Tropical Jungle Garden after November Snow Storm & Winter Exotic Plant Care Tips

Today's video is a walk around my UK tropical style garden, seeing the effects of the first surprise snowfall and cold on the exotic plants. We'd had two nights of light snowfall and temperatures around freezing, luckily most of my tender plants are now inside!
If you've enjoyed my content and would like to say thanks for the price of a coffee then please head over to my Ko-fi, any kind donations would be appreciated and put towards creating more exciting content: ko-fi.com/georgesjunglegarden​​
Thanks,
George

[@vincenzecalzone8666]

Great tour mate. Beautiful garden still despite the weather. The jubaeas are class. Just as an aside I recruited my youngest son to help me collate this information that I know you'll appreciate. Times you said: "Absolutely fine". 19 times "Perfectly fine " 7 times "Completely fine" 1 time It's all about plant choices that's for sure. The better we choose the less hassle we have as demonstrated by your 27 versions of "fine" Great stuff mate😂👍

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Haha thanks! That’s amazing, great effort! I nearly put in that it would make a great drinking game in the text but decided against it 😂 I hope your son got some kind of reward though! I would have loved to formulate the same rational conclusion at the end of the video today but unfortunately a tiring week, very little sleep then jumping out into freezing temperatures to record a video against the clock surprisingly doesn’t seem to lead to enthusiastic and eloquent commentary 😂 Hopefully some kind of vague reassurance comes through though, things might look bad but everything will usually be absolu… OK.

[@vincenzecalzone8666]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden 😂😂. Very true. The drinking game idea is a great one. Whoever was on "absolutely fine" would be trollied by now😂😂👍

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@vincenzecalzone8666 They definitely would be in a pretty bad way 😂

[@geesgardeningclubuk5247]

What a sight, a jungle garden covered with snow

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

It is indeed, a good excuse for a rambling video and a quick walk round 😃

[@bobcharlie7982]

I came out this morning and the wind had cleared all the leaves off my patio. Thats atleast one benefit of the storm. My musa looked a right state this morning

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Definitely a silver lining! Yes, I think the combination of cold and wind messes them up a lot quicker, at least it’s getting a bit milder again on Tuesday (well, a bit anyway!).

[@alanhunter2009]

Glad that not too much damage to your fantastic collection resulted from storm Arwen. Gardeners are always at the mercy of the elements and all we can do is try to lessen the effects, where possible. I can still remember, (unfortunately), a few years ago, going out at 1am during a snowstorm with my wife to the greenhouse to replace several panes of glass that had blown out . The clips that some cheaper greenhouses are supplied with are woefully inadequate, (guaranteed for 30mph winds I was informed), so every pane was duly treated to liberal amounts of sealant to secure them, which has worked successfully. Your tree ferns look great wearing a layer of snow, not what they would find in Tasmania! Keep up the good work with your informative and entertaining videos, George.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks Alan, we were definitely lucky up here considering. Wow, I can I imagine that was an eventful night, the things we do for our plants! Some tree ferns do see cold and snow in their habitats but I guess there’s no way of knowing where exactly your trunks are from. Either way they’re tough and these temperatures are no problem. Thanks for watching, this was just a quick vid put together on a busy day but more structured content coming soon 😃

[@aquachimp1]

Rain, rain, rain and then -1°C at night. The -1 wouldn't have bothered me because all our 'delicates', (mostly cacti - several 'Queen of the night' ) bar a couple of larger avocados were already indoors and I had already constructed the independent straw 'cage' around the tree fern and dropped a ball of fleece onto its crown - but the sheer volume of rain followed by freezing temperatures did get me worried, though the chicken's water bowl (an old wok) hadn't frozen over so your video has been most reassuring. Thanks.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Yes, as long as you have the tender plants inside, a brief freeze and some snow isn’t usually enough to trouble any of the tougher exotics. It sounds like you got away lightly with temperatures too compared to some I’ve heard about! Thanks for watching!

[@slimytoad1447]

Superb, thanks George

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Cheers Dec, just a quick video yesterday as I needed to get on with putting the polytunnel up before it got dark. I just about got there 😂

[@kendy123456789]

No need to apologise it's absolutely fine😉

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

😂😂😂 I see what you did there…

[@tedscott1478]

The walk down the path at the end shows your garden off really well, even in the winter it still looks lovely and tropical...

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks, I like that view too, it’s all about those evergreens! 😃

[@davidmackie7473]

You appear to have had more snow than us here in Edinburgh but it has been very cold and frosty so all Mt tender plants are inside now and tye Tree Fern wrapped up, roll on spring, thanks fir the tour, and tips.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

I think a lot of places got more snow than us too! Not nice weather wherever you are in the UK though! Definitely, hurry up spring and thanks for watching! Just a quick video before I got on with putting the polytunnel up before it got dark!

[@alanabrehart9410]

Hi George Enjoyed the video. No snow here in Hertfordshire but we have had temperatures down to -1.8. Most things are still looking fine. Most of my tender plants are in the greenhouse. Some of the salvias in the garden are looking a bit sad but most usually grow back from the base in spring and most of the more tender ones I take cuttings of in the autumn and keep in the greenhouse overwinter. That way even if the ones outside don't make I usually have some cuttings to replace them.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Alan and thanks. Similar to here then and that’s a great tip for the salvias! I might introduce some more here next year 😃

[@oldgold5848]

Couple of hard frosts last week here, so I got the cannas in. The rhizomes have grown really well this year. Should split well in spring. Ensetes totally wiped out, but I bought some in to keep for next year a few weeks ago, so all good. Coleus and geranium cuttings already on the go. Palms look fine.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Excellent, sounds like you’re well prepared then! It’s been a good year for my cannas bulking up too, hopefully we have a great summer for them to show off next year! Yes, most hardy palms will be absolutely fine during cold spells like this 👍 Good work with the cuttings, if you’ve got the space it’s a great way to save money!

[@davidbanner9001]

Wrapped my Musa Basjoo and cut back and mulched over the Canna today. All the potted plants are now moved next to the house and in a position that gets the most sun.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Excellent, sounds like a plan. I’ve been rushing around getting the polytunnel up here today and a few of the priority plants moved into it, not my favourite time of year!

[@B4dlands]

I was expecting part 2 of over wintering but this video was 'absolutely fine' - fantastic winter tour George!

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

😂 It’s hard to string a sentence together before 9am when it’s freezing! I thought it was a novelty to show the garden after snow and that other vid might take longer to edit together. Thanks!

[@missdimples1982]

Looks like a tropical Narnia

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks, it does indeed! 🥶

[@phil3332]

And Don't forget to leave the snow on the plants Do not knock it off as this although might sound stupid helps pretects the plants

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

It definitely can do in severe cold although luckily we didn’t get enough snow to pile up this time. I’ll definitely be better prepared for the next wintry spell! Hopefully 😃

[@stephenwhite4293]

About two years ago I picked on the beach in the gulf of Thailand what looked like a small coconut about 3 inch long.I have been trying to grow it it never gets more than 3 inch tall and dyes back and start’s again.It is in a pot indoors plated in compost.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

How unusual! I wouldn’t even be able to begin to guess what it is! 😂

[@vanessawoodward3410]

Thanks for the content, this is my first year with tropical plants and over wintering them, please can you say more about keeping them in the greenhouse and what to look for that might be going wrong, my poor greenhouse is flat out on the ground after the storm, will rebuild this weekend and put my babies in, worried about temp, to damp, ventilation so on, many thanks and Kindest regards Ness. Shropshire. x

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Ness and thanks for watching. I’ll try to do some polytunnel vids over Christmas but yes, ventilation when it’s mild is important. I only just keep mine almost frost free due to the price of heating it. I’ve only got a polytunnel currently but hoping to have a greenhouse soon! I hope yours is OK!

[@YorkshireKRIS]

An absolutely fine video🙂 Very similar to what's been protected (or not) to my garden. Still plenty to keep busy with but finding the time is getting difficult. Your Echiums may be touch and go. I think when the roots are disturbed by wind they rarely pull through. I hope your Cyatheas aren't too badly affected. What temps did you get last night?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

😂 Absolutely fine indeed! I think we were getting at the same thing, for 90% of plants a cold blip like this is no drama. That one leaning Echium is likely to be a lost cause, I think cutting down the cannas around it left it more vulnerable to the wind but the one near the fence should bounce back. I don’t know about an exact temperature, we were forecast -1 so maybe a degree or so below that but I think the new crozier in the brownii had been frazzled by the cold winds as much as anything. I got it into the polytunnel yesterday afternoon though so it tends to push out one or two new ones over winter in there anyway. How cold did it get for you?

[@YorkshireKRIS]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden the lowest temp here occurred at 7am this morning when it hit -3.5c. I won't see the garden in daylight until Thursday to assess any damage

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@YorkshireKRIS Wow, that is colder than we’d have guessed a couple of weeks back! Not low enough to damage anything hardy but certainly enough to end any foliage like Tetrapanax or cannas might have been hanging onto. I hope everything is OK.

[@shineamenmbs3107]

Looking a bit like a battlefield, but i know you are not impressed nor depressed as you know quite well every single of your "children"! And also, you are a positive and optimistic person! (well, it looks like!). May be you can plant more Phyllostachys, Trachycarpus and Fatsia... All the best for the continuation of the winter season.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you Bernard! Yes, after such a long autumn it definitely feels like a shock to the system but it’s a natural part of things and it’s getting to time to think about plans for next year. Great evergreen choices and there’s plenty of those, with more going in soon! It’s all about balancing the structure with the room for summer colour and big leaves 😃 I hope you have a great week!

[@shineamenmbs3107]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden Thank you very much George, have a super week too!

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@shineamenmbs3107 😃 Thanks!

[@stanleygladstone1210]

Your garden is still looking great. I am wondering, how big is this polly tunnel you mention 🤣. There's lots going into it so it must be some size. Will you heat it.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks Stanley! It’s a 6x3m one so a big setup but as I keep mentioning, whatever size you get you’ll end up filling it! I heat it on nights at or below freezing but at 1kw and only to 2/3 degrees, so just about frost free. Anything that’s more tender has to come inside or toughen up!

[@steverichardson4374]

Iv put my tree ferns two bed but did not think that I should still woter them a bit il have two start thanks I live on the east coast and its cold but might unwrap them a bit two thanks mate

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Yes, whenever it’s mild and hasn’t rained for a few days it’s definitely worth watering their trunks. They don’t mind most wet and grey winter weather, it’s just the cold spells that they need protecting for.

[@milsyvideos3336]

Where i am not much has happend no freezing temps only 40 mph winds

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

You got away with it lightly then, we had the winds too! I’m sure there’s places that got hit a lot harder than us too!

[@milsyvideos3336]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden yeah found out on monday we got 0 degrees but the cannas and every thing else was fine only thing was water was frozen aha

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@milsyvideos3336 Yeah, that’s not too bad then and to be expected at this time of year - at least things got milder on Tuesday to sort it out!

[@thecornishbiker9323]

Hey George what polytunnel did you go for. Ive got to get one this week.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Mine is a 6x3m one that I’ve reused from 2 previous years. If you get one then check out the ratings and get one that’s got a 25mm metal frame, the cheaper ones won’t last, I can guarantee that!

[@Ritaontheroad]

That small agave is not ovatifolia.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Rita, they do change in appearance as they mature but seem to be quite variable as young plants too!

[@tedscott1478]

Is it okay to put the ricinus into the compost, as toxic as it is? I took mine to the tip.

[@pansepot1490]

You don’t eat compost, do you? What’s toxic for humans is just plant material that microbes digest and decompose breaking down the toxic compounds in safe organic matter.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

I do Ted, they rot down really quickly and they are only toxic if eaten. You can dispose of any seed pods if you’ve got pets / children and want to be on the safe side.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@pansepot1490 Good points but it’s a good question to ask, especially if you’ve got pets that like digging etc. Ricinus is really soft and breaks down quickly like you say though 😃

[@tedscott1478]

@@pansepot1490 ok pansy potter, just wondered about my next years' spring onions an carrots...