UK Tropical Garden Basics 3: Growing Tropical Plants in Pots & Containers

Episode 3 is all about my thoughts on growing tropical and exotic looking plants in pots and containers; my advice on varieties, compost, watering, feeding and winter care tips. I look at the creative and practical benefits to growing these plants in pots and why you might struggle to grow all these plants in pots long term (beyond 3-5 years when they’ll have completely filled their pots with roots).
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 (or treats for Max if you wish!): ko-fi.com/georgesjunglegarden
Thanks,
George

[@slimnote]

wow, amazing garden!

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you very much! You'll have to check out some of my more recent vids to see how it's evolved!

[@cake-diver8991]

Mate, going back through your old videos and fair play!! I've got 4 "pots" like the ones you're palms and tree ferns are in (75cm +) and that was a ball ache moving around a garden half that size. I salute you and your trolly

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Haha thanks, yes, it was a big old job! Never again 😂

[@mrmharvey12]

Hi George impressive collection, what job do you do? You should be in the nursery trade with that knowledge and amount of tropical plants !

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Cheers Mark! My job’s nothing to do with horticulture although I probably would have gone that way if I could have found the right niche when I left school. There’s something to be said about having a passion that’s not necessarily your day job, but I’m at the point where I’m lucky enough to be putting our garden together and feel equipped enough to start putting more regular videos on here.

[@christinaemerald]

Amazing garden, great info...just what I needed to know. Keep the vids coming, many thanks xx

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you very much, I’m pleased my vids are helpful 😃

[@marydisharoon9036]

Very nice video and appreciate the detailed information.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks Mary 😃

[@annasutton8078]

Thanks George, lots of helpful info re growing in pots. Our sunny back garden is small so looking to create hight and the illusion of more space.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you Anna, I’m sure you can find something that’ll work! I did look at growing Miscanthus and Fargesia bamboos to create quick vertical height in my budget video but they’d be more suited to growing in the ground really.

[@palmamiodbia2753]

Wow super!

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks 😃

[@vincenzecalzone8666]

A great video George. I really enjoy seeing your plant collection grouped in the polytunnels at your old place. I can see that the plans to move to a different house were well established for a while before the move. I suspect rather than the number of bedrooms and size of the house the biggest consideration for you was the area of the garden (and rightly so😂). On the subject of pots the biggest difference I've ever noticed is the Dicksonians. They did crap for me in pots until I planted them out and boy the difference, like chalk and cheese. Great video. Superb job👍

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you! You’re right on the money there, it was always in the pipeline. I did end up planting over most of that nursery area in 2018-19 but that was more because I didn’t know when we’d get the right opportunity and it seemed daft to restrict myself to one triangle of ground. Of course the area of garden was the biggest factor for the new house, you know me well! 😂 It’s not the perfect house and garden but we’ll make it work and ultimately, if parts of the house were bigger and better, it would have been out of our budget. I could have 5 acres and I’d still find a way to fill it, I’d just be thinking in terms of forests rather than borders! 😂 As for the Dicksonias, yes, that’s not surprising. I gave these ones everything and I could see keeping them potted wasn’t viable long term which is why I’ve tried to steer people away from it slightly.

[@irismoles9369]

Just found your channel loving the information you got a new subbie

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks, I appreciate it! I’ve got loads more tropical garden videos planned 😃

[@tedscott1478]

Something else to consider about pots is, whether your garden is exposed to wind? If so something like like a tall bushy palm or tree fern in a small pot will be constantly blowing over. The high foliage acting like a sail can make tall plants very unstable. Trust me, I know! I live in a particularly windy part of Cornwall🤐 Thanks again for your videos and tips, they're great.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks Mickey, that’s a good shout! While most of my pots were heavy enough to not be a problem, the wind did blow all my Ensetes over just after we moved in last year, not great! 😬

[@markgilder9990]

Hi George. When you moved house did you have a specialist company move all the plants? Just your garden was a mammoth task.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi, unfortunately not, just me and my brother helped out too. Seriously hard graft!

[@pawelkoodziejczak5105]

Wow , nice 😁👍🇵🇱

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks Pawel, do you grow these kinds of plants too?

[@pawelkoodziejczak5105]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden Yes , i grew most of my plants from seed 😁

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@pawelkoodziejczak5105 Nice one! It’s a great way of not having too much to overwinter too!

[@pawelkoodziejczak5105]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden thank you and Best regard😉🇵🇱

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@pawelkoodziejczak5105 Good luck with your gardening this year! 😃

[@oilondon]

Thank you George for taking the time to upload all your videos,you have a impressive plant nursery👍 May I ask Where you buy those large plastic pots or tubs from

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hey, no worries. They’re functional and strong, I got mine from EBay in large batches, most were from Oakland gardens I think. I’ll probably be EBaying some of mine later in spring but collection only so I’m not messing around with posting them.

[@oilondon]

Thanks

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@oilondon No worries, just search for ‘heavy duty black plastic with handles’ and it should bring them up.

[@cindyrichards9471]

Thank you for this amazing video. What do you mean the nursery area, do you sell plants? Best wishes.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks Cindy! I used to grow a lot of plants on and was thinking of starting a little nursery but decided against it, our new garden is all garden 😃

[@bloggalot4718]

Hi George, another great video, do you have an open day at all?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks Bryan! It’s something I’ll consider in couple of years maybe, the garden is nowhere near that point yet, there’s plenty to be done. Doing everything myself and to a tight budget going forwards means that it’s going to be a while before it’s half presentable but I’ll get there!

[@colette6542]

Absolutely love 💕 your garden. Could you point to the plants, and name them would help me out for when I'm buying them. I love that big purple one that looks like a fatsia Japonica,and the small silver ones. You should get a job on Gardeners World. Keep up the good work. Thanks 👍

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks Colette, great to know you’ve enjoyed it! Off the top of my head, the purple ones would be Ricinus New Zealand Purple which you can grow from seed this month. I’ll hopefully do a longer video soon when I plant everything out going through all the names 😃

[@louiset445]

Hi George, another fab video! Where did you get those gigantic black pots from?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Louise, thanks! They were mainly bought in bulk off EBay, mostly from Oakland Gardens I think. If you’re around North Lincs I’ll be Ebaying a load in Spring!

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Just remembered you were from Stockport way, maybe a bit far! They’re not ridiculously expensive and durable so will last a long time.

[@yvetteclayton3773]

Hi George, we thinking of selling as its too big here to maintain, so question for you when is the best time to dig up yukkas and trachys and fatsias etc to pot as i want to take them with me x

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Yvette, completely understand if that’s the way you feel. Personally I’d say autumn or spring would work well, ideally avoid hot spells but they’re generally very tough plants. Good luck with your new house / garden hunt!

[@MrThomtree]

I dread to think the amount of money you’ve spent on that lot! Amazing garden. What an incredibly diverse collection. Do I spy a jubaea chilensis at several points in your video? Kind regards!

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

You could spend the same amount of money on upgrading to a slightly better model of VW Golf and nobody would bat an eyelid, it’s all about priorities. Most of the big plants were bought a few years back as I mentioned in my budget video and plants have got more expensive since then. I sold the smaller Jub in this video, I’ve now got one big Jubutia and a couple of medium sized Jubs, they’re in my video looking at feather palms. I do have some Jubs I’ve grown from seed too but they’ll take a while to get going!

[@MrThomtree]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden I’d much rather have all of those nice plants too, than a fancy car! Happy growing to you.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@MrThomtree Well you have excellent taste! Thanks and all the best with your garden plans for 2021 too 😃

[@truth-hurts3089]

Must take you all night watering that lot in summer. How often do you water potted tree ferns in summer. I'm thinking of putting one on my patio bit it will be in full sun in summer from around 1ish and worried working full time with kids etc I won't be able to keep up with watering when I'm back in the office.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

It did take a fair while, it’ll definitely be easier when they’re mostly planted out! If the tree fern is potted I’d say it will certainly need watering most days in summer but it doesn’t take long 👍

[@truth-hurts3089]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden thank you for reply and very interesting and informative videos

[@KellyC77]

Can I ask what soil/food etc I would need for pot tropical plants 🪴

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi, it varies by plant type but generally speaking I go for a John Innes no. 3 type compost for long term slow-growing plants, then a good multipurpose for bananas etc. As for feed, again it varies but a monthly or fortnightly feed of liquid seaweed in spring - late summer seems to help most plants. Then some Miracle Gro etc. as a boost for the big leaved plants.

[@dannygallagherfluidart7276]

Hi George love your channel. Im also a northerner with a dog called max living in sunny Wigan. Can you advise me on yuccas please? Are there any varieties in particular you can recommend to me to cope with our frosts. Much appreciate your help and looking forward to your reply

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks Danny and hi to Max! I’m actually doing a video on yuccas soon but my top 3 would be Gloriosa Variegata (common but tough and impressive when grown well), Rostrata (reasonably hardy, I’ve had no problems) and Linearis/ Linearifolia (more hardy and beautiful!). It’s a fantastic group of plants and I got a lot of mine from Hardy Palms.

[@dannygallagherfluidart7276]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden fantastic will look into this, thank you for the swift reply. All the best and looking forward to the video

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@dannygallagherfluidart7276 No worries, they’re beautiful plants!

[@kerrymeynell8983]

Does it matter on the shape of the pot?? I was going to use tall and slender ones to add height and place them close together (am aware they will be easier to blow over) 🙂

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi, for most plants I guess not! You might have to water them a bit more but as long as there’s enough soil, you’re not using them for really tall and top heavy plants you should get fine. If you’re going to put the plants in the ground on the future, don’t choose pots with a bottle neck or funnel near the top otherwise you’ll have fun getting the plants out!

[@kerrymeynell8983]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden thank you so much for taking the time to help us newbies out ☺️

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@kerrymeynell8983 No worries, it’s great to see so many people getting into this style of gardening!

[@craigrogers3864]

What are the tall ones? Are they ferns?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Which part of the video Craig and I’ll have a look?

[@karenwhitley84]

I have a couple of palms I’d like to repot this year as I used multipurpose compost and they’ve not grown at all and don’t look very healthy. What soil should I be buying please for them and what size pot is best?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Karen, it depends on what palms they are and why they’re not looking healthy - there could be other factors at play and most palms can be slow growing in pots anyway. I tend to use coir but it can get difficult to track down at the right price so I’d potentially look at John Innes or Jacks Magic too.

[@karenwhitley84]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden thanks George. They are the trachycarpus fortunei. I bought them tiny in a sale (20 cm high) and was hoping to grow them on. I will try some John Innes this year and see what happens. At least they survived this winter.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@karenwhitley84 Oh right, Trachycarpus Fortunei are pretty easy going and tough plants. They’ll definitely prefer a soil based compost if they’re in small pots though, peat can get clumpy and stops retaining water as well. Regarding the size of pot, don’t go up too large, go from say, a 2lt to a 4lt.

[@karenwhitley84]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden Thank you. My job for the weekend now.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@karenwhitley84 Nice one, enjoy! It’s a great time of year to get on with these things.

[@teresajarram3965]

Where about do you live x

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

We’re in North Lincolnshire Teresa, just South of the Humber 👍

[@ianpotts4935]

just discovered your channel...🪴. Could you please tell me the intro music at the start of the video. 👍

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Ian and thanks for watching! I believe that one is Mountain Spring High by Gabriel Lewis.