Plunge Pots / Planting Tetrapanax rex,Brugmansia Musa,Ensete

Forum rules
General HTUK rules apply. This section is for tips, hints and discussion on growing that is not related to any specific group of plants.
Post Reply
Kristen

Plunge Pots / Planting Tetrapanax rex,Brugmansia Musa,Ensete

Post by Kristen »

I have several plants in the conservatory in "reasonable" sized pots. The "plot" is ready for planting. However, I am keen to plant in pots the first year to allow me to change mind on plant positions, and to give them one-more-Winter in the conservatory.

I need help with what size pot, and what sort of planting mix to use please.

I have some large pots left over that other plants came in:

50 cm dia x 35 cm deep
55 x 45
60 x 50

My least favourite is the 60 x 50 because of the difficulty of getting them back out! but I plant to put ropes around them (and leave in situ for the Summer) so that I can make a vertical-lift in the Autumn (perhaps using an Engine Crane that I have here)

What size pot?

Do I put some well rotted manure in the bottom, then multi-purpose mixed with Perlite - or something different?

(I have all those onsite, and would like to get them potted-on tonight, but I can delay and buy alternatives if that will make a significant difference).

I have Osmocote 14-13-13 which I was going to mix-in with the compost.

The Tetrapanax rex pot is far too small (30cm dia x 25 cm deep), I'm watering it 4 or 5 times a day and the leaves are still wilting during the day (fair amount of Perlite in the mix), so that is the most urgent.

But I would also appreciate suggestions for the Brugs, Musa sikkimensis and Ensete maurelii and Ensete montbeliardii please.
Dim

Re: Plunge Pots / Planting Tetrapanax rex,Brugmansia Musa,En

Post by Dim »

Kristen .... try the airpots .... there are lots of good reports from people who are using them .... get decent sized ones (they are not expensive)

http://www.camgrow.co.uk/air-pots/

check for a hyroponic store in your area (most stock them)

Best compost that I have used is Plagron Batmix
(It contains bat manure, white peat, baltic peat, sphagnum, irish white peat chunks, black peat, worm castings, organic manure and 15% Perlite.)

but also add 30% good garden topsoil to that, and a 20% extra worm humis ... and a bit more perlite

bat mix costs approx £14 for 50 litres, and worm humis costs approx £10 for £10 kg .....

a handful or two of volcanic rock dust (10kg verve rockdust costs £5.98 from B&Q) .... and a bit of rootgrow

no need to add additional fertilizer for at least 6 weeks .... then foliar feed with seaweed extract (there are a few that have fish hydrolosate, worm humis, fulvic acid etc) .... best one that I have found is Advanced Nutrients Iguana Juice Grow ...

when you fill the pots, don't add any stones etc on the bottom .... fill the pots with your mix, water well for 2 days, and only then plant ....
Vagetarian

Re: Plunge Pots / Planting Tetrapanax rex,Brugmansia Musa,En

Post by Vagetarian »

I think I'd do with the Musa and the Ensetes what everyone does with their Ensetes already, plant in the ground and dig up before winter.

Your medium idea sounds good to me although I'd mix the manure in thoroughly myself. And like Dim I add some top soil when they get to the bigger and more permanent pots.
Kristen

Re: Plunge Pots / Planting Tetrapanax rex,Brugmansia Musa,En

Post by Kristen »

Thanks chaps, I forgot to mention that I also had J.I. #3, horticultural grit and sharp sand :)

I went with about equal measures of rotted manure, M.P. Compost, J.I. #3 and Perlite. Surprising how much you need for a 50 - 60 cm pot!

I have done the T. Rex as it was struggling the most, but then decided that the things in 9cm pots were the most stressed, so had a massive potting-on session and I've done 50 or 100 into 1L pots whilst my wife did a sterling job being the Tidy One and my potting bench is nothing like the mess it was, and it is now possible to actually get into the conservatory without tripping over trays of cuttings waiting to be potted up!

Lots now outside hardening off (we are forecast 10C+ Mins for 5 days at least, so that makes the whole hardening off job a lot easier - couple of days in at night then OUT!)
Vagetarian

Re: Plunge Pots / Planting Tetrapanax rex,Brugmansia Musa,En

Post by Vagetarian »

Anyone would be forgiven for thinking that you ran a nursery. :lol:

That pot must take a good sack of compost. The problem is when the pot is several times bigger than the mixing vessel!

I must hire a wife to clean my potting bench. :D

I dumped quite a lot of plants outside last night. It was 13.5 at midnight and 14.5 at 8am so hopefully they won't hate me too much!
Kristen

Re: Plunge Pots / Planting Tetrapanax rex,Brugmansia Musa,En

Post by Kristen »

Vagetarian wrote:Anyone would be forgiven for thinking that you ran a nursery
The place looks like that in May most years ... but this year it is in a dreadful state with late-Spring and my over ambitious seed growing this season.
Mess in the conservatory
Mess in the conservatory
Mess on terrace hardening off
Mess on terrace hardening off
Vagetarian

Re: Plunge Pots / Planting Tetrapanax rex,Brugmansia Musa,En

Post by Vagetarian »

Hahaha, I think it's great Kristen and I could live in there quite happily! (apart from the winter temperatures perhaps)

Your Coleus are looking fantastic too. :D
Kristen

Re: Plunge Pots / Planting Tetrapanax rex,Brugmansia Musa,En

Post by Kristen »

Vagetarian wrote:Your Coleus are looking fantastic too.
I think those red-centre yellow-outer will look good contrasting something with light green leaves:
IMG_2320_ColeusCombo.jpg
IMG_2318_ColeusCombo.jpg
IMG_2314_ColeusCombo.jpg
and I think the darker ones will make a good front-of-border lining (given that I don't have a collection of in-fill plants as-yet this first season) - this photo from Urban Jungle's show garden last Autumn:

Image
Post Reply