Echium, I wasn't prepared for this to grow so big...

jungle jas

Re: Echium, I wasn't prepared for this to grow so big...

Post by jungle jas »

Can anyone tell me what gets frosted in the winter? Is it the soft new growth, roots or the whole plant, stem as well. icon_thumright
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MonkeyDavid
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Re: Echium, I wasn't prepared for this to grow so big...

Post by MonkeyDavid »

jungle jas wrote:Can anyone tell me what gets frosted in the winter? Is it the soft new growth, roots or the whole plant, stem as well. icon_thumright
In my experience the growing point is the first bit to get zapped, which is why many that only have this damage go on to grow multiple heads

I'd also like to say I had 2 which flowered last year & I now have them coming up all over the garden, most I pull up but the area where they flowered hasn't received much attention this year & there are literally 100's of them competing for space, I'm going to leave them all over winter to see if any will make it. I also have 3 large plants in large pots in the greenhouse which I'm confident will flower next year
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Arlon Tishmarsh
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Re: Echium, I wasn't prepared for this to grow so big...

Post by Arlon Tishmarsh »

sanatic1234 wrote:Did yours sulk at all arlon when you lifted them? i have a self sown and i lifted it is about the same height as yours but it keeled over straight away and there not roots snapped either. I still have it its sat sulking in the pot :roll: :lol:
Mine were tiny San, so was able to just take the soil with them and into a pot. They were then stood in trays of water in the greenhouse and went from this .......................

Image.

to this in just a few weeks ..............

Image

manic.......... :lol:
sanatic1234

Re: Echium, I wasn't prepared for this to grow so big...

Post by sanatic1234 »

Yeah mine was exactly the same arlon and same growth to but unlike you i left mine in the ground, so now mine is sulking very very much :lol: never mind i have plenty of seeds if it don't pull through :D Hopefully my 7 month old seedling planted out will make it through the winter?
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redsquirrel
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Re: Echium, I wasn't prepared for this to grow so big...

Post by redsquirrel »

if ever you get to remove a dead one,wear good thick gloves,the hairy needle things get everywhere in your skin and are flippin annoying icon_thumleft

some great specimens in this topic,ive one out front,stunted dwarf thing flowers every year and a larger one out back in a big tub that never flowers,now has about 6 heads so pretty useless
mars ROVER broken down. headgasket faillure
sanatic1234

Re: Echium, I wasn't prepared for this to grow so big...

Post by sanatic1234 »

Got my echium staked the other day, and was very shocked at how much height was added to it, it is a good 3ft easily. Very happy with for 7 months growth.
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cordyman

Re: Echium, I wasn't prepared for this to grow so big...

Post by cordyman »

Coming into winter, any benefit in removing the lower leaves, i'll be double fleece bagging in situ, and I see a lot of here with only upper leaves.
sanatic1234

Re: Echium, I wasn't prepared for this to grow so big...

Post by sanatic1234 »

I never remove my leaves cordy only after winter, a just clear the fallen ones from off the soil so no bugs/pests hide under them. Mine will get wrapped again in layers of fleece and extra layers over the growth point. When the snow arrives it will have a bin liner put over the top to keep off the snow and keep it dry that will be it. It worked for me last time so i will keep the same method. :)
cordyman

Re: Echium, I wasn't prepared for this to grow so big...

Post by cordyman »

cheers San!

i have a spare bin I can use too!
sanatic1234

Re: Echium, I wasn't prepared for this to grow so big...

Post by sanatic1234 »

That will be perfect for keeping off the snow. :-) make sure you remove it though once the snow has stopped to let it get some air. :-)
cordyman

Re: Echium, I wasn't prepared for this to grow so big...

Post by cordyman »

Mid winter check up on the echium and its looking pretty good, no real cold so far but its had a haxnix fleece bag on it for since the big wrap in early November. Soaking wet conditions and no sign of rot etc

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cheshirepalms
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Re: Echium, I wasn't prepared for this to grow so big...

Post by cheshirepalms »

Looks great! icon_thumleft I'm going to sow some seeds pretty soon for the summer.
cordyman

Re: Echium, I wasn't prepared for this to grow so big...

Post by cordyman »

cheshirepalms wrote:Looks great! icon_thumleft I'm going to sow some seeds pretty soon for the summer.

Wonder at this size will it be at odds for a flower tower this summer, I hope so icon_cheers
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cheshirepalms
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Re: Echium, I wasn't prepared for this to grow so big...

Post by cheshirepalms »

I'm not sure whether its an age thing or a heat thing for flowering. :?
sanatic1234

Re: Echium, I wasn't prepared for this to grow so big...

Post by sanatic1234 »

cordy I would keep it off mate, mine has not been protected once and is still growing! you could actually make it die with it being wrapped when its mild as it could sweat and rot the growth point as there will be no air circulation? It is the more constant freezes with wet ground when you need to be thinking about the protection, these are fine up to -5c with no protection. But of course totally up to you. I will post a picture of mine tomorrow.
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