Dasylirion longissimum.

User avatar
redsquirrel
Posts: 12169
Joined: Thu Feb 26, 2009 8:35 pm
Location: bristol
Contact:

Re: Dasylirion longissimum.

Post by redsquirrel »

if it was me,id put it in a pot hardly wider than your trunk but one with large holes in the bottom of the sides. (see diagram)
this way you will see any root development without having to move it at all.
a few inches of very gritty medium underneath will be plenty to start off with.the less water in there the better over winter.

BUT, your plant is yours and you have to do what you feel best with,the faillure i had with a big one was quite painful going to the tip but i feel somewhat better now after reading the eps topic knowing that others with far greater experience and knowledge than me failed too.
good luck with yours,i hope you are successful as these are truely amazing architectural plants with a full crown going on but dont be too disappointed if it doesnt work,you wont be alone icon_thumleft icon_thumleft icon_thumleft
Attachments
untitled.JPG
untitled.JPG (7.76 KiB) Viewed 3007 times
mars ROVER broken down. headgasket faillure
Tom2006
Posts: 8094
Joined: Thu Sep 30, 2010 11:23 am
Location: East Yorkshire UK

Re: Dasylirion longissimum.

Post by Tom2006 »

I agree with the guys about the pot. icon_thumleft
Most wanted list - Any Young Trachycarpus and/or fern.
User avatar
karl66
Posts: 2646
Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2011 6:39 pm
Location: halesowen. west midlands

Re: Dasylirion longissimum.

Post by karl66 »

Many thanks, darren if i pot it is miracle grow compost ok or has it got to be john innes no3, either one would be added with cat litter for drainage!, not sure whether sharp sand is needed when in pots as i only have 4 pots in my garden, everything else is planted out. karl.
User avatar
redsquirrel
Posts: 12169
Joined: Thu Feb 26, 2009 8:35 pm
Location: bristol
Contact:

Re: Dasylirion longissimum.

Post by redsquirrel »

make sure you use the right litter,some set like concrete.
when Gary did mine,there was hardly any compost in the pot,mainly granite chippings.personally i would buy a bag of ready made cactus compost and mix that in.a small price for a plant that could have such value later icon_thumleft
if in any doubt,go back to Paul S. he really does know his arids and their requirements.probably because he sees so many in natural habitat aswell as having already tried most of them icon_thumright

when we pot up agaves here,i now use ji no2,perlite and grit at a third each.this gives me an airy mixture with stability and moisture holding without plants sitting in wet soil i keep the no3 for more established palms and only use mp for cheaper annuals or stuff i dont care about,aswell as sometimes mixing it in for a bit of bulk.icon_thumright
mars ROVER broken down. headgasket faillure
paulrm71

Re: Dasylirion longissimum.

Post by paulrm71 »

Hi Karl

Thought I would bump this up as I would like to know how yours has faired given the wet weather. I am on the verge of buying one but it will be a lot smaller, approx 100cms and barely a trunk.
Andy Martin

Re: Dasylirion longissimum.

Post by Andy Martin »

I bought one earlier this year but have left it in its pot until i can prepare the ground it is going in. I am still confused about the differences there are between Longissimum and Quandrangulatum. I did see on the EPS that Paul Spraklin commented that all Longissimum in the trade were actually Quadrangulatum. Also one specialist nursery quotes hardiness figures for Longissimum as -10C and Quadrangulatum -16C. With our current run of cold Winters I hope mine is Quadrangulatum :roll: Here's my rooted specimen which i obtained from Der Palmenmann (still 2 for sale at knock down prices) but knock yourself out with their delivery charge icon_aaargh
6-8-12 008_t.jpg
paulrm71

Re: Dasylirion longissimum

Post by paulrm71 »

That's a nice one andy, although my budget won't stretch that far. Are you going to protect it at all this winter?
User avatar
karl66
Posts: 2646
Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2011 6:39 pm
Location: halesowen. west midlands

Re: Dasylirion longissimum.

Post by karl66 »

Paul, because mine was barerooted , i finally decided to pot it up in a nice loamy mix until it grows some roots!, i bought it indoors inside a light & airy extension with good ventilation, i've also tied the foliage very loosely as it would take over the room!. I may not even plant it out next spring as i want it to establish in the pot first, i also plan to keep it fairly dry indoors. karl.
paulrm71

Re: Dasylirion longissimum.

Post by paulrm71 »

Well I,ve just gone and bought one of the Spanish/German eBay seller, along with a nice looking dioon. It looks like it has started to trunk. Think I,ll have to keep it outside somewhere dry until the spring.
Andy Martin

Re: Dasylirion longissimum

Post by Andy Martin »

paulrm71 wrote:That's a nice one andy, although my budget won't stretch that far. Are you going to protect it at all this winter?
Yes Paul its in my small greenhouse...just. Look forward to planting out next year. A cold Winter forecast this year so probaly better off there.
User avatar
karl66
Posts: 2646
Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2011 6:39 pm
Location: halesowen. west midlands

Re: Dasylirion longissimum.

Post by karl66 »

The large specimen i bought last july was yesterday carefully planted in the ground. I have no greenhouse & it's been a nightmare moving it around the kitchen for the winter period!!, i had it staked in a 50 litre tub & when i inspected any root growth i must say i'm really disapointed :shock: , after initial palmboost it has been kept on the dry side & i shall now construct a mini shelter for next winter. I suppose anything barerooted is a risk but i personally will never waste time with these again as there was not even a single trace of new root growth in eight month's!!, my advice if you want one is to pay the money & buy a fully rooted one. I've been searching high & low for people who have had positive results re-rooting ones this size & have found none . I dont believe it matter's where there bought from or how fresh the severed root's are, there just pig's to re-root . The frustrating thing is they look so damn healthy even when rootless so there's no way of monitering progress. karl.
GaryW

Re: Dasylirion longissimum.

Post by GaryW »

The key to rooting these xerophytic plants is believe it or not, warmth and moisture ! The compost needs to be constantly moist for the new roots to grow especially at first. Bake them in the sun in dry compost and they will die ever so slowly, and once they reach the point of no return they will not root whatever you do !! I have re rooted mature Melocacti (notoriously difficult) in wet gravel, but if the roots dry out even for a day or two they will die back. The initial roots are tiny and covered in root hairs and very delicate until established. A week foliar feed is ideal occasionally too. icon_salut
paulrm71

Re: Dasylirion longissimum.

Post by paulrm71 »

Hi Karl

Have you considered trying "root grow" or another similar product? I used this on a brahea last year and it has settled in really well. Will also use when I plant my days out.
User avatar
karl66
Posts: 2646
Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2011 6:39 pm
Location: halesowen. west midlands

Re: Dasylirion longissimum.

Post by karl66 »

Hi paul, i've never used rootgrow, is it a similar product to palmbooster?, it's already had the palmbooster treatment but i'm open to any suggestions to get it kickstarted!, i fear it's never going to have the intense baking it requires with the temp's were currently having although it is planted in a sunny spot. karl.
JBALLY

Re: Dasylirion longissimum.

Post by JBALLY »

If you have already planted it out in the open ground with improved drainage Karl then if it was mine I would buy a cheap plastic greenhouse to put over it as that will give it the humidity and temps it needs, wiko's sell them cheap and of a size that should fit over it. Plus after its rooted you may find a use for the greenhouse next winter. I know you do not like going to the bother of protecting plants Karl and would rather leave them to it but once established these look amazing so I think it is worth going the extra mile for this plant and plus it is not so much protection as helping it root.
Post Reply