sanatic1234 wrote:
I got -12c stephen my lowest only for one night but I got plenty of -8c. I wrapped the sides with 2 layers of fleece and protected the crown with 3 or 4 layers of fleece? Cant remember now. Then when it was snowing it had a bin liner put over the crown to keep out the wet. So it was dry. It also has shelter from 30ft high conifers and my shed to the left hand side of it. So only exposed to the right side of it. What ever it was it worked.
I've just bought a couple of Echium's from Amulree. I've got E Snow Tower (white flower) and E Pinniana (blue).Not sure how I'm going to deal with them over winter. Did you have yours wrapped in fleace all over winter or just when it was very cold and snow?
Would a fleace bag be better, or what is the best way to wrap them?
Mine flowerd last year so far i have 5 seedlings all sizes the seedlings dont come up at once .I hope to have them for some years .This is the largest seedling
Derrick as another from Southampton area, what protection did you give your Echium? I had one last year near some of my Agaves, so when I built my Agave rain shelter I just made it a bit bigger to cover the Echium too, but the Echium did not survive. Could it have got too dry?
I'll try wrapping my new ones in cleave this year.
I have lost lots in Southampton Andrew with the 2 cold winters before .last winter was a better and some in Fareham in full flower just luck of the weather i lost stuff as it was dry also .You only need one cold night and they go black .I protected them before with fleece and insulation i lost the larger plant and kept 2 small .The best way in a big pot inside frost free but they get large i removed the leaves before for storage
I did not realise you can remove their leaves. So if it was planted in the ground and I was going to wrap it in fleace, is it best to fold the leaves down and then wrap in fleace or remove the leaves and then wrap in fleace?
Mine flowered at the end of May/start of June & looked lovely... for a few days... then we had gale force winds which blew nearly every flower off, worth waiting two years for that
I chopped it down last week as it looked a mess...
Well my 10 & 1/2ft echium pinianna got snapped today by the wind. I am gutted but I do have plenty of seed from the flowering. It flowered blue in the end.
here's mine one, hope we have a mild winter like last year's with some protection it should flower next year , the one to the right is echium wildpretii, will it also flower next year?
sanatic1234 wrote:Well my 10 & 1/2ft echium pinianna got snapped today by the wind. I am gutted but I do have plenty of seed from the flowering. It flowered blue in the end.
Thats a pity San.
I tied a cane to mine as a precaution and still standing i'm happy to say. Still has some flowers on it now , even tho it started flowering in March.........
Mine was staked twice arlon. But winds were just too strong. I apologise for lying on my comment above I measured it again now it had been snapped to get a more accurate measurement and it was spot on 12ft. I have read arlon they wont stop flowering till first frost?. I am now growing echium faticosums. I have about 18 and they are growing brilliantly. I will sow the echium pinianna seeds next year and am also doing a swap for some wildpretti seeds.
derrick wrote:Shame about your Echium san but you got the flower spike and some seeds so its ok .Im thinking of bringing my new Echiums in for the winter
I got about 1-200 seeds collected at a rough guess but there were so many more left on there.
Thats alot of seeds San i had about 4 come up from last years flower thats enough for me. Next year more should pop up Im bringing some plants in conservatory for winter its finding the room for the hairy bikers ?
I am gutted but I do have plenty of seed from the flowering. It flowered blue in the end. 
