The (100 PLANT) Ricinus Jungle! (Updated 29 June)

Post Reply
Kyle

The (100 PLANT) Ricinus Jungle! (Updated 29 June)

Post by Kyle »

Hi everyone. I just wanted to start this thread as a mini-blog for 2012.

I've got an area away from the main part of the garden. At the moment it is a complete war-zone of nettles, felled trees and bramble. The thing is, I'm not expecting to do anything much with it this year and have a few packets of Ricinus communis to sow. I've never grown these before, but admired them for a long time.

Anyway, I'm going to go barmy and plant them randomly all over this area - assuming I can get them to germinate in the first place, of course!

I'll update with plenty of pics as I go along. The seeds include; New Zealand Purple, Blue Giant, Zanzi Palm and various Zanzibarensis.

And from what I'm told, there could be a shed-load of seed by the end of it!
Last edited by Kyle on Fri Jun 29, 2012 3:52 pm, edited 7 times in total.
bobbyd44

Re: INSANE PROJECT 2012 - The Ricinus Jungle!

Post by bobbyd44 »

probably the easiest seed to germinate, i am sure they will come up well for you.. just remember to watch kids and pets with the seeds..
dave2166

Re: INSANE PROJECT 2012 - The Ricinus Jungle!

Post by dave2166 »

if you cant germinate ricinus..... you need to give up..... :lol: :lol: :lol:
Bob

Re: INSANE PROJECT 2012 - The Ricinus Jungle!

Post by Bob »

Hi Kyle
You could start a T-rex in a plunged steel dustbin. It would be a good size by the time you have finished your hard landscaping and ready for final planting, although it will eventually need at least a 12ft sq / Ø area. :D
theitom

Re: INSANE PROJECT 2012 - The Ricinus Jungle!

Post by theitom »

Just had to quickly google to find pics, and they look pretty nice - you might end up with a harvest of oil too :D
Andy P

Re: INSANE PROJECT 2012 - The Ricinus Jungle!

Post by Andy P »

Cool. I`ll be watching this thread. I`ve just started germinating some Ricinus Zanzi Palm seeds and i know Arlon has just bought quite a few Ricinus seeds too. Be interesting to see how they all come along this season.
Kyle

Re: INSANE PROJECT 2012 - The Ricinus Jungle!

Post by Kyle »

Andy P wrote:Cool. I`ll be watching this thread. I`ve just started germinating some Ricinus Zanzi Palm seeds and i know Arlon has just bought quite a few Ricinus seeds too. Be interesting to see how they all come along this season.
I'm particularly curious about Zanzi Palm. It's said to be capable of reaching 3.6m and the images look lush.
Bob

Re: INSANE PROJECT 2012 - The Ricinus Jungle!

Post by Bob »

I managed to get a couple of zanzi to about 9-10ft last year in my cool summer. They really made a spurt on in the late summer early autum, with good thick stems that didnt need support.

Image

Image
Kristen

Re: INSANE PROJECT 2012 - The Ricinus Jungle!

Post by Kristen »

Bob wrote:Hi Kyle
You could start a T-rex in a plunged steel dustbin. It would be a good size by the time you have finished your hard landscaping and ready for final planting, although it will eventually need at least a 12ft sq / Ø area. :D
There are probably a number of things that would respond to that treatment and then provide a landscape-ready plant that would cost a fortune to buy ready-grown.

Might be worth having a "nursery area" to bring on some plants for transplanting to your beds when they are ready, and gain a season's growth at least.
Bob

Re: INSANE PROJECT 2012 - The Ricinus Jungle!

Post by Bob »

Kristen wrote:
Bob wrote:Hi Kyle
You could start a T-rex in a plunged steel dustbin. It would be a good size by the time you have finished your hard landscaping and ready for final planting, although it will eventually need at least a 12ft sq / Ø area. :D
There are probably a number of things that would respond to that treatment and then provide a landscape-ready plant that would cost a fortune to buy ready-grown.

Might be worth having a "nursery area" to bring on some plants for transplanting to your beds when they are ready, and gain a season's growth at least.
Agreed Kristen, an Ensete Ventricosum Maurelii bought this spring for a few pounds, grown on, and successfully overwintered would make a big bold plant next year.
Kristen

Re: INSANE PROJECT 2012 - The Ricinus Jungle!

Post by Kristen »

Yup, would need over wintering though - Kyle may be able to do that of course.

Fatisa, Aroundo donax, hardy stuff like that could be "getting under way" I reckon
Kyle

Re: INSANE PROJECT 2012 - The Ricinus Jungle!

Post by Kyle »

Kristen wrote:Yup, would need over wintering though - Kyle may be able to do that of course.

Fatisa, Aroundo donax, hardy stuff like that could be "getting under way" I reckon
It's a good idea. I'll have to look at clearing away a section of the area. I've got 3 tiny Arundo donax's and quite a few different Fatsia's that need maxing out.

Here is the area I'm talking about. It's an irregular shape, but about 100x70ft and leads to another area in the trees that is going to be used for composting.
The Warzone.jpg
All I care about is leaving a wide enough path through and the rest can be used as Ricinus jungle (and a bit of growing on). I wanted to get a digger in this year to turn over the ground and get rid of the bramble, nettles, stumps etc. That's not going to happen now till next year, which is why I thought about Ricinus. Visually better than the above, plenty of branches to use as stakes, south facing for growth, and plenty of seeds to harvest and leaves to compost.

Next year I should be able to look at using to whole zone for growing-on purposes.
Mr List

Re: INSANE PROJECT 2012 - The Ricinus Jungle!

Post by Mr List »

with that much spare or 'waste' land have you considered a fruit garden?
Kyle

Re: INSANE PROJECT 2012 - The Ricinus Jungle!

Post by Kyle »

Mr List wrote:with that much spare or 'waste' land have you considered a fruit garden?
Yes definitely. I've considered using the whole area as a complete fruit cage. Even knocked together a 3D model of a structure that would sit on the slope of the land with a central stepped path and be terraced on both sides.

At the moment I haven't a clue what'll be the best use for it in the long-term. The ideas just come and go so quickly. But that's the great thing about working in 3D - you can go crazy with your imagination without spending a penny and putting in the physical work, only to wish you'd done something different at the end.
cordyman

Re: INSANE PROJECT 2012 - The Ricinus Jungle!

Post by cordyman »

I'd go for your idea Kyle will look fantastic :D

I fancy a Ricinus this summer, what is the best variety for height and leaf size?
Post Reply