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Castor oil plant help.

JacquimcmahonJacquimcmahon Posts: 1,039
in Plants
hi I have two really healthy castor oil seedlings, however both have really thick long stems... is this normal as they are big plants or do I risk planting them slightly deeper to help the stems? Never had these before so it’s all hit and miss.
Marne la vallée, basically just outside Paris 🇫🇷, but definitely Scottish at heart.
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  • KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,831
    I have two of the red variety and am growing them for the first time.  The stems are also very thick and sturdy. I don’t think you need to bury them, the adult plants are very robust.  
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    The picture of keen on Green's plant looks perfectly normal. 
    You do not need to bury the stems.
    This assumes you are talking about Ricinus and not Fatsia, both can be known as Castor oil / false caster oil plant.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • JacquimcmahonJacquimcmahon Posts: 1,039
    Yup exactly like that but with its second set of leaves. Bigger pot here it comes. Thanks for the reassurance.
    Marne la vallée, basically just outside Paris 🇫🇷, but definitely Scottish at heart.
  • Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713
    I have grown these for the past 3 years and I would pot them on until they are taller if the roots are showing through the bottom of the pot.  I plant my ricinus outside when ready.  It is a bit early yet - perhaps the middle of May.  Just keep watering and feeding as necessary. Picture shows one growing last year, it has not reached it's full height. I hope that this helps. You will need to stake it - in this picture it only has short bamboos - I used sturdier stakes later on - similar to the stake in the background.
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    none of mine germinated this year  :'(
    Devon.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I haven’t even soaked mine yet! 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • JacquimcmahonJacquimcmahon Posts: 1,039
    Oh i hope they will look like that. I’m planning on them as « thrillers » in two tall planters that I have bought.
    Marne la vallée, basically just outside Paris 🇫🇷, but definitely Scottish at heart.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Keep us posted Jacqui.
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713
    You aren't too late Lyn - I only sowed mine in GH last week, they are just beginning to germinate today. I soaked half of them and didn't bother to soak the other half, just to see which germinate/don't germinate - I have masses of the seeds left too.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    You sent them to me GD,  you’d written on the bag sow April /May as we’re quite cold here I though start of May, they do germinate quickly, I’ve grown them before a few years ago,  they only get to about 3’ here, but I don’t mind that, nothing much reaches full height because of the weather conditions.

    Ive put them to soak now, and will sow tomorrow, I’ll keep you posted, let us know if there’s any difference in soaking or not please.

    Just an aside, GD, should I fill in a customs label when I send to you,  I’ve never thought about it before, hope you’ve received everything! 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

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