Tropical Gardening

Mine's going to get hoed off to within a metre of it's life tomorrow.....

Im still getting Ptsd from loosing 6 5 footers in that 2010 winter. Gives me the shivers just thinking about it Since then 6 x 3footers in the conservatory,4x 5 footers in the garage. The big fella is just too heavy and tall so still outdoors.Next year its the soil cable and straw and...

Who's turn is it to start it this ??

Thanks all for the inputs . It appears the best action is to leave unprotected . Unless you are prepared to protect at each cold snap - which I am not. So a move to the sheltered side of the garden is all I will do .

It certainly prefers the shorter daylight hours............. Plectranthus 'Mona Lavender' by longk48, on FlickrPlectranthus 'Mona Lavender' by longk48, on Flickr

I had I.grandiflora for a couple of seasons until the winter of 2010/11. It bloomed more than happily outdoors. After that it was replaced with I.australis (now reclassified I believe) which was planted out in 2012 and remains there to this day even here in the chilly Cotswolds. In a pot I had...

I brought my Echeverias in today, and removed the Aeoniums from a large pot and potted them up singly. Don't want to get them overwet at this time of the year, usually find they are pretty sodden, if I leave the likes of these plants out too late , then have problems drying then out when the...

Quite a bit on the internet. 'Root Pruning, Stachy Palms.

The plants both arrived with a fantastic crown of leaves like the pictures and leaves were growing from the top. Was warned that the leaves would fall off and then re-grow from August. The first one was fine for 3 weeks so I bought the second which was much larger whose leaves went yellow and...

I have read that the trunk of the "Hawaiian Palm" is like a cactus, a water reservoir. It can therefore survive for six weeks without water. Just like a real cactus it cannot stand too much water and the trunk can rot. Watering on average once a week. First feel the earth and if it is still...

Lovely pictures LongK.I remember very well seeing it in flower with you at the Oxford Botanic Gardens. I always understood that it was a very slow growing plant, which has rather put me off. I did germinate some seeds once - but they died.Very nice to see it. I have never seen it at Kew or...

Thanks for the answers , I'll get some rose blackspot spray today . I'll also try to improve my rather intermittent feeding regime . Would an application of palm feed every 2-3 weeks be about right ?

You mentioned Echeveria earlier. We have an Echeveria thread here..............Share your Echeveria photos and chat here

@CanadianLori I have started using hickory liquid smoke instead of the expensive Kirstenbosch smoke papers. According to an article in Australasian Plant Soc journal 'Pentachondra' studies have shown it is a good substitute. I dilute the liquid to weak tea colour and soak seeds in it overnight....

I've never found Banana leaves to be particully susceptible to insecticide damage. That said, I agree, unless the pest becomes a total disaster, I'd either spray with water or just keep an eye on the problem, often nature sorts out this kind of thing. If the new leaves start to get distorted...

Know what you mean John, another plant that does the same thing is Fremontodendron, going slightly off track.I'm sure you understand why I asked if the neighbours like it. It's close to the fence, perhaps it strays over their side when in full leaf Hint hint, nudge nudge.

Poncirus has trifoliate leaves, so is easily recognisable. I think it is quite often pretty late before citrus start to make new root, I find new top growth is very possible without new roots. I grew poncirus outside for many years and new growth was earlier than this, but if the calamondin is...

How cute. I see one in the middle, green and an old one lower right. I don't have any right not but I have had it and it had flowered allot...

I impulse bought a new hobby but am a bit unsure on how to get the best results from the seeds. I grow a few cacti and succulents as house plants with nice success, and have a monster of a dragon fruit grown from seeds, but otherwise it has been zillions of years since I grew them from seeds....