Planted my cycas out, did I make any mistakes?

Kerinsian

Planted my cycas out, did I make any mistakes?

Post by Kerinsian »

Well I finally plucked up the courage to plant her in the ground, I guess I was spurred into it by all this fine weather :lol:
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I dug a big hole, and sat her on a few inches of 10mm grit, then filled in the hole with decent compost and a whole bundle of perlite, making sure to spread a couple of thicker longer roots into the surrounding sandy soil as they had begun to circle round the pot it was in. covered over the top with a layer of that weed prevention fabric and topped it off with more grit.

Soooooo, did I do right by it? If I should have done it differently please do tell me so I can fix it before it gets too bedded in as it is! :)
kata

Re: Planted my cycas out, did I make any mistakes?

Post by kata »

Sounds good Kerinsian,

Over to weather holding out, and the palm bedding in which it has weeks yet.

Its said they survive best in the ground, root wise...good luck!!

Just don't decide to move it when it flushes.

icon_cheers
Kerinsian

Re: Planted my cycas out, did I make any mistakes?

Post by Kerinsian »

I did think that if I was going to do it at all then it should be done now, so it has the whole summer to establish. It seemed logical anyway! and no way am I moving it again unless someone tells me I've mucked it up and need to redo the planting!

how is your banana yellow cycas doing Kata, has it improved at all or is it still headed for the dustbin?
kata

Re: Planted my cycas out, did I make any mistakes?

Post by kata »

Its gone...... :lol: It was aweful K,

When I see those zinc planters with a nice caudex like Shanks has, and like yours with loads of new green leaves it makes me want another... :lol: :lol:

All the leaves just pulled in spring. Currently doing ok with Ensetes.

icon_cheers
Kerinsian

Re: Planted my cycas out, did I make any mistakes?

Post by Kerinsian »

Those are last years leaves! I was hoping that it may put out some more this year, but I expect it won't now that it has to establish itself in the ground :)
kata wrote: Currently doing ok with Ensetes.

icon_cheers
I don't have any of those, apart from my cycas I'm only really just starting with more tropical plants after years of trying to fill up a garden with what I could grow from cuttings/seeds, and what I could buy in the pound shop packets :lol:
Last edited by Kerinsian on Sun May 27, 2012 5:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
kata

Re: Planted my cycas out, did I make any mistakes?

Post by kata »

Not so K,

From what I learned. They don't flush every year but you can emulate a tropical storm by drowning them or sitting them in water but those planted can't be dunked only poured on I would think.

Just leave as is, if its going to flush it will soon enough.

:mrgreen:
Kerinsian

Re: Planted my cycas out, did I make any mistakes?

Post by Kerinsian »

I've been flooding it every day for the last week since reading here about monsoons and such, plus it had a drenching after I planted it, so you never kow, it might *hopes* icon_thumleft
kata

Re: Planted my cycas out, did I make any mistakes?

Post by kata »

Bit early K,

Usually July/August time.

icon_cheers
Kerinsian

Re: Planted my cycas out, did I make any mistakes?

Post by Kerinsian »

Aye I know, I just thought I'd start hoping early in case the power of accumulated wishful thinking might influence it :D :lol:
Dim

Re: Planted my cycas out, did I make any mistakes?

Post by Dim »

a very nice cycas!

not sure if the weed fabric is a good idea though .... I've read bad reports about the stuff and some claiming that it kills all life in the soil, and that earthworms move elsewhere aswell

may be better to use a good quality mulch instead?
Kristen

Re: Planted my cycas out, did I make any mistakes?

Post by Kristen »

Dim wrote:not sure if the weed fabric is a good idea though .... I've read bad reports about the stuff and some claiming that it kills all life in the soil, and that earthworms move elsewhere aswell
I'm in two minds too ... I'm covering all the beds with a couple of inches of well rotted manure (the animals are bedded on wood chippings, rather than straw, which perhaps makes it more suited to mulch than soil improvement) and apart from still having to weed the beds (but the weeds do come out of the mulch SO easily by comparison to my clay soil) I think I'm improving the soil much more than if I used weed suppressing membrane and fertilizers [only]

In Another Place (where Vegetables are grown and talked about :shock: !!) folk talk about "feeding the soil" as much as feeding the plant for permanent crops such as Raspberries. I think its only the Farmers who use the soil purely to "support" the plant, and then do everything else artificially ...
Vagetarian

Re: Planted my cycas out, did I make any mistakes?

Post by Vagetarian »

I'm all about feeding the soil and not the plant, even with potted plants. Plants really can look after themselves, and in more ways than most people imagine. They secrete organic chemicals (citric acid for example, which breaks down immobile P) which raise and lower the pH of the rhizosphere in order to attract certain types of soil microbe depending upon their needs at the time.

Modern intensive farming is a terrible thing but it really doesn't have to be that way. Organic yields for certain crops are only 5% lower, it is with the grains that there is the biggest difference in yield. The problem is (mainly) a lack of nitrogen.
Steph
Posts: 993
Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2008 8:25 pm
Location: East London, bordering Essex.

Re: Planted my cycas out, did I make any mistakes?

Post by Steph »

Kerinsian wrote:I've been flooding it every day for the last week since reading here about monsoons and such, plus it had a drenching after I planted it, so you never know, it might *hopes* icon_thumleft
Needs leaf & stem growth plant food, i.e. Chempak 2 at every watering since the end of winter.
Dim

Re: Planted my cycas out, did I make any mistakes?

Post by Dim »

Kristen wrote:
Dim wrote:not sure if the weed fabric is a good idea though .... I've read bad reports about the stuff and some claiming that it kills all life in the soil, and that earthworms move elsewhere aswell
I'm in two minds too ... I'm covering all the beds with a couple of inches of well rotted manure (the animals are bedded on wood chippings, rather than straw, which perhaps makes it more suited to mulch than soil improvement) and apart from still having to weed the beds (but the weeds do come out of the mulch SO easily by comparison to my clay soil) I think I'm improving the soil much more than if I used weed suppressing membrane and fertilizers [only]

In Another Place (where Vegetables are grown and talked about :shock: !!) folk talk about "feeding the soil" as much as feeding the plant for permanent crops such as Raspberries. I think its only the Farmers who use the soil purely to "support" the plant, and then do everything else artificially ...
I'm trying the 'High Brix' gardening methods now ... and so far so good ... (lots of info on youtube and google)

I have tested the same species of plants using normal fertilizers such as miracle grow vs adding actively aerated compost teas, seaweed/fish foliar feeds etc and I can see huge differences so far ...

I still have lots to learn though
Kerinsian

Re: Planted my cycas out, did I make any mistakes?

Post by Kerinsian »

Dim wrote: not sure if the weed fabric is a good idea though .... I've read bad reports about the stuff and some claiming that it kills all life in the soil, and that earthworms move elsewhere aswell
Good point Dim, the people in tipi valley move the tipis and yurts every 6 months to avoid making the soil underneath sour, So I pulled it out earlier this morning! :)
Steph wrote: Needs leaf & stem growth plant food, i.e. Chempak 2 at every watering since the end of winter.
Thanks for the tip Steph, :) I put blood fish and bone into the planting hole but I'll make sure to feed it as you suggest, One question though, Chempak 2 has a ratio of 25 15 15. I already have a liquid organic fert with a ratio of 5 3 3. As it's a measurement of ratio and not quantity that should be the same as the chempak 2 shouldn't it?
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