I am sure you already know this, but Protea seed need to be smoked to aid germination. In the wild they germinate after fire has burnt all the vegetation.
I think it might be possible to buy a smoking solution.
How can you lie there and think of England When you don't even know who's in the team
That's easy, I'd just buy a plant! But they're not frost hardy and I don't have a conservatory, so tough luck for me. We don't get that much frost, but we do get some.
It's difficult getting some plants, isn't it. The RHS plant finder shows that the plant centre at RHS Wisley has a protea, but their special plants tend to be big and expensive in my experience (but they are good plants). If you are going to one of the big flower fairs at Wisley, it might be worth contacting the exhibitors beforehand to see if they can bring a specific plant for you. (Obviously that would only work out "cheaper" if you were going anyway.) I don't know about shows at RHS Hyde Hall, but perhaps that'd be worth looking into too.
Sounds great! I look forward to seeing the pictures. My house plants are limited to a bougainvillea (I got it this year so I have no idea if it'll survive the winter) and a cinnamon plant.
I've been reading up on proteas and some growers do say some of them are hardy to -4C. Here's a fantastic website: http://www.proteaflora.com.au/index.html (an Australian wholesaler, so no danger to our budgets!).
I bought a small plant from Amazon, it's grown about four times bigger in less than a year... (It was £30, though.) It doesn't smell of cinnamon, which was a bit disappointing, but I find it exciting to have it anyway.
So far my biggest achievement in growing from seeds are artichoke plants, fingers crossed that they survive the winter in their pots.
Interesting seeds... I bought a packet of licorice seeds from James Wong's range (they're sold by Suttons), but I haven't tried them yet.
It's a tropical plant (cinnamon, I mean), so it does need warmth. I think the minimum is 15 degrees C or so.
Thanks for the warning about artichokes, I definitely don't want anything sneering at me from the compost heap! I got seeds of a supposedly smaller variety, so fingers crossed they won't be too bad. (The soil on our allotments is so bad that everything struggles, that should slow them down a bit, too.)
I know what you mean about growing from seed and cuttings and bargain plants!
Posts
I am sure you already know this, but Protea seed need to be smoked to aid germination. In the wild they germinate after fire has burnt all the vegetation.
I think it might be possible to buy a smoking solution.
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
I just wish I could grow it outside, but, here in Herts, I can just dream.
That's easy, I'd just buy a plant!
But they're not frost hardy and I don't have a conservatory, so tough luck for me. We don't get that much frost, but we do get some.
Burncoose Nurseries sell them, for £20 or £30, depending on size: http://www.burncoose.co.uk/site/plants.cfm?pl_id=3436&fromcategory=search=protea
And Trevena Cross Nursery have another variety, though they don't list prices on their website: http://www.trevenacross.co.uk/plant-centre/proteas/protea/protea-venusta/
Hmm, they say that some of their Leucadendrons can withstand -6C, that would be worth a try (it's £14.95 on their website).
Where are you that you can grow strelitzia?
Edit: Sorry about the links not being links, I don't seem to be able to add them for some reason.
Last edited: 29 November 2016 21:03:27
I'd buy three hellebores.
I'm very impressed by your strelitizia in Essex!
It's difficult getting some plants, isn't it. The RHS plant finder shows that the plant centre at RHS Wisley has a protea, but their special plants tend to be big and expensive in my experience (but they are good plants). If you are going to one of the big flower fairs at Wisley, it might be worth contacting the exhibitors beforehand to see if they can bring a specific plant for you. (Obviously that would only work out "cheaper" if you were going anyway.) I don't know about shows at RHS Hyde Hall, but perhaps that'd be worth looking into too.
Sounds great! I look forward to seeing the pictures. My house plants are limited to a bougainvillea (I got it this year so I have no idea if it'll survive the winter) and a cinnamon plant.
I've been reading up on proteas and some growers do say some of them are hardy to -4C. Here's a fantastic website: http://www.proteaflora.com.au/index.html (an Australian wholesaler, so no danger to our budgets!).
I bought a small plant from Amazon, it's grown about four times bigger in less than a year... (It was £30, though.) It doesn't smell of cinnamon, which was a bit disappointing, but I find it exciting to have it anyway.
So far my biggest achievement in growing from seeds are artichoke plants, fingers crossed that they survive the winter in their pots.
Interesting seeds... I bought a packet of licorice seeds from James Wong's range (they're sold by Suttons), but I haven't tried them yet.
Hi Aym , not a wish for different plants , more a wish for a bigger garden to put them in ! I could fill acres with plants i love , I keep on dreaming
It's a tropical plant (cinnamon, I mean), so it does need warmth. I think the minimum is 15 degrees C or so.
Thanks for the warning about artichokes, I definitely don't want anything sneering at me from the compost heap!
I got seeds of a supposedly smaller variety, so fingers crossed they won't be too bad. (The soil on our allotments is so bad that everything struggles, that should slow them down a bit, too.)
I know what you mean about growing from seed and cuttings and bargain plants!