Welcome to new members

[MarkD]

Welcome to the forum Stephen

[Throbber]

Hi all

Just found this forum, I'm fairly new to this exotics lark but already addicted to palms and Agaves.

Need some advice on correct soil so I'm off to the forum...

Regards

Dave

[Petefree]

Welcome Dave (Throbber)
Am sure you'll get the advice you're looking for here - everyone's really helpful!
Pete

[Throbber]

Thanks Pete.

Trying to moderate the amount of questions I have otherwise it'll be like a pub quiz.

[darran]

Hi Dave,

Welcome to the forum!

Please do not be shy to ask as many questions as you like....its what makes the forum and its how we all learn. I'm sure your questions will provide answers to many other members too!

[Adrian]

Glad you found it Stephen, welcome on board.
Welcome Dave (throbber), you are sure to attract some attention with a name like that, especially when they return from holiday (apart may it be clarified )
Ask away Dave, thats what forums are about.

[AndyC]

Hi Dave & Stephen and welcome to the forum.

[Dave Brown]

Hi Stephen, and Dave (throbber) and welcome to the forum. You have you work cut out to read the 31,000 odd posts and particularly trying to keep up with the posting rate

[Gaz]

Welcome to HTUK Dave Throbber. Dont worry about asking questions, ask as many as you want!

Everyone starts somewhere and ther are plenty of people who can help with palms and agaves. Even the old hands can learn something new.

Gaz

[MarkD]

Welcome to HTUK Dave (Throbber)

Ask away, people here are eager to help

[Petefree]

Hi Stephen
belated welcome (sorry I didn't welcome you yesterday).
I'm well impressed with your plant list, and very envious of some of the things you are getting away with wintering outside - particularly Strelitzia, Bougainvillea and Lemon - three of my favourites from holidays in warmer climes and which I struggle with growing in pots and overwintering under glass.
What's the secret?
Pete

[stephenprudence]

Hi Pete thanks for the welcome.

Just well drained soil and a bit of tough love I think .

I don't consider the Boungainvillea and Lemon overwintering to be a complete success, even though they grow back over summer after defoliation over winter. Complete success would mean staying in bract/leaf all winter. Unfortunately I know that defoliation increases the risk of the plant dying off altogether due to frost or cold.

The Strelitzia was an accident, I got it last Autumn and gave it some Autumn sun, I totally forgot about it leaving it outside but apart from some slightly blackened leaves and looked fairly good and has continued leaf growth this summer which is pretty impressive.

I live in one of the warmer parts of the UK which helps , and also one of the relatively driest outside of the southeast so it helps in winter with soil moisture (could have an impact) Basically its similar to a 'drier cornwall'.

I have tended to leave things out, I know I'll lose things in the future as I have in the past (A Phoenix canariensis_CIDP for example) but my thought is "why not?". Eventually someone somewhere will have success with a biologically strong tender variety of plant.

My latest experiment in a Ficus elastica, perhaps the most tender yet and perhaps getting ahead of myself a little! (Its sheltered by a sub-tropical, but hardy variety of Rhododendron)

[Petefree]

I look forward to your progress reports, Stephen
It's relatively mild where I live too - I'm only a couple of hundred yards from the coast (Harwich harbour) and my garden is pretty sheltered and south facing - and I'm all for trying to 'push the envelope'.
I've planted Paraserianthes lophantha out this summer by a south-facing wall - and am going to see if that makes it through the winter.
I'm thinking the Cytisus battandieri has probably outstayed its welcome and is taking up a prime piece of south wall next to a hot patio - maybe a bougainvillea would be worth a punt there... I've heard B glabra is one of the tougher ones...
Pete

[stephenprudence]

Interesting picks there Pete, love the idea of a 'Liquorice' (Glabra) tree It seems your picks are the dry side of sub-tropical/tropical which would suit East Anglia area quite well. My area is more a suitability for humid subtropical, unfortunately humid subtropical plants demand much higher temperatures!

I still grow dry mediterranean species but I have no doubt you would have much mroe success with them than me, ie the Oleander, Olive, Phoenix canariensis_CIDP etc.

[Petefree]

Yes - it's definitely pretty dry here - and my soil is very sandy and free-draining too.
I've had Nerium oleander planted out for about 3-4 years now, it's doing pretty well - flowering its socks of at the moment. I have a standard olive in a big ceramic pot and that does okay too, lots of little fruit but they never mature.
I do have a Phoenix canariensis_CIDP, which I'm ashamed to say is buried in a border and being crowded out by other stuff, but is actually doing pretty well - it's been in for about 3 years I think - I picked it up for £1 at a local market.
Part of me says I should move it somewhere more suitable, but I suspect it's quite well rooted now. Maybe I should just remove stuff from around it instead and give it a chance!
Pete