Exotic Gardening UK Yorkshire Kris Episode 49

[@avengingangel2448]

Hi Kris ,I have a large seven year old trachycarpus fortunie in a 140 litre pot ,it was repotted last spring into this pot ,it is really green and has thrown out at least ten spears this year already ,I feed it twice a year ,spring and autumn with chicken manure pellets and every fortnight during summer with palm focus ,but I noticed yesterday the roots are starting to push up through the soil and out of the trunk ! It is about 8 ft high and 5 ft trunk with a circumference of about 2 ft ,have you ever seen this or heard of this before ? ? Is it because of the size it needs to be in the ground ? ?

[@YorkshireKRIS]

Hi Graham, it really does need to be in the ground at that size. Saying that they do grow lots of roots near and above soil level on the trunk as they get older. Totally normal.

[@Nhoj31neirbo47]

I helped a friend transplant 3 large Cycas revoluta this week . It’s got to be one of the heaviest plants in existence.

[@YorkshireKRIS]

They are aren't they! I don't miss moving this one around when it was in a pot.

[@Nhoj31neirbo47]

YorkshireKRIS - I was offered one. I have a good spot for it , if I keep it potted. Then I thought about having to move it occasionally. I refused their kind offer!

[@Строимдом-х4г]

Good job, having a Jubea too

[@YorkshireKRIS]

Thanks, it's my favourite palm in the garden

[@jim526]

Mine is in a pot I keep reading different things on sun light . I really like the plant but it just seems to be slowly getting less fronds . I would empty pot change soil mixture cut of roots . Basically I will try any new idea going. I have a green house if that helps with advice . Tar for any tips

[@lyonheart84]

Do the leaves go yellow on the cycad being wrapped up in the dark for several months ?

[@YorkshireKRIS]

The leaves almost always go yellow if I DONT wrap up the leaves due to frost damage. Wrapped up they've got a much better chance of the leaves surviving. If it's a really cold winter then they will go yellow.

[@lyonheart84]

@@YorkshireKRIS thanks for the reply, yes extreme cold could kill off the leaves for sure and turn them yellow or brown, although I was more interested in if the leaves went yellow from lack of light for such a long period due to no photosynthesis, after all if you cover a patch of grass for only a few days it turns yellow. My guess is the cycad doesn't yellow much as it's effectively dormant.

[@YorkshireKRIS]

@@lyonheart84 That's correct. I have kept a cycad in a garage over winter which had very little light for 5/6 months and the leaves stayed green.

[@albey1816]

Mate - That's some serious protection for a Cycad? - How cold does it get where you are? ( Typical Winter would be what -5°c to -6°c ) Maybe?

[@YorkshireKRIS]

Yes get the odd dip down to minus 5 o 6. Some winters only minus 2 or 3.

[@albey1816]

One of my favorite parts of your Garden is the Trachycarpus experiment. And the good thing is you have not lost any of them. But it is very interesting how massive the speed of growth is between the species.

[@YorkshireKRIS]

@@albey1816 Cheers, yes the growth variation is incredible. They all look very different when grown side by side.