I hope you have room for it @Sandra A - they become massive plants once established. They also need the right conditions to thrive, and you said you lost one before. The one @plant pauper is kindly sending you will benefit from growing on until big enough, and robust enough, to plant out in it's final site.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I hope you have room for it @Sandra A - they become massive plants once established. They also need the right conditions to thrive, and you said you lost one before. The one @plant pauper is kindly sending you will benefit from growing on until big enough, and robust enough, to plant out in it's final site.
I have a huge bare garden, with space to build a 4 bedroom house. I am slowly introducing plants that have been attracting loads of bees and birds (not sure about butterflies, let us see how it goes). The bottom is a bit more shady and it collects water, a bit more 'bogey' than the rest of the space. I know the plant quite well, Durham Gardens has loads growing there. Oddly enough, a neighbour nearby has a Gunnera growing amazingly beautiful, in a very dry area. Go figure. The one that I lost was tiny and I asked the person that sold me about care through the Winter. The answer was 'just put it outside, it is ready to withstand the Winter'. It did not. I grew plants all my life, sometimes there is one or the other that doesn't succeed. At one point I had around 200 pots outside, with olive trees, magnolias, fruit trees, Portuguese laurel, etc. As with everything in life, sometimes something fails and a plant die. @plant pauper will guide me.
Fair enough @Sandra A - just thought I'g mention it I did have Gunnera manicata but that was in France so not really applicable. However, when I lived in Cornwall, there was also a Gunnera manicata which grew on a road side bank - no one laid claim to it and no one tended it either - it grew happily and healthily for the 5 years I encountered it. Admittedly that was some 30 odd years ago and given the change in weather patterns ??? Impressive plant in the right place so hope you have success
I seem to recall reading/hearing somewhere that someone grows gunnera by digging a big hole, lining it with plastic with some holes in the side (not in the bottom) and then planting it in that with lots of organic matter in the soil … also putting in a pipe to the bottom of the pit so that water from a hose or whatever can be directed to the roots and the planting ‘pit’ will remain a bit boggy and not dry out.
I think that’s how I’d grow it in this freedraining gritty loam.
Does anyone else recall reading/ hearing/watching someone describing that method?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I seem to recall reading/hearing somewhere that someone grows gunnera by digging a big hole, lining it with plastic with some holes in the side (not in the bottom) and then planting it in that with lots of organic matter in the soil … also putting in a pipe to the bottom of the pit so that water from a hose or whatever can be directed to the roots and the planting ‘pit’ will remain a bit boggy and not dry out.
I think that’s how I’d grow it in this freedraining gritty loam.
Does anyone else recall reading/ hearing/watching someone describing that method?
Yes, that is the best way, if the area is not the most appropriate. I have use it in the past for similar plants and it became a lovely environment for wildlife. I have used thick brunches that I asked from local gardeners and used leaves and grass clips collected throughout the year. We just have to pay attention to nearby trees, because their roots tend to stretch to the water and may damage the plastic.
Oh crikey! I may have overpromised @Sandra A. The one I have gets to the size of a decent rhubarb plant. It's not one of those ones that fifty people can shelter under. 😳
Oh crikey! I may have overpromised @Sandra A. The one I have gets to the size of a decent rhubarb plant. It's not one of those ones that fifty people can shelter under. 😳
Don't worry, that was a very kind offer thank you very much.
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They also need the right conditions to thrive, and you said you lost one before. The one @plant pauper is kindly sending you will benefit from growing on until big enough, and robust enough, to plant out in it's final site.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I grew plants all my life, sometimes there is one or the other that doesn't succeed. At one point I had around 200 pots outside, with olive trees, magnolias, fruit trees, Portuguese laurel, etc.
As with everything in life, sometimes something fails and a plant die.
@plant pauper will guide me.
I did have Gunnera manicata but that was in France so not really applicable.
However, when I lived in Cornwall, there was also a Gunnera manicata which grew on a road side bank - no one laid claim to it and no one tended it either - it grew happily and healthily for the 5 years I encountered it. Admittedly that was some 30 odd years ago and given the change in weather patterns ???
Impressive plant in the right place so hope you have success
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
We just have to pay attention to nearby trees, because their roots tend to stretch to the water and may damage the plastic.