@m.razzell There is a company based in Nottinghamshire called Echium World. I know that they would help you in any way they can. They do have a website. They also grow really well at The Ventnor Botanic Gardens IOW.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
@Wilderbeast. That's a good idea with the strap as they are shallow rooted and can get blown down in a very strong wind. Maybe most bend before they start going upwards. If I remember correctly my original had blue flowers so it will be interesting to see what colours we all have. @m.razzell You will have to let us know how yours get on and what colour the flowers turn out to be.
I will most certianly keep people updated on progress if they are interested! (I think OH is tired of me banging on about them to be honest!)
Curiously, all 12 of mine are bent in some way or another, it seems to be a habit of theirs to arch up at nearly 45d towards the brightest aspect.
@Wilderbeast at a guess i'd say mine are half the size, so i'm 50/50 on flowering this year but hopeful due to the noted small stem changes on about a third of them.
I must say having seen the variety of places you all live it just reinforces what i've always thought about the key to succesfully growing these plants - location location location (outside of Urban & S / SW coastal regions anyway).
@m.razzell I think the fact that they bend is part of their charm. I drive my family crazy sometimes talking about plants and gardens. This forum is a great opportunity to be in contact with other plantaholics and gardeners.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
I had 3 young plants before winter, and I will be lucky if I have one remaining! They look horrendous. I don't have a greenhouse so I wrapped the pots in sheep wool and put a fleece on and then put in a plastic blow away greenhouse thing. I half wonder now if I cossetted them too much?
Busy day today prepping my boundary for a new fence (very exciting) - we live adjacent to a busy main road so the added security and dampened noise will be a blessing.
Anyway, as promised here are the pics...
- Keeping dry in the greenhouse (small pots at front, bigger pots at back)
- Red stem of 'pink' variety
- Green stem of 'blue' variety
- possible flower nodes ?!
I've had a good look at them again today and even in a week they are definitely stretching upward so fingers crossed they're in flower mode (at least some of them).
I had 3 young plants before winter, and I will be lucky if I have one remaining! They look horrendous. I don't have a greenhouse so I wrapped the pots in sheep wool and put a fleece on and then put in a plastic blow away greenhouse thing. I half wonder now if I cossetted them too much?
This is interesting.
My previous attempt at growing these was disrupted by the pandemic and my retired parents ended up as custodians of my plants (as i was moving at the time).
They carefully planted them out in the spring of 2020 (their second year) in a sunny spot and the plants seemed to enjoy it so much they grew into enormous vegetative specimens.
Expecting big things the following spring i provided my father with half a dozen fleeces, and the instruction to wrap them during cold spells.
Anyway, they were wrapped in the November and left until the spring. Needless to say the poor things rotted away, almost certainly because of poor air circulation.
I'm now of the opinion that as long as you can maintain good air circulation and they are out of the worst of the weather i.e. under cover or shielded from cold north or easterlies than they should be ok (usual caveats re exceptional cold spells of course).
I would add that the soil in our veg patch is pretty free-draining.
Yes, agree with this.
Mine are in John Innes Nr3 in large pots. The substrate drains remarkably well and they seem to absolutely love it. No soggy bottoms - The foliage lets me know when another drink is due.
On the other hand my garden is heavy clay so i'll have to be careful when planting out in the coming weeks.
How wonderful to see those big healthy echiums ready to be planted out!
I have got an Echium candicans in a pot, less hardy than pininana, it made it through last winter only to be totally frazzled by the frost this time. Thought it was dead and about to throw away, but new growth is already appearing on the stem behind the dead leaves.
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
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I know that they would help you in any way they can. They do have a website.
They also grow really well at The Ventnor Botanic Gardens IOW.
@m.razzell You will have to let us know how yours get on and what colour the flowers turn out to be.
Busy day today prepping my boundary for a new fence (very exciting) - we live adjacent to a busy main road so the added security and dampened noise will be a blessing.
Anyway, as promised here are the pics...
- Keeping dry in the greenhouse (small pots at front, bigger pots at back)
- Red stem of 'pink' variety
- Green stem of 'blue' variety
- possible flower nodes ?!
I've had a good look at them again today and even in a week they are definitely stretching upward so fingers crossed they're in flower mode (at least some of them).
All eyes on the long term forecast now.
Have a great Saturday eve, all!
Matt.
I would add that the soil in our veg patch is pretty free-draining.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I have got an Echium candicans in a pot, less hardy than pininana, it made it through last winter only to be totally frazzled by the frost this time. Thought it was dead and about to throw away, but new growth is already appearing on the stem behind the dead leaves.