two minds whether to buy them and then didn't. Mine has also rapid plant movement but it isn't the "don't touch me" type. Plus the fact that I don't think it will ever flower - the others tend to flower in the first year even, if I have been told correctly.

RF

[andy]

Some of the tropical acasia are worth a look too. If you ever grow one, have a smell of the roots when you pot it...they stink !!!

[Rosefriend]

Well what a great reason for buying a plant - stinky roots. I will have a look around Andy - thanks.

RF

[Cheerypeabrain]

Here are a few of my exotics....

Rice paper plant leaf....



It's planted in a large pot next to the bananas..



...and is dwarfed by the musa ;D




haven't taken any pics of the alocasias yet...another day.

[Auricula]

Thanks Andy - I have been wondering for ages what the correct name for the sensitive plant is ( in fact I couldn't look it up because I couldn't remember "sensitive plant " either!! )
Do they grow easily from seed?

[Rosefriend]

Andy - did your Punica granatum ever flower because mine hasn't and the leaves are starting to go yellow already!!

Cheery - I have got myself all "steeled -up" to see your Alocasia's - is there a chance - I would love to see the black one - did you get the lime green one as well or was that Andy just expressing the wish to have one?

RF

[andy]

Nope...no flowers Rf although it is still nice and green. I must admit that due to the awful weather, i have neglected the garden a bit over the past few weeks. I've stopped dead heading the bedding, the sweet peas need cutting back and feeding and i haven't given anything a liquid feed this year at all.

[Rosefriend]

Mmmh - know what you mean Andy - I have sort of lost the urge to do anything in the garden at all - I am just waiting for my Seven Sons Shrub (Heptacodium miconioides) to flower which is a dream and the scent is lovely. It has enjoyed the rain this year as well - it must have grown nearly a meter.

I shall start taking all the bedding plants out at the beginning of September and get the garden cut down for the end of October.

RF

[Tig]

Weather is cooling <understatementsmiley> and I have been encouraged ( ;D) to buy all kinds of 'vulnerable' plants this year

I do not have a greenhouse, shed or conservatory - I have a garage with limited light and a mini-growhouse.

I need some help planning ahead from the knowledgable peeps on here who have experience with the following ..

These are all in containers, when should I take them in, wrap them up, or try to keep them overwinter by other means, and where is best to put them?

The banana's - the ethiopian one with the purple marks, and the ventricosum maurelii from Tesco (Andy how has yours done? - mine has a 6" trunk on it but is only about 3' 6" tall!)

The brugmansia which is over seven foot tall now and still flowering - should I cut it down in size

The tree fern.

The red ginger.

Any help greatly appreciated

x Tig

[Rosefriend]

ooo Tig - I can't help I am afraid - things here either get binned or bunged into the cellar with a kiss and a prayer!!!

My Dipladenia Madevilla "Alice Du Pont" has just started flowering - very late, as well. The flowers are still beautiful though.



RF

[andy]

Any luck with your Punica RF...got loads of flowers on mine at last ;D ;D ;D

[Rosefriend]

Oo I want a pic of that please Andy - no mine still hasn't flowered.

Isn't it a bit late, or do they always flower as late as this?

RF

[Cheerypeabrain]

Tig medear. Andy's your man really...but as for the bananas...if you have the room I'd cut off some of the leaves of the smaller one, maybe repot it in greeblie-free compost (well...you never know what's crept in there ) and take it into the house over winter...put it in a well lit spot. (ensete aren't hardy enough to take prolonged cold and wet imo)
As for the sikkimensis..it's sposed to be quite hardy I think...but I don't take any chances with our musa ('hardy banana') I cut off a lot of the leaves, sometimes taking off the top if it's got really tall in the summer. Then I make a cage around it with chicken wire and stuff the straw in that around the plant, cap it off with a fleece blanket and a tray on top to stop the rain getting in to rot the plant. A bit extreme but it's worked so far. I left one unprotected 2 years ago over winter and it succumbed to the frost. I have a brugmansia this year too...but mine's quite small so I shall just take it into the GH and hope it survives.

If you can't manage all that...at least bring the pots up near the house so that they're sheltered.

I wrap my tree fern as well (as with the musa)..but apparently as long as you protect the crown it should be OK.

dunno about the other plants...sorry...utilise the stuff you have like the placcy GH....you might be able to line that with bubble wrap and put some fleece around it.

[Tig]

Thanks Cheery - bit of a b@gger getting hooked on experimenting with this stuff! I suppose I have to think that they were all bought this year and if I lose them it is a lesson learned for the future - don't buy stuff you can't properly care for

Should I be cutting the nanas back and repotting them in clean compo now, or can I wait until the end of September?

x Tig

[Cheerypeabrain]

I'm not doing anything yet Tig, I've moved my tetrapanax into the GH as it was REALLY cold t'other day and that was an expensive plant...but the colocasias and bananas are still out atm. It's up to you really, you are the best judge of the weather in your area. Last yea I 'did' my 'nanas at the end of September.

[Tig]

I'll just go with the flow then Cheery - once again Thank You

x Tig

[Rosefriend]

Andy or anyone please - I may have just found a place for my Banana in the garden - just how big will it get - it is the width that is worrying me really.

I have perhaps 1 metre in total - is that enough, root wise?

RF

[andy]

Should be fine RF...you can always hack the off-shhots out and pot them off. height wise, it can get to 20 feet in a favourable place (presuming you mean a M. basjoo !!!)

[Rosefriend]

Yes it was the off-shoots that were bothering me and yes I do mean the Musa Basjoo - thanks a lot - 20 feet eh? Blimey!!

RF

EDIT: Do you know Andy, I think I would be daft to plant it in the garden - I'll never get it out again - 20 feet - do you know how big the leaves would be.....phew!!

[Yakram]

I am so chuffed: I managed to get a Medinilla magnifica to flower again this year, albeit in the conservatory. I'm hoping it's not a fluke as I believe Mm is a very miffy plant.

[Tig]

Well done Yakram (I had to google it in order to have a clue what it was : It appears to be a real challenge to grow and the flowers look wonderful ... someone like me probably hasn't a chance of success and as an expensive plant I wouldn't want to fail!

Thanks for the information, always grateful to learn from those in the know

[andy]

Sept 28, 2008 17:28:57 GMT Rosefriend said:

EDIT: Do you know Andy, I think I would be daft to plant it in the garden - I'll never get it out again - 20 feet - do you know how big the leaves would be.....phew!!

I'd plant it RF....you'll get a much healthier and better plant. Mulch the roots well in winter and chuck on loads of feed during the growing season.

[Rosefriend]

Right I will tell you what I will do - I will try and take some pics or do you a little video and show you where I think it could go - a rather large Laurus (not the Bay leaf type) has got to come out as it looks a bit ill to be honest and I think it could go in it's place. There are a couple of roses that are in the way a bit I think as well ...mmmmmh not sure really.

RF

[Rosefriend]

Here you are Andy - I have done a short film and put it on Photobucket - lousy quality, it was raining and I don't think that my second name is Spielberg but I think you can get the gist of what I am trying to do.



RF

[andy]

...very good RF

I'd get the Laurel out, get the rose out (if you want) and get the musa in there. They form clumps but they're not invasive. Before you plant....chuck in loads of organic matter, bananas love to be fed.

Let us know how you get on.

[Rosefriend]

OK Andy - on your head be it!!

You wouldn't like to risk a tentative guess as to what is wrong with the Laurel, would you?That is the 4 shrub/small tree that has been ill this year.

RF

[andy]

Haven't a clue RF....although laurels do respond well to very hard pruning. Poor soil ?, has it dried out ? (although that shouldnt affect established shrubs) has it been too wet ?....very hard to say RF.