happy xmas from weve!!!

[weve]

sorry, this really should be in OFF TOPIC but as not everybody visits there thought i'd post on the main forum as i haven't been able to post (or do anything in the garden) for months!.

I have been away and busy and just now back for christmas. consequently have only just now started protecting my plants in this already appalling winter. -4 C (and falling!!) in Torbay tonight as I write, with a about one inch of snow lying, so i expect some losses. Just today hurriedly threw fleece and a plastic cover over my echium candicans bush and also put some scrunched up fleece in the crown of my treeferns. Washies (potted and planted) are still unprotected as is my potted livistona (still recovering from 2 years ago). and most in the garden is still unprotected eg hedychiums, nanas, tender cordys and my brugs are still in the ground too (altho i took a few cuttings earlier in the year).

lost the indivisa mid summer when the rains came after the earlier relatively prolonged spring/summer drought (in which it seemed to do well) and i have a comatose large Trachycarpus following last winter.... not dead but some brown spears and a coupla green ones all of which have not moved a millimetre at all this year. So not the best of years for me plantwise alas (will post a detailed account of the indivisa's demise when time allows)

anyway enough of the doom and gloom........ happy christmas all and best of luck everybody for what looks like the third bad winter on the trot.

cheers

weve

[kata]

Sorry you lost plants Weave,

I hope the others come through ok. Yes its been a sod of a winter for two years at least.

You have a great Christmas and a Successful gardening year in 2011.

[derrick]

Happy Xmas Weve and all the best .

[redsquirrel]

good to have you back weve
were you working in a warmer place??

sorry to hear about the indivisa and the Trachycarpus doesnt sound good not moving at all but it could be developing new roots??
have a great xmas,look forward to some interest posts soon

[dino]

Weve, no point stressing, what will be will be. Lets enjoy Christmas and look forward to a great growing year.

[Nick]

Weve, welcome home mate, I wondered where you had gone to,glad your ok,
we have a Happy Christmas thread already but I'll wish you a Happy Christmas here before it's moved to the other thread

[redsquirrel]

might not get moved nick, this is going to be about weves indivisa soon

[bev]

Merry xmas weve!
I was also wondering where you'd got too, good to have you back

Cheers

Lee

[DiCasS]

Good to see you back Weve Merry Christmas to you too and everyone else.

Di

[weve]

Red
Its straying off topic i know, but as a "teaser trailer" to the indivisa story (which I will post in detail with pics in the reference section), the indivisa's demise started by the new unfurled central leaves in the spear rotting at their bases and this leaf base rot spread gradually outwards to the older leaves over about four weeks, eventually all turning brown. The plant remained absolutely firm in the ground during its demise, so not sure if the roots had rotted at all. With this in mind, I didn't dig it up for a post mortem to examine the roots, (my first instinct) just in case it regrew from the base. (it hasn't so far).

it seemed to be more to do with rainwater being constantly in the crown and rotting the growing point rather than wet soil, but who knows..... (it was an exceptionly wet six weeks following a long period of drought so perhaps it was stressed by both extremes).

slightly warmer here today... the snow's melted anyway

cheers

[sanatic1234]

Merry Christmas weve I hope you and family have a lovely day

[Cathy]

Great to see your post Weve, not so great to read of your garden casualties, sorry about them.
This year has passed so quickly! now have a good Christmas and Happy New Year!
Cathy xXx

[Chad]

Happy Christmas to you Weve and all.

It seemed to be more to do with rainwater being constantly in the crown and rotting the growing point rather than wet soil, but who knows..... (it was an exceptionly wet six weeks following a long period of drought so perhaps it was stressed by both extremes).

Our experience in Cornwall where drought is rare is that they show a delayed death a few months after they have dried out at the root. The usual constant wet doesn't seem to bother them.

Chad.

[Mick C]

I've no idea about indivisas Weve but it's good to see you back in circulation again

[DaveP]

Happy Christmas Weve. If I were you I'd leave the indivisa for at least a year before you dig it up. I had a similar experience with one about 8 years ago and pulled it out during the following spring. Only then did I realise it had a shoot growing from the subterranean part of the trunk. I hastily potted it, but the root damage was too much and the plant failed. Luckily, one from the same batch (now my largest) continues to improve after 18 months of considerable neglect and has a good, stout, 60cms clear trunk. A -5.5C a couple of weeks ago and Saturday's very brief -4.5C ( it had risen to 0C by 3am.) appear have had little if any effect.