Musa Basjoo, Gunnera Manicata, Ensete & Tetrapanax Early Spring Update & Care Tips

[@gutplato]

As a substitute to gunnera I grow ornamental rhubarb-rheum palmatum gives the same pre-historic look and feel as a gunnera but on a somewhat smaller plant but a more realiable plant for hardiness in my canadian climate. Love the videos and enjoy the progress of your garden!

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

That is another great option you’re right, along with Rodgersia and some of the bigger Hostas too 👍 Thank you very much and happy gardening this year!

[@doreencremer]

Thanks for such comprehensive information on tropical gardening as this is the first year that I decided on the tropical theme for my garden.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you Doreen, it’s great to know it’s helpful! That’s amazing, how are your tropical garden plans coming on?

[@davidcockneymackem929]

Brilliant. Your videos are extremely informative. Much appreciate your step-by-step guidance for us novices. Thanks George.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks David, I’m glad they come across that way and I try to put balanced plus tried and tested methods forward where I can! 😃

[@Garnetspagrud]

Such great info- thanks.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you 😃

[@nathanboutcher4690]

Another great video George thank you 🙏 have you done a dividing a gunnera? I have one in a 150ltr pot and it needs splitting. Thanks 👍

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you very much Nathan! I haven't as yet, maybe next year but honestly, it's mega easy, just get a spade in there and split it up as cleanly as you can (cutting a small offset crown off, not the main crown in two). I've done it before and they recover quick and grow away reliably in my experience.

[@nathanboutcher4690]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden thank you when is the best time to do this as I'm in Kent and it's well on its way lol

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@nathanboutcher4690 I'd go for it around now-late April to be fair, cool enough for it to recover but warm enough for it to be growing away.

[@nathanboutcher4690]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden thanks I'll have a go at the weekend I'll let you know how I get on 🙏

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@nathanboutcher4690 Nice one, no worries!

[@iAM_B4TM4N]

Nice video, I’m from north Lincs too, and happy my Tree Fern seems to have survived its first winter as I see lots of growth coming through

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks, that’s excellent! Is it a new one you bought last year?

[@iAM_B4TM4N]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden yea I bought a young Dicksonia in a 1.5l pot in September last year and was unsure if it’d survive as I didn’t really protect it much, it’s situated in a damp shady corner of my garden and most the fronds have gone brown, i watered it over the nice few days we had last week and I see lots of new growth unfurling which has me hyped

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@iAM_B4TM4N Great to hear it’s survived, they are quite tender at that size. Just keep it sheltered for the next week as the cold can easily damage the new growth.

[@iAM_B4TM4N]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden will do thnx for the tip

[@williambrown-pt6oo]

My favorite videos to watch to get my inspired for my new tropical garden on Vancouver Island Canada. Keep up the great work buddy!!

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Will, I thought I'd replied to this but it's not showing, good luck with your project - tropical gardens in unexpected places are the best!

[@rizmirza1829]

Love your passion, I really enjoy banana palms and exotics. Surrey wasn't kind to my Mureli. I fleeced it, covered it up. It was mush. but it's all learning. Thanks for taking the time to do this.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you! Sorry to hear that, like you say it’s all learning and at least it’s not too expensive to replace in time for this summer. I’m pleased to hear the videos are appreciated, I hope you have a great weekend 😃

[@mylesstewartirvine2355]

Good accurate info. Appreciated.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you Myles 👍

[@rowenahamilton6587]

I live in northern Ireland and homebargains sell miss banjo here. They are lovely plants

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Nice one, they sell them in certain shops here too. They are indeed, one of the most amazing looking hardy tropical plants 😃

[@rowenahamilton6587]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden George do you think I could plant some now and overwinter when frost comes in? Love your videos btw you have a natural gift at communicating

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@rowenahamilton6587 Thank you very much. Personally at this time of year, I’d keep them potted, maybe move them into a greenhouse etc for their first winter. They’re not as hardy when they’re young plants.

[@okantichrist]

I’d like to meet miss Banjo one day 😂 👨🏼‍🌾

[@essex999x]

Amazing video. your knowledge is amazing! my first year of my tropical garden. very excited

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you so much! Yes, it’s definitely an exciting time of year, I can’t wait til all the tropical plants are out and growing away and I bet you can’t either!

[@markzebers7315]

New to tropical gardening (any gardening to be exact!), found your channel, really useful information, I'm exited to see your garden in the summer! Slightly concerned..got a Gunnera ,huge alien looking pod thing!..and have tiny postage stamp size garden..now after seeing you space out those tiny Gunneras in preparation for massive growth...think I may have jumped in at the deep end !

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you! So am I, plenty to do before then though! It will get big but if you check out LeedsTropicalShadeGarden on Instagram or find his bit on Gardeners World last month you’ll see they can still work in smaller gardens!

[@Bee-io3id]

Another great video looking forward to some of the how to videos some seed sowing would be excellent 🤩

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you! There probably won’t be too many this year but I’ll try to cover some plants at least 😃

[@NinjaTeaDrinker]

22c 31st March, gosh I hope it's the same this year! It's been a long wet and dull winter of 23/24 hasn't it? 😊

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

That would certainly be very welcome wouldn't it! I'm looking forward to seeing 16c this Sunday but then things get chilly again next week so a return to actual spring weather would be amazing and so appreciated after this winter. You're right, it's not been the coldest winter but dull is the word - I can't remember a winter where I've been so enthusiastically looking forwards to spring! Good luck with all your spring garden plans!

[@NinjaTeaDrinker]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden we have a raised bed along a fence to start this weekend, very excited to see it finished

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Nice one, there's nothing like the first proper project of the year to get into the swing of things. Enjoy and good luck with it!

[@dchalkie]

Thank you 👍

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks for watching 😃

[@TropicalJungleIreland]

Hi George, have you divided ensete banana's when you cut back the leaves to increase the numbers.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi, personally I haven’t because I value my larger plants and small plants are relatively cheap in spring. I know Yorkshire Kris has had success doing it with his though 😃

[@lesleyirvine9304]

This was really helpful. I planted a new small gunnera manicata and covered it with my banana plant leaves and mulch . It hasnt come back , i covered it late october but didnt cut the leaves of as they were tiny . Do you think it has a chance of being alive . I rummaged in the mulvh snd coildnt find the corm , so i think it might have rotted away .

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks! That’s disappointing to hear, I guess it just have been really small then as they’re usually quite tough! I’d definitely have a proper check this weekend but worst case is that it’s a good time of year to get a new plant in in a few weeks 👍

[@proudarmedreadytobugaloode6295]

Central Kentucky US. Have seen bananas 20 ft tall that are in places it is obvious nothing besides cutting them back is done to overwinter. I believe this is zone 6. We get below 0f temps.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

That’s fantastic, a lot of people leave them unprotected here too without issues. Unfortunately there’s a lot of differences between US and UK climates when it comes to overwintering, both in terms of survival and summer growth. We get nowhere near the heat you do in summer for example so it’s often worth protecting here to keep the height on bananas etc or to prevent damage to palms that may take years to grow out.

[@colincruickshanks7578]

Even sheltered warmer urban gardens get a bit of a hammering if a summer storm comes in off the Atlantic. So why don't Tetrapanax with leaves the size of windmills get totally wrecked? Especially when they become tall.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Colin, to be honest I think they’re relatively flexible and windproof, they’re also held horizontally which helps. I’m sure extreme conditions might damage some leaves but they grow strongly in summer anyway.

[@waynepeake5683]

George ive just had 3 Ensete ventricosum Maurelli in 9cm pots about a foot tall .. do i leave them in them pots in a garage or repot them up what about watering them ? ,mine didnt survive the over winter hope your good and the little pup

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Sorry to hear about your Ensete Wayne, they’re always a bit tricky when small so you’ve really got to focus on fattening them up! I’d keep them inside as houseplants to give them a head start now, water every week or so and keep them somewhere bright. We’re all good thanks, I hope you are too!

[@waynepeake5683]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden yes all good cheers thanks for info isnt time you started to do some videos pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@waynepeake5683 Nice one. I’ve been doing videos every week 😂 More frequent uploads coming up though and Max might make an appearance!

[@larrydemonte2218]

Is it safer to cut them down to dry and dry storage or leave then in ground ? I do live in cold winters

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

The Ensete? I’d definitely recommend bringing them in. There’s a video all about their winter care on my channel which I hope you’ll find helpful 😊

[@EJRYON47]

Do you think Gunnera Monicata would grow in zone 9 Florida?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

The potential issue with a Florida climate is the heat - I know they’re native to Brazil but even on hot sunny UK days they wilt slightly. Maybe planted next to water or in a very boggy area they’d grow like crazy though… I’m not sure, my gut feeling is they might struggle but maybe worth a go!

[@ARW.7]

Great vid again George! For the Musa’s, when you first unwrap them and you mentioned cutting them back until you get the firm trunk - is it a case of just simply slicing it off at an angle?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks! Yeah, just chop them straight through, nothing too precise. Might as well wait until after next week now but as soon as it warms up you should see the middle roller pushing up after a few days.

[@maple494]

21°C ?!?!?!?!?+ holy moly the warmest weather we've gotten is 10°C

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

I know, the warmest March day for over 50 years so very unusual! Back down to a cold spell this next week with a couple of days only just getting above 5 or 6 degrees and -2 at night though!

[@bobcharlie7982]

How much do you water your gunera? I need to replant mine in a more moisture retentive soil. Last summer i was watering it a heck of alot. My misses didnt like the water bill hahaa

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Oh dear! They need a lot of water but as you say, it’s all about having it in the right spot to make life easy! Mulch with manure after a good watering and that will help reduce the amount of water required this year and help the soil’s structure and water absorption abilities going forwards too.

[@B4dlands]

Excellent video again George - Musa Basjoo - would you recommend buying or grow from seed? cheers!

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you! They can’t be grown from seed so definitely buy a small plant but they do grow quickly 👍

[@stephenkeeble6857]

Hi mate any advise on chamaerops and robusta spear pull? Palms took a doing up here in Scotland got some hydrogen peroxide ordered but any advice would be appreciated 👍

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi, it sounds like you’re already on the right track with the hydrogen peroxide. What low temperatures did you see and by robusta do you mean a Washingtonia?

[@stephenkeeble6857]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden lol was really cold on the west coast here talking lows of -4 to -7 at times should have protected at end of November yeah washingtonia's got 2 with spear pull will pour 3% peroxide in and Hope for the best 🤞cheers for ur help mate 👍

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@stephenkeeble6857 Ouch! In all honesty, Washingtonia is a very borderline palm for maybe 95% of the UK, so they’ll definitely need winter protection in Scotland. They don’t like being wrapped up for long periods though. On the plus side, they grow quickly so as long as they’ve survived should bounce back well.

[@steverichardson4374]

Iv got rostrata robust and the middle seams two be grown a flower or at least its like a egg like shape

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

It definitely sounds like it’s on its way to flowering then! Impressive things to see but the plant can look a bit messy afterwards until it gets growing strongly again.

[@steverichardson4374]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden thanks mate should I leve it out or bring it nearer house

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@steverichardson4374 I don’t have any experience with Rostrata Robusta but it can’t hurt bringing it closer to shelter if it’s potted and not too difficult to do.

[@steverichardson4374]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden thanks mate yes it's in a big pot let you no how it goes 😀

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@steverichardson4374 Nice one, it's a plan.

[@worldworstgamerbudgiesmugg1404]

Hey George, new to gardening and loving your vids. I see your from north Lincolnshire, so am I so my question is where would you purchase any plants from? Or do you order online? I’m based in scunthorpe but willing to travel abit, definitely want to get some musa basjoo and enste ven maurelii to add to the garden.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi and thank you! Scunthorpe is just down the road 👍 If you check out my Where to Buy Tropical Plants video I go through the places I actually use for all the different sorts, I don’t get a lot from local garden centres. Vertigrow near York is well worth a trip though (I got most of my Ensetes from there) and Kirton Garden centre has a good few exotics in.

[@vincenzecalzone8666]

Great video George. Super info. I find one of the most interesting thing about exotic gardening in the uk is that gambling element. Trying to work out what your own individual climate can take, when you can take risks, when you can't. Even in the NE uk I still find it amazing what we can easily grow with very little effort. Especially when we compate to other climates even on continental Europe. Cheers mate👍

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks, it’s appreciated as always! Definitely, you always have some unexpected wins and other losses but you certainly learn with borderline plants what difference a degree makes. As you say it’s very easy to take Trachycarpus etc for granted when in reality we can grow incredible gardens full of exotics that should survive the vast majority of our mild winters, usually any failures are when we’ve got a bit carried away...

[@annekebattenhaussen6535]

I covet a Gunnera Manicata. Not available in Namibia🥺

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

They are amazing plants but would they grow well for you? They don’t enjoy it too hot...

[@deborahlee1072]

Oh no! Another cold spell this Easter weekend - right after the heatwave 🙀

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

I know, I might cover a few things up but hopefully it doesn’t set too many things back. It happened in early May last year and made a right mess!

[@peca1n]

If you have Tetrapanax behind your tree ferns does this mean they can grow in a shady border? I thought they needed sun?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

They should be quite easy going, they definitely don’t need full sun. They’ll have grown through the tree ferns by next year anyway and have a bit more light but they’re pretty adaptable plants.

[@larrydemonte2218]

What are some signs that Ensete banana tree is not doing well?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

In early spring you don't want to see signs of rot or a mushy stem plus deformed or yellowing leaves can be a sign that the plant needs chopping back or feed given.

[@bobcharlie7982]

Do you do a job where you wear a headset by anychance?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

😂 Nope, that’s literally how my hair grows after it’s been cut short with the clippers!

[@bobcharlie7982]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden i used to wear a head set and my hair would be the same! Hahaha

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@bobcharlie7982 😂 I’m just unlucky to have this clumpy mess!

[@bobcharlie7982]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden lots of bald men would love your hair ha

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@bobcharlie7982 I’m ‘enjoying’ it while it’s here!

[@foiler666]

Will you protect any of your plants with this cold weather on Monday?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

The Gunneras I will do, the Tetrapanax, Basjoo and Japanese maples already leafing out might get hit a bit but it’s just the way it’s worked out this year unfortunately! Nothing tender is out yet.

[@Jdnfbdbjf]

Shame this weather isn’t here to stay

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Definitely, it would have been amazing over the weekend so I could have enjoyed it in the garden! 😂

[@Jdnfbdbjf]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden fortunately I’m still off work so I got to enjoy it but I’ve had a cold so I couldn’t stay out long before getting tired

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@Jdnfbdbjf Sorry to hear that, at least you got a bit of sun. A little taste of what’s to come in a month or so hopefully!

[@Jdnfbdbjf]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden yes fingers crossed this colder weather doesn’t stick around

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@Jdnfbdbjf I’d rather get it out of the way for sure, we had a -2 in early May last year and it made a right mess of the Acers and a lot of new growth!

[@rinasantos1696]

I hope your intro is not too long.its taking a lot of talking instead of showing the plants

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi, apologies if you found it to be too long. It’s always tricky finding a balance on KZbin between giving context for regular viewers and the immediate answers others might be looking for but I try to create the mix I’d watch myself.

[@paulnickson4684]

Hi George great video can you tell me what soil types gunnera like I have claying soil . and are thea OK with the sun .and are you doing a video on your planting so we can see how to plant them in what type of soils different plants like. cheers Paul

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Paul and thanks! Make sure you dig in lots of organic matter and keep your Gunnera really well watered in Summer, especially if they’re in full sun. They might wilt a bit on the hottest days but should perk back up, they’re one of the thirstiest plants though! Most of the plants I grow are actually pretty tolerant of most soil types, it’s more of a case of adapting and improving what you’ve already got so in the case of your clay, a few tonnes of manure would be the best way forward!