Tropicalwon Blog--24May, remembering 2012

[tropicalwon]

Winter is nearly upon us, so some of my tender exotics that are staying 'put' outside, are tucked up for the long cold months ahead and with any luck survive.........

[Arlon Tishmarsh]

Whats in there Gray.........

basjoo perhaps ?

[tropicalwon]

Winter is nearly upon us, so some of my tender exotics that are staying 'put' outside, are tucked up for the long cold months ahead and with any luck survive.........

Musa Basjoo in foreground with small Echium cover in background

The attachment winter protection 001.jpg is no longer available

Small T Rex stem protected

Dicksonia Fibrosa crown protected

Last year & years before I didn't protect the Basjoo, so every year It died down to ground level and grew again but only to a height of approx. 4 feet.Next year i hope the main stems survives because i want tall nanas so I can under plant them and at the same time see other plants more clearly around nana

Normally I cover my D. fibrosa, last year it wasn't covered so it payed the price. the main stem snuffed it....but luckily it pupped form the base of old trunk & as you can see done quiet well this year.............fingers crossed, it survives as well!

[tropicalwon]

The Echium cover.....................

There is one under this make-shift cover so we'll see which one survives...if any ..... but I have another five elsewhere, for back up, covered so I should be OK........................Famous last words!

[Arlon Tishmarsh]

Normally I cover my D. fibrosa, last year it wasn't covered so it payed the price. the main stem snuffed it....but luckily it pupped form the base of old trunk & as you can see done quiet well this year.............

Pretty sure its its unlikely to be D. Fibrosa as they don't pup. More likely to be D. Squarrosa. Mine pups quite often ,took 3 pups last year.
Also, squarrosa is not as hardy as Fibrosa (or Antartica) which might explain the reason the main trunk carked last year considering it was mild(ish) winter last year.

[tropicalwon]

Normally I cover my D. fibrosa, last year it wasn't covered so it payed the price. the main stem snuffed it....but luckily it pupped form the base of old trunk & as you can see done quiet well this year.............

Pretty sure its its unlikely to be D. Fibrosa as they don't pup. More likely to be D. Squarrosa. Mine pups quite often ,took 3 pups last year.
Also, squarrosa is not as hardy as Fibrosa (or Antartica) which might explain the reason the main trunk carked last year considering it was mild(ish) winter last year.

I've had the Fern for approx. 5 years. It has two labels on it stating it's D. Fibrosa sooooooo ...........I really don't Know except when I bought it there were quite a few for sale with the same labels.

[Arlon Tishmarsh]

I've had the Fern for approx. 5 years. It has two labels on it stating it's D. Fibrosa sooooooo ...........I really don't Know except when I bought it there were quite a few for sale with the same labels.

Same here, bought mine from B&Q as D.Fibrosa about 6/7yrs ago. It got hit hard one winter, died back and surprisingly sent up pups. Thats when i found out it was more likely to be Squarrosa. It also made me lazy regarding this fern , knowing it would reshoot from the ground. If i'd have protected it thru the worst, i reckon i might have had a nice trunking plant now. Now i have three to play with which get pot plunged and will be overwintered in the garage.

[tropicalwon]

I've had the Fern for approx. 5 years. It has two labels on it stating it's D. Fibrosa sooooooo ...........I really don't Know except when I bought it there were quite a few for sale with the same labels.

Same here, bought mine from B&Q as D.Fibrosa about 6/7yrs ago. It got hit hard one winter, died back and surprisingly sent up pups. Thats when i found out it was more likely to be Squarrosa. It also made me lazy regarding this fern , knowing it would reshoot from the ground. If i'd have protected it thru the worst, i reckon i might have had a nice trunking plant now. Now i have three to play with which get pot plunged and will be overwintered in the garage.

I think i did purchase it from BQ, your probably right, I'll treat it as D. Squarrosa now looking at the info you said/sent me and treat it with more care & protection over winter

Many thanks Arlon

[tropicalwon]

Today a cold, but sunny day, I attacked & pruned the large beast of a Laural at the back of my garden covering my shed. I've been meaning to prune it for the last couple of years between May-June, which is meant to be the best time to prune evergreens, but every time I decided to I found Blackbirds nesting so put it off... So I decided now would be the best time before nesting starts and also at this time of year there's less plants/growth in the borders to crush with ladders and the like.............

Before pruning...........

The height of beast approx. 5 metres before pruning....Finshed height approx. 3.4 metres

Sides pruned................

Top being pruned...........

Top hard pruned.............

Sorted.

Also I pruned the 'Red robin' standard next to it, as seen in the above pics........Finished below.......

Photinia 'Red Robin'

Great gardening day ............Just got to dump 9 large sacks of prunings at the tip.

[Ricardo]

Buy a shredder, makes wonderful mulch!

Ricardo

[tropicalwon]

Buy a shredder, makes wonderful mulch!

Ricardo

Got one...... A Lot of the long vertical stems i use for supports for other plants and the amount of prunings i have it was easier and quicker to bag up. Anyway, most of my borders are covered with slate and limestone chippings........

[tropicalwon]

A beautiful day today blue skies sun & warmth.....so i made the most of it....

The border as shown in the first pic. was getting over run by the Abutilon, it had a lot of dead wood in the centre so had to be removed. Plus it needed to be pushed back towards the fence to free up more planting space for Cannas, Musa, more ferns, Colocasia etc so it was, as shown in pics....Also the Fargesia boo had started to die on the side of the Abutilon so I thought I'll lift , divide, get shot of the dead wood and parts that seemed to have clumped to tightly....

Before shot.....

After pruning out dead wood on Abutilon

Dug out boo

Boo ready to be dissected Good side......

Bad side......

Dissection taking place.......

Thinning out tightly packed canes......

Four clumps ready to be replanted...

Clump of Boo replanted in original place. Abutilon was then tidied some more, then wired/tied to fence posts and the surrounding soil/slate chippings hoed/tidied up and plants watered

Now have plenty of space for planting........The other clumps of Fargesia I've planted in different areas of my garden as shown in the next instalment of my blog.....

[tropicalwon]

Over the past couple of months I've cleared areas in the back and front garden to give me more planting spaces for this years plant scheme.....the areas in the front garden are shown in pics below and as they stand at the moment......These areas will be planted out with Musa Basjoo, Ricinus, Cannas, Bamboo-which a clump was planted today from a division as shown in my previous post, Colocasia, Echium, Arctotis, Paulownia, Chammy etc, etc....I do have a plan of action for growing and planting I just prey for a warm and sunny growing season

I cut down a contorted willow tree in the foreground of this border you can still see the stump. if it shows it face again I'll have to dig it out totally, fingers crossed, plus I removed various old shrubs etc as well.

In this established border I'll fill any gaps with ricinus, Amaranthus Crimson.....

Well, that's the idea i have for the front this year...If all goes to plan I'll post a few pics....

[dorothy]

Wow you have been busy.Your'e giving my a guilt complex Must get out and do some work on mine

[Arlon Tishmarsh]

Your gardens got a nice character to it, great stuff.............