Tropical Gardening

After the recent cold snap the Echium looks as if it is toast. The Iochroma have defoliated but I'm not worried as far as their prospects go. The Nicotiana are still looking okay too. @PeterS - amazingly the Caiophora is still looking ok. I haven't forgotten, just a bit housebound with my other...

That's what I do, although if planted deep enough and with a bark mulch they will come through most winters.

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...

They are awseome Longk you (all of you have really opened my mind. fantastic. I have only just moved into my new house and with moving and everything else all I have managed to do is clear the years of weeds and make way for improvement over this year. I will take some photos and put them (not...

Thanks for the replies. I might just keep it now

Of course - I do very well in breeding them! Or I keep everything so damp to keep them away, that I get wonderful botrytis on everything. Never tried bauhinia though.

Hi Clarky D'you mean Canna's or Calla lilies?

Wow you were lucky to get a personal tour especially by someone that knows the place.

Hi dendy, First is Echinocereus as is the second and third, I'm not sure about the exact naming as they were grown from packets of mixed seed. Third is a lobivia and the last is notocactus ottonis. They are all easy to grow and flower, along with rebutia which really grows like a weed and...

... and several years' wait !!

Nice one guys - joined a few minutes ago, and feel like I've learned something already! Follow the same sort of practice with bananas at home, but not Canna before. Maybe this ought to be the year I start...

ThanksYes, it suffers some wind burn as its near the border between 2 houses and the winter gales blow between. And yes its near zero perhaps max of an hour when the sun goes past between the houses in mid winter..

I've never found P. Edulis to be hardy.

Not actually Brugs, and as longk says, quite a bit hardier.

When all danger of frosts has gone, that's when most of the tender stuff starts to appear - could be late May or June around us.

Lol that would not be wanted

Its not that warm here in the winter Fancy. Last winter was pretty mild, I think in most parts of the UK, but the year before was frosty.I tend to think that as long as the frost is intermittant and the plant can thaw out each day then they usually are alright. Continuous frost is the big...

New thread available for What's Looking Exotic in October 2013 - in case you want to mark it as "watched"

I'm sure the fact they are undercover from rain will make the big difference.

I received it as a wee cutting a few weeks ago. I was surprised when this flower bud started to emerge.Mine was doing well until I discovered what good bedding plants they make...................