Search found 1292 matches

by otorongo
Thu Feb 07, 2019 11:45 pm
Forum: HTUK Community Forum (public)
Topic: Tropical Abutilon-like plant ID?
Replies: 2
Views: 2019

Tropical Abutilon-like plant ID?

This climber grows at the place I'm staying in Costa Rica. The flowers remind me of Abutilon megapotamicum, but the colours are different. The leaves are also different. The stems turn woody when they get older and thicker. Does anyone know what it is and whether it would be hardy in London? I may t...
by otorongo
Thu Jan 24, 2019 12:05 am
Forum: Weather and Climatology (public)
Topic: Your daily weather blog -June 2011 onward
Replies: 6417
Views: 333538

Your daily weather blog -June 2011 onward

I'm in Costa Rica, have been for a week and coming back in early April. Here at ~400 m a.s.l. it's around 30C highs and maybe 22C lows. Some 3C warmer on the coast. Sunny every day as it's the dry season.

Garden left unattended, so may be a carnage by the look of things.
by otorongo
Sun Jan 13, 2019 4:20 pm
Forum: HTUK Community Forum (public)
Topic: Is it possible to transplant a large Agave Americana in winter?
Replies: 20
Views: 4568

Is it possible to transplant a large Agave Americana in winter?

That's a monster! Must have been a challenge to move such a fierce, prickly plant of this size.
by otorongo
Fri Jan 11, 2019 11:09 am
Forum: HTUK Community Forum (public)
Topic: Is it possible to transplant a large Agave Americana in winter?
Replies: 20
Views: 4568

Is it possible to transplant a large Agave Americana in winter?

I have no experience with this plant, but I'm guessing rot is your biggest potential enemy. Do you have a way to keep it dry until it gets warmer? Maybe you can put it in a large pot for now and keep it in a greenhouse?
by otorongo
Mon Dec 31, 2018 11:39 am
Forum: HTUK Community Forum (public)
Topic: Tropical plants for zone 9a??
Replies: 9
Views: 2969

Tropical plants for zone 9a??

There is no way you could grow cherimoyas I'm afraid. The cherimoya is subtropical or mild-temperate and will tolerate light frosts. Young growing tips are killed at 29° F and and mature trees are killed or severely injured at 25° F. https://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/cherimoya.html When I lived in Spain,...
by otorongo
Fri Dec 28, 2018 2:13 pm
Forum: HTUK Community Forum (public)
Topic: Tropical plants for zone 9a??
Replies: 9
Views: 2969

Tropical plants for zone 9a??

For hardy avocados check out this article: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/avocado/cold-tolerant-avocado-trees.htm For borderline hardiness / pushing the zone, I like to read the comments on Plantfiles as they contain freetext info with more details (how long the cold lasted, whether ...
by otorongo
Fri Dec 28, 2018 12:14 pm
Forum: HTUK Community Forum (public)
Topic: Tropical plants for zone 9a??
Replies: 9
Views: 2969

Tropical plants for zone 9a??

Hello and welcome. In terms of minimum temperatures, you're colder than parts of central London. But you probably have more summer heat and a longer growing season. Avocados grow in London, even in the cooler parts, so that's definitely worth trying. But choose one of the hardier varieties. Psidium ...
by otorongo
Sat Dec 08, 2018 11:20 am
Forum: New Members Introduce yourself here ;-) (public)
Topic: Aspidistra
Replies: 20
Views: 7820

Aspidistra

Don't worry Volksman999, they're tough as old boots.
by otorongo
Thu Nov 29, 2018 3:34 pm
Forum: Hardiness, Overwintering and Protection
Topic: What would you grow ??
Replies: 7
Views: 2701

What would you grow ??

Do you know what kind of minima you get over winter? An unheated greenhouse will not protect from the worst of the cold that much, but it will protect from hoar frost, wetness and may give you daytime warmth on the brighter winter days. Also, if you get snow cover, the snow on the roof can add extra...
by otorongo
Wed Nov 28, 2018 12:55 pm
Forum: Weather and Climatology (public)
Topic: Mildness
Replies: 1
Views: 2198

Mildness

Looking very mild...
28 nov 2018.PNG
If not for that single frosty night last week, our gardens would look good well into December.

It's a typical pattern: a frost in late November, then the Atlantic sets in and gives us a mild December.
by otorongo
Tue Nov 27, 2018 8:39 pm
Forum: New Members Introduce yourself here ;-) (public)
Topic: New Member from West Sussex
Replies: 5
Views: 2453

New Member from West Sussex

Hello and welcome!
by otorongo
Mon Nov 12, 2018 9:07 pm
Forum: HTUK Community Forum (public)
Topic: Temperature difference in UK
Replies: 12
Views: 3310

Temperature difference in UK

We haven't had a frost yet. I don't have many things that need protecting and it doesn't look like protection is going to be needed anytime soon, although next week may see lows in the low single digits. On clear sky nights there is a noticeable difference (as much as 4C) between my garden and centr...
by otorongo
Fri Nov 09, 2018 7:08 pm
Forum: HTUK Community Forum (public)
Topic: My first fig crop
Replies: 4
Views: 1451

My first fig crop

Trachycarpus ted wrote: Fri Nov 09, 2018 5:45 pm they say they are not ripe till the sag on the stalk.
Brown are already edible and good, but if you wait until they sag, they may turn sweeter.
by otorongo
Thu Nov 08, 2018 11:46 am
Forum: HTUK Community Forum (public)
Topic: My first fig crop
Replies: 4
Views: 1451

My first fig crop

The young 'Brown Turkey' produced its first figs in the late summer and they stayed green for a long time. I thought they would never ripen. Just a few days ago they were still green. Earlier this week I was pleasantly surprised when I checked on them again and they were ripe. Nice to have fresh fru...
by otorongo
Wed Oct 10, 2018 12:52 am
Forum: HTUK Community Forum (public)
Topic: Aloe Arborescens - can't bring it indoors...
Replies: 12
Views: 3356

Aloe Arborescens - can't bring it indoors...

If you fleece it inside the blowaway greenhouse, that will be double the protection and may well be sufficient (as long as it doesn't, ahem, get blown away). From a UK plant vendor's website: Tolerant of a few degrees of frost but not fully hardy in most UK locations. Best in southern coastal region...