Arlons Blog: Propagating Cycas revoluta "aurea" ..SUCCESS !

[GREVILLE]

Good idea to lay the mix over polystyrene, Arlon - saves on a hernia

I've done a variation on that by digging holes of different sizes to create a series of moulds, lining the holes with a larger size of polythene and pour in the mix.'Push out the centre and force the mix to fill the mould leaving a 'cup' shape to set. When dry you can pull it up with the polythene and overturn it. When you peel away the polythene it leaves a decent finish and the hollow middle makes it lighter to carry.

I've used your mix with the addition of one part peat or peat based compost included. This makes the finish weather quickly and go mossy.

[Mr List]

i'm sure i have seen another way by digging a hole and filling it with hypertufa

[Arlon Tishmarsh]

Thanks for the comments, glad you enjoyed it

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I've done a variation on that by digging holes of different sizes to create a series of moulds,..........

Another is the baggie method i.e put the mix in a plastic bag and form the shape, then when dry remove the bag and it should leave a weathered / textured rock. OK for smaller stuff i would think, not tried it tho.

Using a polystyrene skeleton not only keeps the weight right down but saves on mix as well. The finished thing is surprisingly light and makes it easier to move them about...............suits me fine

great rock, would watch again A+++++++++++++++
do you live near a busy motorway Mark?

There's a dual carriage way not far away but a lot of the noise is from the works at the National Velodrome /Sports Villiage just a pitch 'n' putt away. Extra footie pitches etc going in, lots of heavy machinery............

That's really interesting and useful. I've been researching boulders for gardens...........

Same here Kris. I want to do a rock feature and lifting them in would be nutz. I got a lot of old bricks / blocks and a big slab of concrete path to come up, so i intend to use that as the skeleton of the rock feature and then use the method in the vid to render /cover it. Hopefully it'll turn out ok.

that looks awesome, have been wanting to try that for a while now. how much of the colouring and waterproofer do you need to put in?

Ta FF
there's roughly 50 ml of liquid mortar dye and a capful (25ml approx) of plasticiser / waterproofer in a 1litre jug of water.

If anyone's intent on having a go, i'd recommend it and on that scale its surprisingly easy and very quick to do.

[Dave Brown]

Brilliant idea Arlon As there is no rock anywhere near here, buying rocks is as expensive as lifting them. Rockery rocks a quarter that size are between £7 to £15 depending on the rock, so one that size could be £30 to £50

Mind you, If I go to the local B & Q it will cost £50 for the materials to make one. Their prices have become a joke

[Arlon Tishmarsh]

Ordered a Jubaea Chilensis and a Cycas Rumphii from The Palm Centre last sunday. A mere 48hrs later they were here, great service. Very impressed with the quality and more over the size.

The Jub was listed as 60/ 80 cm and the supplied plant is nearly 1.2m ABOVE the pot..........£44.96

Cycas Rumphii , again listed as between 60 / 80cm and the actual plant supplied is 1.15m ABOVE the pot....£22.46


Jubaea,
very bushy, healthy plant...............



Cycas Rumphii,
nice size caudex, 35cm circumference and 11cm high

[Delboy]

Those are cracking for the price, great service too.
If only other places were as quick

[cordyman]

jub rooted through pot arlon or put in pot from dug? looks a cracker !

[Addictedtopalms26]

Nice Jub Arlon! They are a great size.

Cordyman they should be well rooted, they're nice and healthy (although I haven't taken the pot off yet) lol

[fern Rob]

They look great

[Yorkshire Kris]

Great value.

[Arlon Tishmarsh]

Forgot to say delivery only £9.95 .The two plants came in an open top box, so no chance of them being thrown around, stacked upside down etc etc by the courier.

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Cordyman they should be well rooted, they're nice and healthy (although I haven't taken the pot off yet) lol

I'll save you the trouble Scott, pic taken earlier.............

Jubaea rootball



Good healthy roots

[GREVILLE]

Well done with those, Arlon.

I got my C. rumphii from there over three years ago. Same size as yours when I bought it and it's still in the same pot. It's given me a generous flush of new leaves every year. Performs much better than revoluta, but then it does go inside for winter,
.

[Bob]

I'm envious, Nice acquisitions Mark. The Cycad especially is a real beauty.

[Arlon Tishmarsh]

Thanks Bob

.
. It's given me a generous flush of new leaves every year. Performs much better than revoluta, but then it does go inside for winter,
.

Thats good to know Greville , thanks. I also have a much bigger circinalis but on comparing both i suspect that the Der PalmenMann Circinalis that i and some members bought last year, i think the circinalis may in fact be Rumphii as well.
Need to look into it a bit more as i think they are often confused and more often mislabelled.

I have a timelapse of the circinalis flushing last summer, i'll have to dig it out

[Arlon Tishmarsh]

Popped into B&Q today and caught the "knock down" chappy with his felt tip in hand. Some great bargains all round, not just palms etc but everything up for a bargain. Some pics of what i bought...............

cycas revoluta ........."ticket price £12.98"



chamaerops humilis......."ticket price £14.98"



chamaerops humilis ......."ticket price £14.98"



trachycarpus......"ticket price 24.98"



Variegated Fatsia......"ticket price 9.98"



Trachycarpus......"ticket price £24.98"



Total ticket price £102.88

Total price for the lot .............£30 ....

Me thinks i shall go back tomorrow ....