Tropical Gardening

Shipping seedsI can mail seeds to the UK, Europe or to the USA. I think that packages in the US go through the US customs now. If a phytosanitary certificate is needed then that can be provided as well.Kirk

I had a basjoo in my old garden in Cheshire and the main stems grew to 10ft and it suckered - A LOT, producing a forest for want of a better word. Every neighbour in the street that was interested in gardening had a rooted sucker as a gift.I used to protect the stems with straw and fleece...

Yes, you're right, Pete. That's another reason why some of the Cannas are in the Greenhouse and some in the Kitchen.:D

Where did the virus come from, Pete?, and is there any way of protecting against it? It must have been a real downer to lose your Canna's, how did it affect them!

Lots of plants will help with the feel, not all are totally hardy, and many will depend on your exact location - where about are you?Trachycarpus, cordylines, butia, treeferns can all be considered for instance, but it really depends on your location and winter temperatures.Have a look...

No problem at all, in a few weeks time when its pushed out more leaves you wont even notice it.

Hi holly88, those shoots mean that you can divide the plant from the root and you will have a new plant.Canna lily has got beautiful leaves which will benefit from regular watering.They say that it can withstand the cold and so on but I don't think so. It is a plant which performs much...

Olly - welcome to the forum. So nice to see someone from somewhere exotic. I do hope that, in due time, we might see some pictures of plants that grow out there.I think a mulch is something placed on top of the soil to help to reduce the loss of moisture from the soil by evaporation. It can...

Will do. Just pray for sun and warmth - the sooner the better.

Do you already have the plants, and if so are the plants in pots, do remember it is easier for the roots to freeze when in pots. If you do have them already then try and keep them up against a house wall and keep the rain off the succulents. May even be worth wrapping the pots with bubble wrap...

Mombasagardener, I was just thinking of Mombasa when I started to read this thread. I'd love ot have a go at growing a frangipani from seed so will have to see if some seeds jump into my case when I am next on my travels. In Msa, we used to get the pale cream one, the very dark pink/red ons...

I have a musa basjoo, and it came from a good friend of mine, in New Jersey, and he insists that i can grow them here, in Canada:thumb:....although i will obviously have to bring it in for the winter.:gnthb: Good luck with it, and keep us posted.

I don`t think its that one simply because its not very well along yet so must flower later, It is still in the same pot as last year and came through the winter o.k. :thmb:So if I do make some sort of bog garden area, I think I would try and bury them in pots so I can lift them in the...

Leave it alone until the beginning of may when it's got the sun on it again and can grow without interruption. I cut mine as the top stem fell but leave a rain cover of collateral as if it becomes waterlogged around the remaining stem it will freeze and mush even more. Most likely you will start...

Hi All.No i dont live in New Zealand!!Christchurch on the south coast, close to the New Forest, thats me! ...... i dont think they use greenhouses in New Zealand in March.......to keep the frost off.........

If it is decorative, then just cut it off about 6" from the ground and cover with pine straw to protect from the ice and freezing. It will come back each year. If you want to eventually get bananas from it, then it really needs to be transplanted into a greenhouse or something similar for the...

Ok Pete, thanks

Hi Beachlover, Welcome to GC.. Its natural for the bottom Leave's to Die off, youv'e done the right thing cutting them off..

Walnut, thats a fabulous tree. Does that mean bananas all round then?With UK trees, they won't flower till they become adult - which in normally determined by years rather than size. Would that be the same for a banana?

That's my plan to stock up and pot on now til April and them hopefully have quite a few plants. Have been offered a pineapple plant/tree not sure what it looks like or if it will go with my planting. I will be after advice alot as I live quite coastal and it gets a bit windy so am a bit worried...