To chop, or not to chop?

Yeah I fancy chopping the yellow ones back quite hard and leaving the smaller healthy ones.
It isn't well draining at the moment, the ground hasn't had chance to dry, the soil was shiny and smoother this morning, I swore at the weather, it deserved it.

 

Our soil never dries right out - maybe the top inch or two in the driest spells we've had in the last couple of years, and it certainly doesn't where my current Fatsia is. Lots of water isn't a problem, but if the ground below that is solid, it wouldn't be ideal. If nothing else nearby is struggling, it's more likely to be that the soil just isn't sustaining a large plant like that.
I'm not sure if you would be able to get it out. I need to move mine, as the shed needs replacing, but I haven't got round to it yet. I think I'll need to root prune a bit.
They do produce small offshoots so maybe you could look for one and grow that on too. I don't know if they take readily from seed too, but someone will know

 

They grow fairly easily from semi ripe cuttings.

 

I was just having a look around @pete and it seems to be easy that way, although apparently seed is easy too. The problem here where I am is that the flowers get wrecked by the weather before they get a chance to ripen and be viable, but if we get another horrible hot dry summer, they might get a chance to get to that point this year. I might have a go if that happens.

 

Last time I grew seed from my own plants I had a fair crop of variegated seedlings, unfortunately all eventually died while still small, only the green ones survived.

 

Yes- the variegated ones don't survive here anyway @pete, so it would only be the tough, green one I'd ever grow. I think there's a speckly one which is hardier, but I'd never grow that - horrible looking!

 

I have one in a pot. It only has one stem, but seems happy enough at the moment. However, I left the flower stalk on this winter, and it has flopped sideways. I was wondering whether to cut that off, but I now see that some of the berries are turning black, presumably ripening? I’d be keen to start off some from seed. Any advice on this, thanks? Should I chop or not?

 

They often branch naturally after flowering but if it's leggy I'd cut it back a bit, it will keep it bushier.
Growing from seed is fairly simple, just wait until the berries are nice and ripe then squeeze out the seeds.

I don't dry seed out unless I want to save them so I just sow directly in a pot and cover the seed slightly.
Should germinate fairly quickly this time of year with normal room temperatures.

Must admit I'm not really a fan of the variegated varieties either @fairygirl ,they always look diseased to me but each to their own as they say.

 

I grew a couple of variegated varieties a couple of years ago to add a bit more light to a shady area. They added misery instead as they always looked like they were seriously unwell! The plain green variety also struggles in my garden, I don't think they like my sandy soil, or me!

 

Each to their own indeed @pete
It's the reason I don't like Pulmonarias either. Sickly looking.
I prefer green/gold variegation rather than the white or cream, but it still depends on the plant itself. Large foliage highlights it too.
Re yours @Ergates - I think I'd wait and collect the seed when it seems ready, then maybe sow in another pot, or even in with the main plant. It could depend on the size of pot you already have it in though - they do need a fair bit of room to do well. It seems odd there's only one main stem on your plant - they tend to be quite bushy.

 

There's a very healthy 40ft cherry and a twisted hazel, which I keep small, next to the fatsia, but the other side there's not much, a small hypericum about 4ft away, and some flowers.
I'm going to chop the poorly bits later if the rain holds off.

 

I think there's a good chance the tree and the hazel will have been taking a lot of moisture and nutrients, at the expense of the Fatsia.

 

@fairygirl yeah that was a bit of a cock-up having 2 trees there, it was when we first moved in and were clearing the 8ft wide jungle, we found a 7" pot with a bent, 'dead' cherry twig about 2ft tall. 'Just in case', we planted it in the only available space at the time, not really expecting it to live..

Anyway the deed is done! I managed not to get any birdshit in my hair as I crawled under the leaves, lol, and there's more healthy bits than I first thought.
This whole thread is an anticlimax now.

 

Now that I can see the space clearly, I think that's where the problem's been for the Fatsia.
There's not much you can really do if you can't lift it and plant elsewhere, but maybe a combination of seed and any heel cuttings you can see, as @pete describes, or maybe even some heel cuttings if you can poke about at the base.

 

I think the Fatsia looks good in that picture, last summer perhaps?