Unleashing the Gunnera Manicata & Tips for Giant Tropical Leaves!

[@Jarl1973]

Brilliant. Just what I needed for advice too build my existing jungle garden

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Excellent, I'm pleased you found it helpful! Some of my garden jungle / tropical garden tour vids might give you some more ideas if you're looking at mixing things up!

[@heatherfindler6950]

Great video George. Can't wait to plant my little one out!!

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you Heather, it’ll soon be time! 😃

[@seangsxr750ify]

Great video which I've shared on a Gunnera Manicata Facebook page. Thanks for your advice on the vast varieties regarding your plants.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Nice one thanks Sean! I try to make them informative but not too full on, at the end of the day, it’s all about enthusiasm and enjoying growing 👍😃

[@richardkeane2308]

I have planted out -already- two gunnera mannicata and four tree ferns, from Kells Bay. The ferns have some baby fronds just peeking through now. And the gunnera seems stable for the moment with new leaves peeking out. Yes, I followed all instructions including giving soil-improver and lots of water for the gunnera. Next up I'll give it a bag of farm yard manure,.......this always gives me the hee-bee gee-bees as I fear burning the plants with too much love. But we are lucky that we rarely get a frost, - just one night this year. And I have two more young gunneras still in the greenhouse, which I will keep as a fail-safe, lest there be some set-back to the others.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Fantastic, I hope they all grow well for you and you get your own piece of Kells Bay style planting! As long as you use well rotted manure and don't go too crazy you should be fine, these are very greedy plants!

[@kanedNunable]

the rhubarb in my garden grows like crazy. i supply loads of neighbours with it. :D

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Haha awesome, I don’t grow true rhubarb any here but we’re lucky to have a neighbour who shares some of his veg with us 😃

[@robertcornelius8056]

Brilliant video . Thanks

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Cheers for watching and I’m pleased it was appreciated!

[@JH-fv1gq]

My "beast" awakens when it wants to and theres no stopping it. Have chopped 8 small offsets off it that are already growing too.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Fantastic, that’s a whole forest of Gunnera plants!

[@TropicalGardening]

That's going to be one beautiful big jungle plant 😀👍

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you very much, it certainly will be! All the best with your spring garden plans 😃

[@TropicalGardening]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden Thank you!

[@DJSupaflyguy]

Top tips 👌👌👌👌

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you very much, I’m happy it was helpful!

[@shineamenmbs3107]

Max: "Dad, why are you so excited, it's just some young shoots with some dry tabacco looking leaves on them!" Dad George: "Just wait my little boy, just wait!" The Lilliput Travel is starting very soon...

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

😂 Haha yes indeed, the transformation is underway! Something for him to hide under when it rains!

[@jarrodashton5923]

Cheers George , timely video for me

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks for watching Jarrod, things are looking chilly again next week!

[@jarrodashton5923]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden kept my in the small lean to greenhouse until May to be safe , but I’m gonna need a mega pot 😂

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@jarrodashton5923 It’ll definitely get big in a large enough pot, worth the effort!

[@jarrodashton5923]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden looking at a 160 Ltr pot

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@jarrodashton5923 Good choice, I’ve used them for a lot of plants and it’ll give a lot of room for growth 👍

[@steverichardson4374]

Nice one mate mate I'm jealous good luck

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks Steve! Yes they’re cool looking plants! I hope your garden is coming along well 👍

[@KennyPitman]

Awesome, cheers for the tips dude, I’ll uncover mine tomorrow and mulch, I’m on the south coast

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks Kenny! We’re colder again next week, I don’t know where you’re based but it’s worth keeping an eye out for late frosts.

[@KennyPitman]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden I usually put a dumpy bag over the whole plant resting on a cane, works well to prevent the frost getting the plants

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@KennyPitman That’s a good idea, I’ve done it with them and large pots packed with fleece too 😃

[@emmagunston446]

Thanks as always George for the fab tips and advice. As you know my garden is teeny tiny and everything is in pots, including my Gunnera, and there's not much room left in the pot now for adding manure, (bigger pot not really an option) so I'll be watering daily and feeding weekly with seaweed. My leaves are nothing like yours (showoff 🙄😉) but I still love the jungly feeling they give. Lush to see Max as always 🌴

[@emmagunston446]

Ok, just watched your other video, won't start feeding just yet, I'll wait until you tell me, I promise! 😂😂😂

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks for watching as always Emma and I wouldn’t worry too much about feeding them yet, I just leave it for a few more weeks as they grow so fast when they get going. Daily watering and seaweed are the keys to the big leaves though and they can still get pretty big in a pot! I’m sure Max will make more appearances as it warms up!

[@davidbanner9001]

Looking great. Approximately how close to the fence and each other are they?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you! They’re between 1-2m from the fence and 2m or so away from each other. Definitely close enough to interact but they seem to grow upwards as well as out well. I might remove the two outer plants down the line, we’ll see but I like the effect right now.

[@thecornishbiker9323]

True rhubarb is an under used tropical look plant. Red stems and huge leaves. And a pie every now and then

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

You can't beat a good rhubarb crumble! I've talked about growing them in a tropical style garden but never done it myself, they definitely have the vibe for sure!

[@smdasd5277]

Another quality video and clear care trips. Can I ask how big a small plant get in its first year? Also where did you get yours from?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you very much! I got mine as a division from a gardener unfortunately so can’t guarantee which places sell genuine manicata and which are actually the smaller tinctoria but labelled up incorrectly, it’s a bit of an issue with these unfortunately. You can definitely get leaves 1m across in a small plant’s first year.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@JWS Nice one 😃

[@brianfreeman8290]

I have Manicata, which is colossal. Magellenica, which spreads deliciously across a bog garden, and a weirdo. My Tinctoria grows well every year, but, come summer, a few of the leaves will invert ! It's happened every year for the last decade. Plenty of light and water. Any ideas please?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Great to hear about your full on Gunnera collection Brian! Hmm, I can't say I noticed that with the tinctoria I used to have, I do wonder if it's just a quirk of your individual plant or a reaction to the hotter summers but if I find anything else out I'll head back to this comment.

[@matthewparker4517]

Where in North Lincolnshire are you? I live in Owston Ferry. I've put my Gunnera in a huge home made container with a pond liner this year, see how it goes

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Matthew, we're not far from Brigg, great to hear from you. Awesome, I'm sure it will grow well for you. Water and feed then stand back!

[@matthewparker4517]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden ahh Brigg garden centre been there many times with the wife 😂 I will thanks 👍

[@riavalee8222]

George , Can you grow the Gunnera from the dried flowers ? Is there any useble seed in it?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Ria, I've not grown it from seed personally but it should be viable. From what I've heard you have to wait until they're brown and ripe, not touch them with bare hands and sow them fresh then keep them humid. I'll definitely try it one year though!

[@emilm2331]

What is it you feed your plants with? Not being British it was a little hard to catch. Sounds like some kind of organic fertilizer on the ground around the plant?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Emil, apologies, I do talk quite quickly! I use a well rotted farmyard manure / soil conditioner then sprinkle chicken manure pellets around as it warms up. Gunneras respond well to a lot of nutrients!

[@emilm2331]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden thanks! And no worries, your videos are great.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@emilm2331 Thank you very much, I appreciate it. Happy to answer any questions in the comments, no problem.

[@eddiejones9508]

Great vid had 1 for 2 year getting big know. Do you think they will grow well in a gravel bog filter

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks Eddie and nice one. I’ve not tried them in that situation but with a good bit of moisture like that they should be happy!

[@sams6484]

Is there such thing as ovar watering Gunnera Manicata on the ground not pot? How much and how often do you water them?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi, in the ground you're very, very unlikely to overwater them during summer especially. In most large historic gardens they literally grow at the edge of water or as a marginal / bog plant and even then the leaves can droop or brown on hot days during dry spells as they're so large. It really depends on the weather, last summer I didn't water much as there was so much regular rain from July onwards, the summer prior required watering a couple of times a week during the heatwaves.

[@missdimples1982]

Really does look like an Alien egg

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

They definitely do! Down in Trebah there's some really old plants and they weave all over the floor, it must be pretty eerie on a foggy Autumn evening!

[@missdimples1982]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden wow, would like to pay a visit, will mark that on the places to visit list

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@missdimples1982 You'll absolutely love it, one of my favourite gardens. The Lost Gardens of Heligan plus Tremenheere are fantastic Cornwall gardens too.

[@craigrogers3864]

Is a young Palm or Musa Basjoo better off out in the garden or in a warmer greenhouse? Is there any daytime advantage now that the temperatures have been high?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Craig, I suppose it depends what palm - most small hardy palms should be fine outside now unless there’s a real cold snap. As for the basjoo, if they’re young plants I’d keep them in for another few weeks or so until the frosts are out of the way. Next week looks colder here.

[@stanleygladstone1210]

This will be my 3rd summer of growing gunnera. I am thinking I was done. Some leaf veins are white and some have a blush of pink. I bought 2 manicata but I'm thinking they may be tinctoria 😡. Only grew about 2ft wide last summer. I will try again if they don't improve this year, as they are such showstoppers. Thanks for the vids.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Oh dear, yes, it is a frustration with plants in the trade. When they flower you can usually tell what they are with some certainty. Fingers crossed for you!

[@stanleygladstone1210]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden What's the certainty when they flower as I'd rather grow real rhubarb than tinctoria 🤣. At least I'd get a crumble tart.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@stanleygladstone1210 😂 I meant that an tinctoria/ manicata ID is a lot easier when they flower, no crumble either way though unfortunately!

[@Varru99]

Thanks George ,i have a few questions, i live in sardinia(on the coast)and i have 3 ponds, i was thinking to put gunnera near the water of one of the bigger ones but it's a very sunny spot for now(and sometimes even windy)but very humid. You think that a young or juvenile gunnera can't last in this tipe of situation?what do you think about ficus elastica?i have one in my house but i was thinking about putting it in sunny spot when it grows a meter maybe.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks for watching! If it’s near a pond I’d definitely give it a go, with access to water they can cope with more sun although a lot of wind isn’t ideal. I’d certainly give it a try although it might be worth seeing if any grow successfully at large gardens near you. I’m not sure about the hardiness of ficus elastica in all honesty, it’s only a houseplant here and potentially something that could have a ‘holiday’ outside in summer!

[@Varru99]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden thanks george, here i see pretty much every where ficus but in more shady spots, i'll do some researches. For the Gunnera i'll try to put one i the banks of the pond(maybe with some trees or protective screen for the wind) and we'll see what happens, thanks again

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@Varru99 Nice one. I don't know much about your climate unfortunately but next to water there's definitely potential for huge growth! Please let me know how you get on!

[@Varru99]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden yes sure, thanks man

[@grampsworld]

Don’t know what type of Gunnera I have bought it over 25 years ago and moved it with my pond some 5 years ago never really gets huge I will try feeding more this year is miracle grow ok? I have never covered it in winter fairly protected but cold area of Northampton.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi and apologies for my delayed reply. Miracle grow should be just fine and you don't necessarily need to protect established plants in winter, but I choose to to hopefully avoid any damage and setbacks. Could it be that yours is the smaller tinctoria variety?

[@woodlandsedge3456]

Hi great video do you cut it back to the crown when the leaves have died off

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi and thanks. I chop it back just before the first hard frosts and use the leaves to protect the crown. If you check out my 'epic' overwintering vid you'll see a practical demonstration of what I do if it helps.

[@woodlandsedge3456]

Many thanks for your prompt reply will do that thanks again

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

No worries, I’ll be doing it again in a few weeks and will try to get a shorter specific vid 👍

[@user-tl3ng9jr2e]

This is great. How big do they get in their first year?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks! It depends on the size you’re starting with but you’ll certainly get leaves 50-100cm / a few feet across in their first year!

[@user-tl3ng9jr2e]

That’s great. Thanks for the advice. I’ll keep you updated 🙂

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Nice one, good luck!

[@listerjones]

I added a gunnera to my wetland filter on my pond. Every plant is doing super well but the gunnera is not growing and one leaf is closing and going dry. Its in water all day long. We have had a hot summer this year in south east england. Is the direct sun harming it do you think?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Richard, they seem to grow well in full sun alongside water in other places, but some leaf damage is inevitable. I wonder if yours is struggling to establish being small? Is it planted directly into the ground?

[@cake-diver8991]

Im starting some from seed 😕. Gonna take a long time to get that kinda size

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Good luck! They actually develop really quickly and you can certainly have a big plant in it's second year!

[@robertarae]

I’m looking to pot some for my patio, I would rather buy a large one but not sure where I can get it from. I also would like to know if you know of any brands of soil that would be perfect?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi, with the recent restrictions on selling Gunnera I don't know which suppliers are continuing to offer it or which have withdrawn it from sale (check out my recent vid for more info). Unfortunately a lot of plants labelled as 'manicata' turn out to be tinctoria which is smaller so it can unfortunately be a bit of a gamble getting the right one. Maybe check aquatic / pond plant sellers to see if they have it or join the Gunnera Facebook groups to see if there's any divisions for sale locally. Personally I'd go for a good rich compost, something like Jack's Magic is what I've used in the past and mix it with some soil conditioner / well rotted manure for the best results.

[@robertarae]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden thank you so much for you reply! Jack’s magic is really easy for me to find so that’s exciting. I have joined a few groups and some people have been putting them in 160L pots, which is very heavy for where I live. Would you say this is too much? Could I go with something a bit smaller? (Thanks again for responding)

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi and no problem. Gunnera can soon fill even 160lt pots to be honest but realistically I'd say to go for the biggest you can and pop it in a tray of water over summer. Growing a lot of big plants in pots is going to be a compromise in some respects but you'll still get a large plant with big leaves in say, a 50-70lt pot if that's more practical for you.

[@MrsLaBear]

Hi George I am looking at getting a gunnera for mine and the hubs jungle garden, but I can't find anywhere that sells them do you know any contacts that are willing to send to cheshire way 😀 love your page Sally x

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Sally and thank you very much. Unfortunately I don't, it might be worth checking our specialists or larger garden centres that sell aquatic plants, they can often stock it with other bog plants. Sorry I can't help any more and good luck with your search!

[@alien11able]

What kind of soil do you have around you Gunnera? I got my Gunnera plant today and the instructions say not to use regular miracle grow garden soil. And I have compacted clay soil in my area. I'll have to find something suitable online as a growing medium.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi, I don't understand the specific instructions you've been given but what I would say is that a damp area with heavy clay has potential to work well - it will provide the moisture and nutrients your Gunnera will need to thrive. What I would absolutely recommend adding is a lot of organic matter - soil improver, well rotted manure, compost etc, this will provide a better structure and allow the plant to get it's root in and cope with drier spells better. Dig some into the area at the time of planting if the clay is really compacted and use some as a mulch after a good watering. Then ideally keep topping the mulch up every year to gradually improve the soil.

[@46FreddieMercury91]

Hey George, are you aware of the value of human urine as a fertiliser? High in nitrogen and phosphorus. You do need to dilute it 10:1 but great for feeding those big leaves... plus absolutely free !

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

It's not something I've personally tried but if you see me against the fence in a video, trying to carefully pour enough water to achieve the correct ratio at the same time then you know I'm just trying to save money!

[@richardkeane2308]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden funny !

[@kellylovesgreen5765]

Could I grow this in zone 6?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Kelly and apologies for the delayed reply. In all honesty I'm not entirely sure of the exact zone hardiness, but they grow outdoors in some Scottish gardens I've seen so must be relatively tough. They're not a bad plant to try out in colder climates as you could just protect the crowns more throughly in winter and they're quite early to start growing so don't need a ridiculous amount of heat and a long season like some gingers etc do. Give one a go!

[@davidplants]

Have you ever started gunnera from seed? I just ordered some and I live in Tennessee. Nobody here has ever even heard of it

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

I haven’t actually, I never got round to doing but last year! What sort of temperatures do you get in summer? I suspect they might not enjoy your heat but I’m not massively knowledgeable about your climate…

[@davidplants]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden Humid subtropical climate, it does get hot here. I have several creeks and different spots im going to try it. My ricinus got to about 12 feet last year. Now I'm really expanding my big foliage! I also have a tropical greenhouse that I propagate in. I'm really excited!! I ordered 2 basjoo bananas too

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@davidplants With your humidity and some creek-side spots it might really take off for you then! It sounds like you’ll have quite the big leaf project on the go, good luck with it 😃

[@jimmyg8943]

I'm sowing some too. Failed last year. Some sources say they need darkness, others say they need light. I'm sowing mine in both environments this year and adding vermiculite to the mix for extra water retention.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@jimmyg8943 Good luck and let me know how you get on plus which ones do best!

[@Gggls844]

Where do i find tropical plants I am in Central Fl. Zone 9a

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi, I’m sorry I wouldn’t know where to start where you are but I imagine there’s more nurseries and suppliers where you are than here 😃 Good luck with your project and apologies I can’t help more - it could be worth asking on a forum like Palm Talk.

[@abdulrazzak9199]

Slugs loves to eat gunnera

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

I’ve not really noticed many issues with mine but I suppose they’ve had more than enough dead leaves to nibble through and I imagine there’s tastier plants in the garden! Plus, the birds and frogs will be doing their bit too!

[@Mrjboomseedco]

Why are mine so slow to grow there in a greenhouse at 68 f with 70 humidity all of them tinc and mani are growing soooo slow what do I do they aren’t real big

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Are they in pots Joe?

[@Mrjboomseedco]

Yes they are well ones in a big 30 gallon rubber maid tub and the mani is in a 10 gallon pot sitting in aerated water and it’s not real big and it keeps growing goofy shaped leaves some have a brown crispy stuff on them

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@Mrjboomseedco They're not ideally suited for greenhouse culture in honesty so it could be they've either been frosted and will bounce back or it's got too warm and dry in there on the sunnier days. Even sat in a tray of water, a 10 gallon pot isn't big enough to support the really big leaves. I'd get them outside, just make sure to watch out for late frosts.

[@Mrjboomseedco]

It’s never been outside yet

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@Mrjboomseedco It could be that it’s too dry and warm in the greenhouse then maybe? In terms of humidity. That combined with them being in pots is maybe stressing them I suppose.

[@dandandan389]

Make sure the frog doesn't eat Max

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

😂😂😂 Best comment Dan, it was a genuine worry!

[@trojon]

There are no manicata in the UK.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Jon, this video was uploaded before the research was published last year (I believe) which confirmed the hybridisation that a lot of us had suspected. I wouldn’t say there are no manicata in the U.K., but the majority we knew as manicata are the cryptica hybrid. That’s potentially the reason why they’re as tough and vigorous as they are, whatever the name they’re cool plants! This plant is a direct division from an old garden so if it gets anywhere close to the size of the clumps there I’ll be very happy 👍