Akamba Meet April 2009 A Good Day Was Had By All!

Nigel Fear · Post by **Nigel Fear** » Sun Apr 26, 2009 9:01 pm

Nick wrote:Thanks to everyone who let me have swaps, can anyone name them for me?
DSCN2788.JPG
Photo 2 and 3 are the same plant but different angles.
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Photo 4 and 5 are the same plant but different angle
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There are 3 photo's of this strange looking plant
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The next two photo's are the same plant
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Don't know the 1st one Nick, but no.2/3 is Crocosmia, [orange flowered]
4/5 is Beschorneria Yuccoides [quicksilver]
The strange looking thing's a Zantedeschia Aethiopica [green goddess]
Last ones, Euphorbia Mellifera.

[you'll have to take my word for that Nick.

]

Henry · Post by **Henry** » Sun Apr 26, 2009 10:09 pm

Went to Akamba today, a day late! Thought it was today.
A great place, with great plants! Got some great stuff, wish I had brought my trailer as the transit was full! Are there any other meets in middle or north of the country?

lee-ann · Post by **lee-ann** » Sun Apr 26, 2009 10:36 pm

Henry wrote:Went to Akamba today, a day late! Thought it was today.
A great place, with great plants! Got some great stuff, wish I had brought my trailer as the transit was full! Are there any other meets in middle or north of the country?

Pity Henry you missed a great day but at least you know what a fab place Akamba is.
Not sure about any more meets near us

.

lucienc · Post by **lucienc** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 6:24 am

lee-ann wrote:
Henry wrote:Went to Akamba today, a day late! Thought it was today.
A great place, with great plants! Got some great stuff, wish I had brought my trailer as the transit was full! Are there any other meets in middle or north of the country?
Pity Henry you missed a great day but at least you know what a fab place Akamba is.
Not sure about any more meets near us .

Akamba is the middle, it's the midlands

.

There has been talk many times of a more northerly meet, but no one has ever organised it. Suggest one of you gets something going on the events forum. These things don't happen on their own (much), most of the time people just get talking and a meet or mini-meet appears from the conversation.

Lucien

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 6:25 am

Hi Nigel, thank you for the names, now I can look them up.I did meet you didn't I

I hope I did, if not I would have liked to met you and every one else, sorry to all those that I did not get to say hello to, dose anyone know where and when the next meet will be taken place

:

Nick

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 6:46 am

themes

Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2008 12:22 am
Posts: 1053
Location: Birmingham Re: Akamba Meet April 2009 A Good Day Was Had By All!
Nick,

Just in response to your previous message I potted my edulis into a bigger pot a 2l drinks bottle. The Edulis is the same size as yours. The roots was coming out out of the pot. That's why I used a longer deeper pot. Be careful not to break the roots if your going to repot yours. Let us know how it goes

Good Morning Themes

Thanks for the information about the Edulis, mine also has a long root sticking out the bottom of the pot, half of the root looks dead, all dry and wrinkly,
what would happen if it did snap off

would it be a goner

I had better make sure I tap it out gently and if that fells to come out then I can cut the pot off. I have a deep pot at home somewhere, I think a rose bush was in it (uck)so I can pot it up in there. As we have the same baby palm it will be interesting to compare how each grows, and any tells we could swap to help each other.
When do you think it will be old enough to be planted out, not for a few yrs yet, I would think, I've googled it up and it looks a very impressive palm that can take -6 - -8 so as long as we don't get anymore winters like the last one, it might have a chance to grow a bit, is there any special care it will need during the winter

. With it in a pot I can at least move it into the shed on frosty nights.
It will be good to have some more info on this palm, ie any idea how old they could possibly be, knowing how slow Palm seed are to germinate and to grow

Nick

Ali K · Post by **Ali K** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 7:42 am

Hi all, we had a great day on Sat. Thanks to everyone at Akamba, if we lived nearer we'd visit you regularly.

There were so many new faces and just not enough time to talk to you all but hopefully you'll all be going to more meets now you've seen what a friendly bunch we are

We didn't realise they were doing goody bags this year but to be fair we didn't really spend very much this time round anyway. We got home and unloaded the car, I looked at my lovely new plants and thought "is this all we've got, no big stuff?"

Will just have to buy extra next time

Post by **Dave Brown** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 8:37 am

Henry wrote:Went to Akamba today, a day late! Thought it was today.
A great place, with great plants! Got some great stuff, wish I had brought my trailer as the transit was full! Are there any other meets in middle or north of the country?

That is a shame Henry, but most meets are on a Saturday, as traffic and venues can be very busy on Sundays. I'm sure there would have been a lot of interest in your garden. Did you see anything that caught your eye there.. the 25ft B eriospatha for instance.

Akamba is a bit unique in that it is about the only place where most members could stand a reasonable chance of getting to regardless of their location, although a very long trek for some. Some stayed locally overnight rather than two journeys in a day trip. I think Collins 99 (Nick) seems to hold the record at the moment with 276 miles each way in the day trip. Unless anyone knows better?

If there was only one HTUK meet it would have to be Akamba because of the interest in the way they display plants, and the fact it is due to expand, and location in the centre of the country. That is not belittleing any other events, but is the biggy. Perhaps an Akamba 2010 topic should be started on the Events Forum, if it has not already, while it is still fresh in everyone's mind.

Don, Croc last year, Giraffe this, he will be after a flock of Flamingos next year

Ali K · Post by **Ali K** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 10:11 am

Dave Brown wrote:Don, Croc last year, Giraffe this, he will be after a flock of Flamingos next year

Dave it wasn't just a giraffe, Kevin had already bought a big bird with a painted face the day before. Don isn't too keen on it though

John P · Post by **John P** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 10:15 am

I enjoyed the Akamba meet up and and tried to meet everyone but failed. Hopefully those that managed to escape me will be caught for a natter at a future meet up.

I ended up purchasing a small capitata so did not come back empty handed.

John

greg101 · Post by **greg101** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 10:46 am

Here's our buys from akamba, although we did not get a goodie bag

Oh well i will need to buy some palm booster now. The Streliza Nicolia and grape vine should be delivered within 2 weeks

themes · Post by **themes** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 11:34 am

are you going to take these plants in for winter liek the phoenix Robii? as i do not think it will make it

themes · Post by **themes** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 11:44 am

Nick,

Lets just say it would not be advisable to start chopping the roots

. Thankfully they grow fast for palms, providing you plant them in pots with a deep root run. Like i said I repotted mine into a 2l bottle. In 50% sharp sand 50% multipurpose compost. That way I can water it as much as I want and water will drain off. I make holes at the bottom of the bottle for drainage

I have got it as it tolerates shade. some people have them planted out that early, but not me. When I plan to plant mine out I will message you. I will leave it a couple of years before doing so. I believe that the hardiness rating for this plant on the net is wrong and believe it to be as hardy as Phoenix canariensis_CIDP at least..I was seeing -2 to -6 range. I have seen photos of this palm in peoples garden in the UK unprotected and they look pristine. Unlike Washingtonia it does not shed leaves. I was very impressed with Brahea Armata over winter. I already have a Edulis but always like to get two of any border line plant in case one croaks

simon · Post by **simon** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 11:55 am

lee-ann wrote:
Henry wrote:Went to Akamba today, a day late! Thought it was today.
A great place, with great plants! Got some great stuff, wish I had brought my trailer as the transit was full! Are there any other meets in middle or north of the country?
Pity Henry you missed a great day but at least you know what a fab place Akamba is.
Not sure about any more meets near us .

The next meet is in in Norwich for Amulee and urban Jungle(see events forum). Not sure how accessible that is for you guys.

Had a great time on Saturday. My mum enjoyed it too. I bought her a Heucera from CGF to thank her for helping to look after Daisy. Good to catch up with the old faces and meet some new ones. Like everyone else, there were many I didn't get to speak to but maybe next time.

Adrian · Post by **Adrian** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 11:59 am

Greg, I nearly fell off my stool when I saw the Adonidia merrillii planted out, give it protection from sun or you will have a rotten looking palm in a months time.
I bought the other one but really its a conservatory palm (im sure you know all this anyway but just in case...)
I put one out a few years ago and it burnt badly, it didnt really recover as you will be lucky to get one leaf a year from it.
I know they are sun and heat lovers but I doubt ours have seen the sun yet so are likely to burn easily.
Same goes for the Phoenix roebelenii, they need acclimatising before getting sun.

Of course you might have bought it as summer bedding, I mean at 22 quid less discount they were an awsome buy and you cant go wrong really but mine is an out and out conservatory palm.

Having said all that it looks just great in the ground.