First Year Sleep, Second Year Creep, Third Year LEAP! Planting (more) Hardy Exotics...

[@lindahughes1699]

George thank you. I love your videos. I decided after watching you, to grow a jungle garden. Now you say time is the best thing for our plants, but I'm 75 and in a hurry. 😊 I get a lot of pleasure from your garden, so I will combine the 2, yours and mine 🎉

[@tedscott1478]

Yeah, I'm with you, but I'm just a kid of 72.🥴

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you very much Linda, it's great to hear you enjoy my videos and there's absolutely nothing wrong with being in a hurry! Most of my first year here was trying to get the jungle effect quickly and it's definitely possible. It's a case of balancing out long term progress with short term results but whether your 9 or 90 there's a lot of pleasure in seeing everything develop, over the course of one season or many. I appreciate you taking the time to watch and I hope you have a lovely weekend.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Get planting those trees then Ted, you want to have a majestic canopy for your 100th birthday celebrations!

[@jasonpapworth4428]

One of the true treasures of gardening, is watching a garden grow and mature. Its wonderful nurturing and caring for it, to then then look back at photographs and see how much its come on. Then as my little baby lad grows up, i can do to dad thing and say "this 8ft tree was only 1ft when you were 3months old" 😂 To me that is one of the best things about planting small.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Jason, I couldn't agree more and I was perhaps too focused on the practicalities to make that a main point! It definitely gives me a lot of pleasure seeing everything grow year on year and I'm excited to get a lot of smaller plants in the ground over the next month while Harriet is small, knowing they'll have visibly grown by the time she's 5 and then 10 etc. That's what it's all about!

[@stevebacon1026]

Hi george . Very interesting video. Everything that looks wrecked in the winter comes back to its glory starting in spring. Down here in kent we escaped a harsh winter , not like the north! In my garden its all looking good. The tree ferns are up n running, small various ferns are growing fast , and ive just cut off the flowers /seed pods from my fortunies and waggies so i dont get a mess to deal with and to stop my yorkie from eating them when they drop!!. This doesnt hurt the palms at all. Theres a lot of things to find to do every day and when i eventually sit down to relax i always spot something else to do!! Thats the fun of it eh mate. Take care and all best to you and your family . Regards . Steve👍🌴.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Steve and thanks. I thought I'd replied but it seems to have disappeared! Yes, there's some losses but it's amazing how much life and optimism spring brings round every time. You were lucky then and to an extent we were too. It's definitely been a winter that's mixed up the North / South divide and even a lot of places which don't see severe cold have been hit a bit harder this time round too. The palms won't have a problem with the flowers being chopped off, not at all. Haha yes, it's definitely a busy time and I'm hoping to get some time out there later today after baby duties this morning! It's a pleasure to be out there when the sun is shining isn't it. Thanks Steve, you too and I hope you have a good one!

[@yvonnepattenden9232]

H George, thanks so much for reminding us of this 3 year advice. I have only an eight month old garden an am literally checking and fretting about the growth most days😂. This was the video I needed to watch, so encouraging .

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Yvonne and apologies for the delayed reply! Haha yes, I'm out there pretty much every day too, it's not just you! It's great to have a mix of summer plants and annuals to enjoy watching grow over the warmer months but then also a backdrop of structural plants which you can appreciate the growth of over a longer timescale but get a lot of satisfaction out of. Patience is definitely hard to learn though!

[@marianne9798]

I just love seeing you and your vids, so cheery and enthusiastic. Informative and I learn a lot from you. Thanks so much. Your plants are fab

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you very much Marianne, that's very kind of you. I try my best with the time I have and it's so amazing that they're appreciated!

[@Orangelionfur]

Just found your account, loving it!

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Great to have you here, thanks that's very kind of you!

[@SkyeSpirit]

Great video as usual George. Such a shame about the greenhouse...shame on them! Looking forward to seeing your garden videos in the coming months. Hope the sunken fire pit is coming along nicely 🔥🌴🌿🐝

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you very much! Yeah, very frustrating as we'd gone through a rough time and it was such good news but on the plus side, at least I didn't spend any money with them. Thanks, I'll keep trying my best! I've had a few days on the fire pit recently which is why the vids have been a bit slower (well, that and life being busy) so I'll hopefully have some real progress to share mid-June! It's coming together nicely...

[@erlendsorli3235]

Wild guess; -The Mrs. had a say about the greenhouse placement.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Haha I can see why you might say that but not at all, if they'd delivered it then it would definitely be in place!

[@missdimples1982]

I've finally moved and got a garden again, lets see if I can be brave enough to do some tropical style planting. Even if I stick to the wild cottage native style, I always love your vids George. Your garden is an oasis

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Congratulations on the new garden and thank you very much! There's rough bits and other sections I'm happy with like any garden but I enjoy the journey! I'll be mixing a few wildflowers in at the far end of my garden and the vid I've just uploaded of Mark's garden shows how you could blend in exotics with some more cottage style plants. Give it a go, I'm sure you'll do a great job and I hope you enjoy planning it and getting ideas together!

[@vincenzecalzone8666]

Hey George. Another cool video. Sorry to hear about the CIDP. It was definitely worth a shout. Lovely palms to replace it though. Interestingly my yellow-trunked chaemarops has thrived in crappy heavy clay on a north facing bed. I'm sure you'll agree genetics and luck will overcome most challenges 😂😂

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks Mr Calzone! In all honesty, don't be sorry, it was simply a gamble that didn't pay off but ultimately created opportunities. I started with a 160lt pot size, very well rooted and did everything other than create a heated enclosure which is where I draw the line (and couldn't do long term anyway) so experiment done and lessons learnt! Your yellow-trunked Chamaerops is a beauty and yes, a lot of palms are very happy when they get their roots into rich clay and moisture. That's what they prefer but here in the UK we have to balance it out with enough drainage for the winter. Obviously in your balmy location it's got the right mix, but I completely agree, taking enough chances and the genetic lottery can ultimately throw up unlikely survivors and thrivers!

[@irismoles9369]

Good advice George

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you very much Iris!

[@mrchuffy6535]

Excellent advice as always and remi digging up the path in the background!

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you! Yes haha, he's a pesky one but as I'm digging up and working on a lot of the garden this year I'm not too worried. There must be a lot of new smells for him with all the soil etc being moved!

[@mrchuffy6535]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden Linden have some Tetrapanax Rex in stock, maybe you will be allowed to make a new video now hehe

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@mrchuffy6535 Haha yes, don't worry, I've already spoken to Paul and I'm hoping to head back over very soon! The place is looking great right now, so many cool plants!

[@DJSupaflyguy]

Nothing wrong with a free greenhouse of gumtree if you’ve got the time to dismantle it.😂 Mine was an older one but fairly large so worth the effort even though it was packed into a small car an 3 trips or so.😂An 1 tip the nuts an bolts probably will break when taking them apart but can easily be sourced for £20 give or take an your good to go. 👌👌👌👌 Keep the videos an tips coming. 👌👌👌👌

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

That’s very true, there’s lots of cheap / free greenhouses if you’re willing to put the effort and ingenuity in! Long term I’m actually wanting to build a large lean-to one the other side of the shed but I thought I’d just mention it in case anyone is brave enough to watch my garden progress videos chronologically! Thanks, I’ll keep trying my best, thanks for the support 😃

[@groundedgarden1461]

That will be a nice seating area to enjoy all summer!

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks, I hope so! It gets the morning sun nice too so perfect for enjoying breakfast outside (if I was one of those people who enjoys breakfast outside 😂)

[@MarkMichalowski]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden It always seems better as an idea than in actual reality, doesn't it? Well, the reality of living in the UK, I guess... D'you find that your big tropical beauties create their own little microclimates in your garden, or d'you reckon that microclimates aren't really a thing?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@MarkMichalowski It does but for the one or two times a year you might try it it's absolutely worth it! There's definitely microclimates and they can't be under or overestimated but most of this area of our garden is cooler because of the shade of the cherry trees. The far end which gets full sun is hotter, but also frostier in winter.

[@Amylynchdesign]

My phoenix didn't make it either. My cordylines are just starting to recover and my musas went back to ground (despite wrapping them up) but they are already roaring back to life 😌

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Sorry to hear about your Phoenix, it was a tough winter that maybe revealed a lot of over-optimistic plant choices! Well, it did for me... I'm pleased to hear your Musa basjoo are bouncing back, mine are here too, great to see although I wish they'd hurry up haha!

[@cindyrichards9471]

Hi George, you have been gone a long time, too long.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Cindy, yes I’ve had a busy few weeks unfortunately. I’d love to be able to upload a couple of videos every week, especially at this time of year but have to juggle, you know how it is. Thanks for not forgetting about me 😂

[@brendapowis2050]

Totally agree Cindy

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@brendapowis2050 Haha it was only 3 weeks but had some family stuff to do and more excitingly for the channel, I've made some real garden progress I'll be sharing very soon! It's great to know I was missed though, I appreciate all the support so much.

[@J0shFick]

Great video thanks George - looking forward to a garden walk-through now that everything's growing!

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks Josh! I’m working on the return of the fire pit soon (finally!) but might do a walk through of the jungle area soon if time allows. Less of a summer ‘display’ this year but a few interesting plants going in and lessons learned!

[@ARW.7]

I found bargain about 3 months ago in a reputable garden centre that was a Trachy fortunei with a strong trunk a good half metre with fairly yellow leaves and a bit battered from winter. (Because it wasn’t visually looking great I managed to get it for £50 which to me for a 60cm trunk was a steal). I’ve had it in a new pot since and I’m hoping what is going on is exactly this as the shoot that was popping out when I bought it still hasn’t moved yet. I’m hopeful this thing will thrive soon and was worth the purchase 🤞🏼

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Nice one, that sounds like a good buy for that trunk size! They're definitely one of the faster palms to bounce back so hopefully with some Palm Focus or similar fertiliser you'll see some greener leaves and growth out of it very soon! Fingers crossed for you.

[@ARW.7]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden cheers George, that’s a good shout! Congrats too on hitting the 10k subs! (Although a little belated as you’ve gone past that a fair bit! 🎊)

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@ARW.7 Thanks! Yes it's been great to have so much support! I haven't been able to make as many videos as I'd like recently but there'll be more on the way very soon.

[@DonMurrayYT]

Good to hear from you George. Spot on with the sleep creep and leap thing. I’ve moved my front garden over to a jungle garden this year (enclosed and partially shady, returning the back to a cottage garden (a lot of work and a lot of new plants,) so I’m taking a step back to move forward. I have lots of small plants and lots of bare earth. I do though, have lots of annuals grown from seed and cuttings, so hopefully it’ll be bearable. Hope you and the family are well. Incidentally, Washingtonias, yes or no?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks for watching as always Don! We're all well thanks and I hope you are too. Pleased to hear your developing your garden too and I'm very much with you in the taking steps back to make steps forward as that's definitely what's happening here this year. It's always amazing what annuals and cuttings can do over a summer and you can change it round to your hearts content later on. As for Washingtonias, up here I wouldn't plant one out, no, just a step too far unfortunately. Cornwall or central London and you may have a decent chance!

[@DonMurrayYT]

Thought so mate. I’m fairly far up into Essex and in a rural location too. A waggy it is then.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@DonMurrayYT Apologies for the delayed reply, I'd go down that route. A different size of palm admittedly but a better long term prospect and it'll look more pristine with less worry than a Washy would!

[@TheSidney78]

Another great video George. Always looking forward to the next one. 👍🏻

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you very much Stuart, I appreciate it!

[@shineamenmbs3107]

A lot of beauties here (Palms, bamboos..). Everyone look so beautiful, that Borinda papyrifera to name one...😍 Yes for sure, the root system is the beginning of everything, like the base of the Great Pyramid... I can't agree more with the idea of planting rather small plants in general! Great description (and video...) as always! All the best mon cher George!💚☀🌴

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you very much Bernard! We're definitely at that time of year now when you can look forwards to everything going from strength to strength. I hope your balcony is looking colourful and vibrant!

[@garethvanderwesthuyzen6420]

You're absolutely right George. This will be our third year growing exotics and I have definitely noticed a difference. The only exception has been my Gunnera. Was planted out in Autumn, and in 9 months has easily become the largest plant in the garden.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Great to hear you agree and I'm with you on the Gunnera! They're definitely a plant that seems to settle in very quickly and rapidly grows away from there! I hope everything else also sizes up nicely for you over the summer.

[@heatherfindler6950]

Hi George. Another great informative video. I think we are all in the same boat this year,with losing plants. I am certainly starting with young plants again . The mantra is 100% true. This weekend is supposed to be glorious here in the North West so I will be out planting and taking your advice! 👍

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Heather and thank you very much! Yes, it's definitely been a challenging winter but I guess you have to live and learn and appreciate the new opportunities it presents. Great to hear, I'll hopefully be in the garden most of tomorrow too so hopefully we both have a great day with loads of sun!

[@melaniesheppard778]

Realism! Love it! ❤

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks Melanie! Yes, it's definitely a case of balance isn't it but seeing everything grow really does bring a lot of satisfaction over the years!

[@o000omusico000o]

Hi George i always enjoy your videos and yep i have 3 date palms that have spear pull and 3 are 4 years old so am a bit gutted about it but I'm not digging them out yet going to wait and see if a leaf comes out .and i had a swarm of bees in out roof in old house and when the queen left so did all the bees and i have to say its the most scariest thing i ever heard close to me lol, and yes my to trachycarpus Fortunei that i have are really coming on now thanks for taking the time to share your hard work in your garden ,kay

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Kay and sorry to hear about your date palms but hopefully with a bit of warmth over the next week they have a revival! Wow, I bet that was scary inside the house, I wouldn't want to be anywhere close to them when they're swarming! Hopefully everything grows well for you now we're getting some sunshine!

[@michaelcoles7588]

❤ love your garden

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you very much Michael! This is definitely going to be a year of working on it rather than producing a summer display but it's all part of the journey!

[@flamingmonkey]

Hey George, we lost our phoenix this year too so it’s reassuring to know we are in good company 😊. I definitely believe that three year mantra, I can already see it this year with some established plants shooting up

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Niall, sorry to hear that, unfortunately it was a test to far for them up here! I really noticed it with the ferns here too, they're so much bigger than last year. It's such a pleasure to see everything (that's survived!) develop.

[@flamingmonkey]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden Yes, it's great to see plants bounce back, Keep up the good work 👍

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@flamingmonkey Definitely Neil. Apologies for the delayed reply but cheers! I've been a bit steady at uploading recently but I'll be sharing some of the planting I've been doing very soon!

[@barry6717]

Cheers for sharing

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks for watching as always Barry 😃

[@Handles_AreStupid]

I've been doing a lot of research into tropical plants for a border I want to put together. I was wondering if you have ever seen people use more ordinary plants in these styles of borders? I always look at them and wonder why people don't use things like rhubarb, asparagus or even strawberry as these all have a very tropical appeal in certain aspects. Could you make an entirely edible/food crop "tropical" esc border? That might be a fun challenge...

[@pansepot1490]

You don’t have watched a lot of videos on tropic gardens for temperate climate, do you? The advice that is constantly given is to supplement the more tender exotic specimens with plenty of “ordinary plants” that either for leaf shape/size or colour fit well in the tropical theme.

[@Handles_AreStupid]

@@pansepot1490 I've watched plenty of videos on the topic. I'm yet to see any of the plants I mentioned to make an appearance. When they say "ordinary plants" they usually just name the odd bedding plant. None of the videos I've seen actually make a center piece out of an "ordinary plant".

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi and if you have a look back through some of my older vids from 2021, you might see some veg making it's way into my garden! Rhubarb, asparagus and strawberry are all great ideas, how about sweetcorn, marrows and pumpkins too! I like the idea of an edible tropical border challenge and I'd say it's definitely achievable, the overall exotic effect often comes from how you pack the plants in so as long as you have height, colour and big leaves it'll look cool I'm sure. As for ordinary plants, check out some of my garden tours and you'll see loads. My garden would look bare if it wasn't for the Hostas, ferns, Heucheras, grasses, bulbs and hylotelephiums etc tying it all together. There's plenty of complimentary plants you can grow and I seem to remember listing a good few in my 50 exotic plant ideas video if it helps.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Panse Pot and don't worry, it could be that a lot of the research was maybe done offline or in books etc. It's great that there's so many growers on KZbin now having success with all kinds of plants isn't it!

[@MarkMichalowski]

If only I had some patience. Maybe I could try growing some - hehehe. In good news... - eight of the 12 ricinus zanzibariensis seeds I bought off ebay have grown to at least 15cm in my USB-heated mini greenouse (it's taken about a month). I've moved two onto a windowsill to help harden them off. When d'you reckon they'll be ready for outdoors, George? And how tall d'you think they should be before I put them in the ground? If it helps, I'm in Yorkshire (not that being in Yorkshire normally helps with anything... LOL) - one of the six ricinus communis seeds (also ebay, different supplier) is about 10cm, no sign of anything from the other five. Again, it's been about a month - should I give up hope on them? Or maybe take them out of the heat of the greenhouse? - not a single one of the 50 gunnera manicata seeds has grown, even after a month. Not a _single_ bloody one! ++sob++ The tray is still in the mini-greenhouse, though - I read someone on the interwebs suggesting putting them in the fridge for a few days before trying again, but I don't remember seeing you mention that, and you're the go-to guy for these things :) Any thoughts or suggestions? PS Making that a seating area is a great idea - you're nice and sheltered and get to see down the garden to the left. What's the opposite side of that clearing look like? (I've probably seen it on one of your videos, but like Monty Don's garden, I don't have a clear mental map of where things are. Actually, I suspect Monty's garden is like the inside of the TARDIS: infinite, with a new bit getting created whenever he fancies a new challenge!)

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Haha yes, patience is definitely easier said than done! Good to hear about all your progress, I'll try and help where I can below: - Good work on the Ricinus. They'd potentially be alright outside now but I'd use this warmer weather to harden them off somewhere sheltered outside but not have them exposed to any chillier nights over the next couple of weeks. I'd say when they're around a foot tall is fine to have them outside but again, I've planted them out from 9cm pots at half that size and also at a couple of feet tall and they've both grown away OK. I'd definitely treat them as more tender than Ensete etc though but hopefully this next week will warm the soil nicely. As for the others, I'd keep them where they are and hopefully you see some growth soon. - I wouldn't beat yourself up on the Gunnera, I've not grown them from seed myself but I believe the seed has to be fresh and not tried out to have a good chance. I'm not sure I'd chill them at this time but keep them somewhere bright, humid and warm but not roasting in the sun and hopefully something comes through soon. - Thanks, the opposite side is a mixture of plants and next door's cherry trees. I don't quite have the cavernous TARDIS space Monty has haha but it's maybe because I try to focus on the bits I've worked on and not the rest of the mess when I do my vids! I'll try and have some wider tours showing more of the space soon. I hope you have a great weekend!

[@MarkMichalowski]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden Evenin' Mr G! Just wanted to say thanks so much for answering my numerous pestery posts, especially when you have so many other messages and questions to comment on. Your replies are probably more valued than you realise, cos to those of us just starting out on our jungle adventures, you're actually well on with yours, and we've seen the results of your journey - and they're bloody lovely! :) Cheers mister!

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@MarkMichalowski Hi and thanks very much! Apologies for the late reply, we went away and then I've been been very well but getting caught up now! I always try to get back to everyone (usually quicker) because I think if they've taken the time to watch my vids then they deserve a reply but it's always great to hear that my vids have helped people. I hope everything grows well for you this year!

[@roguedungeondelver5738]

Look at that Growth.! George I've managed to get a Sago Palm Cycas Revoluta, keeping it indoor, just incase with freak temperature shifts. What type of potting soil is best, free draining a tiny bit of acid soil or any houseplant mix. Thank you.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Killian, apologies for the delayed reply as work and life have been busy! It's great to see how fast a lot of the bamboo plants have grown since this vid, they're doing so well. Hopefully you saw my other vid reply but I think in any of those options would work well to allow good drainage and a slow release of nutrients.

[@roguedungeondelver5738]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden I did thanks again George.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@roguedungeondelver5738 Nice one, no worries!

[@tedscott1478]

Hi again George, @17:24 'ish you mention a cover of organic matter to cover / feed the bamboo plants. I've just got bark chippings there at the the moment but would grass clippings over the top help do you think? Or would I need to remove the bark chippings then put down the grass clippings and then re-lay the bark? Also, I forgot to ask about progress on the fire pit.🤔🙂

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Ted, your bark chippings will help to trap moisture and keep it looking good for sure. I tend to treat the area under them as a compost heap after seeing Simon Olpin do that with his. I suppose you could remove the bark, put the grass clippings down then put it back to create an organic matter lasagne but in all honesty it's completely up to you whether you want it looking neat and tidy right now or a slightly more improved soil going forwards. It won't make a huge difference in the scheme of things and personally I put a load of the chopped leaves under them in autumn when it doesn't matter. As for the fire pit, I'm trying to get an hour or so out there later on the evenings now so progress is happening and my vid series will start back mid-June. Doing the most I can with the time I have so hopefully it'll be a big step on!

[@tropicalfishuk9255]

Lost my phoenix in Sheffield too ☹️ great video as always!! Where was the plastic membrane from? Looks better then using polycarbonate sheets

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks and sorry to hear you lost your Phoenix as well, unfortunately we're going to get winters that ruin our Mediterranean delusions now and again but you live and learn. They're tricky to get out but easier now than in 10 years time! The rhizome barrier was from Todd's Botanics (Amazon / eBay), it's not cheap stuff but absolutely essential for running bamboos. Polycarbonate sheets won't stop them long term and will likely disintegrate just as the bamboo is up to full strength and ready to break free! I'll do a separate vid on it but definitely worth putting the effort in.

[@rickc1798]

Hi George, love your videos. Im from north lincs too, I've just ordered a 5ft fern palm and plan to pot it on my west facing garden to give it some shade and shelter, it will get sun from 11 onwards. I plan to get a pot from the big pot man in Appleby, is the bigger pot the better ? I'm so nervous about getting the right location in my garden, is it just trial and error?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Rick and thanks! Nice one on the tree fern. They do want a good sized pot, yes, and in a pot you really need to be on top of the watering. I wouldn’t worry so much about the location, I’m sure it’ll be fine with a good amount of water. The more sun it gets the more water it’ll need but it’ll appreciate a nice sheltered spot if possible 👍

[@rickc1798]

Thanks for the reply, I have just installed an irrigation system for my planters and will put a sprayer on the fern or was thinking of a popular sprinkler on a mist setting

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@rickc1798 Sounds like a good plan! If you've already gone for the irrigation then yes, putting a sprayer on the fern will be a great idea. They don't need to be sat in water or anything but a regular spraying and good humidity will definitely help it out.

[@fraserdavidson2366]

Another informative video George many thanks. I am curious.. Will it be a jungle style seat/bench 🤔

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks Fraser! It'll just be left as concrete now then I'll probably pave it or mosaic it eventually but I don't want to tie it to anything too permanent just yet. I like the idea of being able to move a table and chairs there or maybe have a little hut for Harriet in the future so as much as I'd like it sorted, there's no rush and I'm sure it'll evolve over time!

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Obviously whatever goes there may have a certain jungle vibe to it I'm sure!

[@PaulConnor100]

Great video as usual George, that concrete area would make a nice setting area surrounding by palms. I got my Ensete Maurallii but unfortunately I could only get 60cm because of exporting! 😫 what tips would you give for maximum impact this year.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks Paul, I hope so! 60cm is a good size to start with. A sunny spot with good rich soil, feeding every couple weeks and plenty of water are all you need, they're rapid growers!

[@PaulConnor100]

@George’s Jungle Garden Thanks mate 👍

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@PaulConnor100 No worries, good luck with it!

[@MarkMichalowski]

Ah, the irony of a phoenix palm NOT coming back to life... And stop trying to make us all feel better that we don't have gardens like yours, George. It's not going to work. LOL If I didn't love ya so much, I'd hate ya! :)

[@MrGroovyHouse-fe4cw]

Yeah, I thought the same thing about the palm. And if I didn't love George so much, I'd find out where he lives - and steal all his plants in the middle of the night!💚

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Haha yes Mark, that's a fairly obvious comment I should have made if I'd had more sleep haha! Believe me, there's a lot of the garden that's a proper builders yard haha, this year it's definitely going to be messier than ever but it'll all be worth it in the end. Like everything, with hard work and time it'll happen!

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Haha why do you think I got my big plants in the ground so quickly after we moved in @MrGroovyHouse, can't have those rolling off in the middle of the night!

[@OssyDL]

Great video and glad to see you back.when you say start small how small we talking? Is strap leaf too small?Also can i ask where you find these palms? I live about 20 mins away from the palm tree company but everything seems to be out of stock for some reason

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks Danny. In terms of palms, Trachycarpus fortunei for example, I'd put in the ground a plant with a bit of a base and maybe 5 adult palmate leaves or so in a 5 / 10lt size. That's a good compromise between them not being vulnerable, them settling well and time / cost too. You'll see when I begin my fire pit vids next month, most of them are that size.

[@OssyDL]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden thanks George. Keeps deleting my reply lol

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@OssyDL No worries haha. Sometimes it keeps doing that, no idea why!

[@helenadatta1055]

Hi George, Can you help please? I have a tracycarpus about 7 foot trunk, that many years ago\( about 15 ) I planted next to bamboos. Well, the bamboos have surrounded it , and its not doing very well now. Do you think I move it ? If so how and when? I know you moved lots of palms when you moved house so any advice would be very welcome! Love all your videos , keep them coming please

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Helena and apologies for the delayed reply. Do you actually want to move the Trachycarpus or is it just that it's struggling? Are you happy with the bamboo where it is?

[@helenadatta1055]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden HI George , thank you so much for replying. The bamboo is now huge. I would say even massive!, so moving the bamboo isn't an option. So it looks to me like it's strangling the life out of my poor trachycarpus. I have another planted at the same time , a few yards away and its almost twice the size. So I think if I don't move it , it might just give up the fight. Not sure I will be able to cut through the bamboo to get to the roots of the trancycarpus, but any ideas would be very very welcome! Thanks again , you're a star!

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@helenadatta1055 No worries Helena! I get you and it's a bit of a tricky one. If the other palm has grown significantly better like you say then I'd probably agree that the bamboo has caused a lot of the issues but equally moving a palm like that is going to set it back for a good few years. It's not going to be an easy job but something like a Rootslayer spade or even a saw can really help chop through roots and bamboo rhizomes if you do decide to move it. It might be worth waiting until cooler, wetter weather in autumn before making up your mind but it could also be worth planting some more smaller palms in the mean time? That's never a bad idea haha!

[@helenadatta1055]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden Any excuse to buy more palms is a good idea! But I will do as you suggest and wait until autumn...I have the Rootslayer on order! Thanks ever so !

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@helenadatta1055 No worries, happy to help and good luck with it!

[@carolesmith1079]

George I am heartbroken,my two tree ferns havnt made it through the winter they were 3ft high and I protected the crowns, my thoughts now would it be possible to buy two very small ones and plant them on top as when I cut the fronds off it made a kind of cradle, look forward to your reply,love from somerset.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Carole and sorry to hear about your tree ferns, a couple of mine look dodgy too.What temperatures did you get down to and is it possible that the uppermost croziers in the crown have gone black and brittle but there's potentially life underneath? It could be worth an explore first. Personally I'd go for a tougher ground fern if you're looking to do that, in all honesty it's not the optimal environment as it would restrict the root system of the replacement and keep it raised up from the damp soil. I hope there's some good news but it definitely was a challenging winter for a lot of the country.

[@rstabij]

George , how much m2 did you use for your huangwhenzu bamboo?it looks so small for such a big bamboo.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi, it's definitely small for a big timber bamboo, you're completely right. I know it will restrict the growth and potentially aureosulcata would be a better choice if buying new plants but at least I can divide and remove sections when it fills the space and move them onto other gardens. I've got a larger vivax further up so hopefully it'll be a nice visual link between the two sections.

[@bigkino9194]

What’s the latest on the back of the yard?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

I've had a couple of days out there and I'm managing to get a bit of evening time out there so some progress is being made and the vids will be back mid-June! I'm looking forward to it coming together, just juggling a lot currently.

[@bigkino9194]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden I truly love your videos. You are great at it! Max and Remi are adorable also lol.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@bigkino9194 Thanks and apologies for the delayed reply! I enjoy making them but it's also great to hear that they're appreciated. Max and Remi have their pesky moments, believe me!

[@nikkiayres100]

My tree fern definitely hasn't made it, you any idea if grafting a small one ontop will work?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Nikki, sorry to hear that, what low temperatures did you see? When you say definitely, have you checked the crown for any knuckles lower down? I’ve seen the grafting done before but unfortunately the trunk isn’t the idea environment for a new fern to root in without a lot of moisture. Maybe dry a tougher ground fern that can cope with dry shade but obviously only if you’re 100% sure your fern sadly hasn’t made it.

[@nikkiayres100]

@George’s Jungle Garden thanks for the response George. How do I check further down? I put my finger in and I can feel knuckles towards the top but they are squishy. Is there any way I would be able to remove these for the next lot of fronds to possibly come through? We saw pretty low temperatures and snow. Not sure about temps but I live on the suffolk Essex boarder so it wouldn't have gotten as cold as up north. I do have a timer watering system so keeping it moist isn't an issue

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@nikkiayres100 Hi Nikki and apologies for the delayed reply. You should be able to feel a firm knuckle curled up, covered in the softer hair, usually when they've been zapped by the cold they can go brittle and black. If there's anything properly soft and squishy I'd carefully remove it and maybe there's a chance the plant will recover, I hope so.

[@OssyDL]

Hi George wonder if you can help i have a cycas revoluta chopped all its leaves off last year as they were all dead but nothing is coming back the stump is about the size of a large grapefruit from asda and is still firm it has spikes at the top but when i gently open them and peek inside i cant see any green. Should i give up on it or can these come back after so long without foliage.not much experience with these so wondered if you did

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Danny, I've had this previously and removed the foliage. I then flooded the plant with a lot of water and fertiliser to simulate the monsoon climate which I believe encourages them to flush in their habitat. I don't know what temperatures / conditions yours saw but it's definitely worth a go. Be patient though, they're slow to get on with it but I hope you see some growth very soon!

[@OssyDL]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden thanks George i shall give that a go. And apologies for all the questions its just hard finding answers on Google the never seem to answer the question and just tell you random facts lol

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@OssyDL No worries, happy to help! I always check out the Growing on the Edge forum or the Facebook groups etc whenever I have a specific plant issue or question - relevant experience definitely means a lot more than random Google facts haha!