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.
Candicans is arguably a much prettier plant so i do hope it comes back in good form this year!
A week on and i'm now convinced that we have flowers forming. Time to plant out asap i think. Hopefully the cooler outdoors will slow it down a little!...
Same here. The annoying thing is the fact I can't reach the top to have a look to see if anything is happening. Daren't bend it down in case I damage it. Will just have to be patient.
Well my echium has reached 10ft high and looks visibly bigger every day, the stem is covered in what I presume are flower's just waiting to burst forth. Hopefully if we get some warmer weather we'll have blooms soon
Well my echium has reached 10ft high and looks visibly bigger every day, the stem is covered in what I presume are flower's just waiting to burst forth. Hopefully if we get some warmer weather we'll have blooms soon
This is very good news indeed, Wilderbeast, 10ft, wow!
Alas, i was hit hard by a week of frosts in early April and despite protecting the plants every night the tips got burnt off perhaps 30% of them.
I have noticed that its the *flowering tips* that are the most tender at this stage. The plants that were still in their vegetative state were all ok as the tightly packed leaves on top formed a protective layer over the tender emergent groth. However, when flowering these leaves seperate away from the top exposing the vulnerable tip which gets scorched at the slightest hint of frost.
In a perverse way i actually think if i'd taken them out earlier they'd have been ok as the artificial warmth of the greenhouse forced flowering earlier than usual making them extra vulnerable to damage (note for next year).
Funnily enough now the frosts have passed its this darned drought here in the SE that has been causing me issues!
Nevertheless, mine are now in full swing, mostly all flowering, and approx. 6ft and still growing (although the scorched ones are stunted for obvious reasons)
Will submit pics shortly
Cheers all.
n.b @Fran IOM I expect yours is touching the sky now 1month on from your last post!
@McRazz. I have been meaning to post on this thread over the last few days. The other day when I went to have a look (over the road allotment acting as my garden) it had died!! Couldn't believe my eyes. All the leaves were brown and shrivelled up and the top had bent over to form a right angle with the "stem". But the flower head has decided to point upwards so I have left it to it's own devices now. Luckily I have three others but they weren't as far on as this favourite of mine. We have had frost but not that much I would have thought to cause all that damage. Can't think what else it could be. Will just have to wait and see if the others will flower this year. I do hope so. Very disappointing. Looking forward to seeing your pics.
@McRazz. I have been meaning to post on this thread over the last few days. The other day when I went to have a look (over the road allotment acting as my garden) it had died!! Couldn't believe my eyes. All the leaves were brown and shrivelled up and the top had bent over to form a right angle with the "stem". But the flower head has decided to point upwards so I have left it to it's own devices now. Luckily I have three others but they weren't as far on as this favourite of mine. We have had frost but not that much I would have thought to cause all that damage. Can't think what else it could be. Will just have to wait and see if the others will flower this year. I do hope so. Very disappointing. Looking forward to seeing your pics.
This is a sad tale. I wonder if the drought had anything to do with it? Mine really struggle in the clay soil if they don't get a drink for a couple of days. Time to pick a new favourite from the ones that are left @Fran IOM !
Pics as promised (excuse the borders, we have a no dig, self seeders welcome, organised chaos policy)...
Front of House. Closest 2 got scorched on the tips so no additional height to be had here...
The best 3, largest over 6ft and growing...
Another ~6ft stumper, lovely flowers though!...
In case anyone is wondering why the Wisteria is odd looking, its a new addition last autumn that i cut back HARD, a mature Floribunda that was lurking on our nursery at work...accidentally aquired...
@Fran IOM. I had one that bent right down to the ground after suffering frost damage, it picked itself up from the ground and then flowered all the way along, when it had finished flowering I pulled it out, it was 20’ long although S shaped.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
@McRazz. The drought may well have affected mine but the others weren't affected. Although mine is now a pitiful sight it wasn't anything like as good as yours are now. Somehow I don't think my others will be flowering this year. They have a long way to go before they look like yours. I am very impressed. You have a lovely garden there and before long you will have more than your fair share of bees. 🐝🐝
@Lyn. Thank you for your input. You have given me hope for my misshapen dead looking echium! I will leave it to its own devices and maybe I will get some flowers. It will definitely be for the chop when it has finished. They obviously don't give up easily. Yours is looking good. Mine are all self seeded from my original as I have only ever had one.
So this has now got to 12ft high which must be really big . It's got 3 sections of rope tying it to the pergola post. It now has the 1st flower's popping open.oh I have now idea how to turn the image
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Looking forward to seeing your pics.
This is a sad tale. I wonder if the drought had anything to do with it? Mine really struggle in the clay soil if they don't get a drink for a couple of days. Time to pick a new favourite from the ones that are left @Fran IOM !
Although mine is now a pitiful sight it wasn't anything like as good as yours are now. Somehow I don't think my others will be flowering this year. They have a long way to go before they look like yours. I am very impressed. You have a lovely garden there and before long you will have more than your fair share of bees. 🐝🐝
@Lyn. Thank you for your input. You have given me hope for my misshapen dead looking echium! I will leave it to its own devices and maybe I will get some flowers. It will definitely be for the chop when it has finished. They obviously don't give up easily.
Yours is looking good. Mine are all self seeded from my original as I have only ever had one.