Tropical Gardening

We have a brill Butterfly park up north near Stockton on tees, they have hundreds of butterflys, catapillars also they have grouse running around the floor (very funny little birds) and they used to have Iguanas, but not sure if they still have them, i used to breed lizards and snake in my early...

Thanks Bayleaf & Gardenangel.The reason I took them outof the pots is because they started growing new shoots in the Winter, so I thought they should be dormant during the winter months. Will try again this year

Well, you're slaving over a hot computer till the small wee hours. Thanks for the link - no, it's most definitely a yucca. I'm afraid I've only recently mastered the basics of the computer, so taking and posting photos - well you may as well ask me to garble away in martian speak ( should...

http://www.life.uiuc.edu/plantbio/102/disc/rubber.htmlhttp://www.powen.freeserve.co.uk/advanced/Propagation/Airlayering.htm

def same leaf pattern

Hi Pete, i think i can just make it out on the little pic, i'd love to be able to do that its brilliant! i am going to plant the stalk this weekend, it had some roots already when i cut away the bottom so hopefully it will take ok, i'll keep the seeds going if i can, my kids love watching...

Helen If you put it in the extension it will keep growing and may even flower. Nik

Betty, I have known friends who have left theirs out and they have survived without attention, however, I lost mine. I think I would be tempted to cover them with a cloche or similar if you cannot lift them.

Sounds as though you have a very healthy fiscus elastica there Adie. I have known people to cut a whole in their ceiling to allow it to continue to grow upwards! I think that is taking it too far. You can top it at any time as Pete says it is a tree. If you do not want to clean the leaves...

Not a good time of the year to be doing this carol. Spring would have been better,but,if you need to you can cut yucca stems up into pieces, and each piece can form a new plant. Rooting them could be difficult at this time of the year though. I cut mine with a fine toothed saw, let the cut...

I keep an aerosol of provado handy through the winter and spot treat any pests I see. The aerosol is much better than the ready mixed insectacide that drenches everything in water which doesn't dry out in the winter.

Is it a true Yucca?Dracaenas are often sold as conservatory plants and are similar in leaf shapeA yucca should stand pruning no probs...however if it a severe pruning i would cut back perhaps just over half of the protruding leaves first time, wait to make sure its not adversely affected it...

Up to 18 foot, well, that is a supprise, I will have to move it early spring [and change my name to jack.] It is for show and it looks absolutely great indoors. I will repost in the spring and you fellows can have a final check to see whether it is a Basjoo or sikkimiensis, I don't mind either...

tina, cuttings do root but the usual method of air layering works well, although I find it a bit of a messy job. Really it is better if you can wait till spring though.

To save me posting a new picture, just imagine the one above that I posted yesterday only with brown leaves instead of green! and thats how they look todayJack frost stopped a while overnight sround here :D

Or a little Gin, to er, cleanse the palate. :rolleyes:

Try here folks, for a self fertile variety http://www.jparkers.co.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.standard&continueaction=category.search&search=kiwi&producttype_id=48050

im moving house soon ab=nd want to take my outside yukka with me...Is it safe to dig it up now...January and replant?

thank you pete2255 think we will leave them on till the summer then see what it looks like if we deside to take them of will we have to use rooting powder. thanks again...

If you do decide to grow then in the ground geoff, dont plant them straight out into the garden, get them started with a bit of heat in the greenhouse, in pots first, then plant them out when its normal time for bedding plants in your area. That way they flower much earlier. :D