April and early May can be so fickle…
Posted on | April 1, 2010 | 11 Comments
High up in an old Oak tree the garden can be enjoyed at any time of year...
When the weather is cold like it is at the moment, there is no better place to sit than in my tree house – I have the internet in there of course! It’s been a good place to overwinter my seven Kentia palms and a rather fine Philodendron selloum, as even on the coldest days the temperature never dropped below freezing in the winter and when the sun streams through the widows it is rather cosy. But enough of this – let’s get down to some gardening!
I see all the garden centres and big name DIY stores are selling bedding plants! I know they do this every year – ‘Get your bedding plants in this Easter ready for summer’ -hmmm! I remember when I was a lot younger; the rule was ‘never plant out tender annuals and perennials until the beginning of June’. (Ne’er cast a clout till May be out!)
However warm it might get in April, I always err on the side of caution and wait until the second or third week of May for the big plant out here at the Exotic Garden, when the night temperatures are warmer and the last frosts have hopefully disappeared. April and early May can be so fickle – well at least on our windswept Islands.
If you are lucky enough to live in Florida or California in the US, or Southern France and Spain in Europe, it is a wonderful time to start planting out – but not here – unless you want to re-purchase all your plants again in a few weeks time! Instead, leave them where they are, unless you have a greenhouse or somewhere warm to keep them for the next month or so, where they will gain much growth ready for planting out without getting a chilly shock and cold feet.
My Polly-tunnels are bulging at the seams, with all of the plants raring to get outside – they just have to be patient for a little longer. In early April, greenhouses and polytunnels can become hot very quickly on clear sunny days, even if the outside weather is decidedly chilly, so I will be covering them with shade netting to minimise the strength of the sun. I also spray everything with water on hot days to keep the air humid which the plants love and it makes them feel cool!
One of my three Polly tunnels bursting at the seams...
Dweezal making sure that the propagator is closed for the night...
Unfortunately, I have lost quite a few plants in the xerophytic garden (desert) this winter, even though the central area was covered with a vast sheet of polythene to keep out the snow and rain. I will leave the cover on for a few more weeks yet, and then I will have a good inspection of all the damage. This year I think I will obtain more Mediterranean plants as used by the renowned Beth Chatto in her dry garden at Elmstead Market near Colchester.
The framework constructed by Jamie Spooner before the plastic cover was dragged over – very artistic don’t you think!
The construction in the depths of winter with one spiky Yucca trying to get out!
This morning I received some new Colocasia esculenta ‘Mammoth’ tubers (have a look at the picture) from two different UK suppliers, and as you will see, they are very different in size (I have placed a £1.00 coin in the picture for size comparison) though I have been told that in the case of Colocasia tubers size doesn’t matter! We shall see about that…
Colocasia Tubers – size isn’t everything...
In another pictures you will see a Zantedeshia that I obtained a few years ago from a fabulous nursery in Portland, Oregon – ‘Cistus Design’ owned by Sean Hogan. In only a couple of years it has grown from a small seedling into a 7ft monster – Sean told me that it would gain great proportions – I thought he was telling me porky’s!
Sean told me that it would gain great proportions – I thought he was telling me porky’s!
Dweezal Unit follows me everywhere...
Out in the decidedly cold garden the Podophyllum Spotty Dotty planted a few years ago are now emerging by about an inch a day despite the weather. I am just about to plants another delicious form Podophyllum ‘Kaleidoscope‘ – absolutely fabulous!
The fabulous Podophyllum ‘Spotty Dotty’ emerging despite the cold weather...
Just to let you know – Dweezal, my youngest Devon Rex cat is sitting in his usual position on my shoulder while I write this – he thinks he’s a parrot!
Have a great Easter wherever you are…
The tree house of total relaxation...
The upper mezzanine sleeping area...
Dweezal making sure I have shut the tree house door...
Comments
11 Responses to “April and early May can be so fickle…”
Leave a Reply
April 4th, 2010 @ 1:08 am
Your tree house is beautiful. What a tranquil setting to be in. I never try to rush the calendar either. Here in the Northern states we do not plant anything tender until after May 20th.It usually works out true too.With the weather running in extremes anymore instead of the average temps and conditions I will stay with the calendar and hope for the best.:-)
April 5th, 2010 @ 7:24 am
Hi Will,
How many centimeters, I have to lieve between each canna tuber for a better development? And how deep I have to plant them? Your house is fantastic. I love those yellowish green new shoots of the plants. You’re right, this is the best time of the year.
April 5th, 2010 @ 7:01 pm
Hi Oguz – I would leave about 45cm between each tuber for a good show and only 5cms or so below the soil and feed well plus plenty of water.
Yes spring is wonderful wherever you are – I love it…
April 8th, 2010 @ 12:40 am
Hey Will,
Good to see all’s going well with you, am so jealous of your tree house, what a fab place to go to even during Winter with those palms and everything. Polytunnel looks full of goodies as well as per, I’m sure they’ll all be happy to see warmer and sunnier days (hopefully) ahead!
Just wondering where you got your colocasia bulbs from? I got a massive one from a local garden centre last year, monstrous size. It did grow into a very nice plant with little effort, but I’ve seen smaller tubers produce the same sized plant in a season, so like you said, I don’t know how much difference it actually makes.
Keep gardening and blogging, your posts and pictures always get me motivated and inspired
April 8th, 2010 @ 5:44 pm
Great blog. Loved the shots of the plants and it was really good to see a banana plant (musa) starting to grow in Humberside
April 9th, 2010 @ 10:44 am
Hi Chris thanks for the comment. Humberside – is that where you live? The Exotic Garden is in Norwich, Norfolk…
April 9th, 2010 @ 2:51 pm
Pete – its good to see you back. I bought the large Colocasia tubers from Carreglefn Nurseries in Wales (on the net) they only had three left and of course I bought them all. The smaller ones came from The Anglia bulb Co in Colchester. I have also bought a selection from Morrison’s supermarket. I also managed to obtain a Colocasia gigantean which I am hoping will live up to its name of getting enormous.
I lost a lot of my motivation for gardening last year with my father in a home and having to renovate his house followed by him passing away at Christmas. Going away to the Central America in February really pulled me back into the land of the living and now my enthusiasm –despite the worst winter in 30 years – has been rekindled; hence I am really looking forward to the summer. Bring it on!!
April 19th, 2010 @ 6:44 pm
aloha,
im amazed at the lenghts you go to protect your plants every year from frost, must be great validation to see them survive not in their perfect environments…kudos to you for your gardening spirit….love all your succulents btw, also one of my favorites in my garden.
April 19th, 2010 @ 7:29 pm
Aloha noel,
Thanks for your wonderful words – it does seem like an awful lot of effort, a bit like trying to walk up an escalator that is coming down faster than you can walk. I have just looked at your fabulous blog in Hawaii.
When I look at how plants grow so easily on your beautiful island I do wonder sometimes why I bother – I suppose it’s the challenge – even if I can only have an exotic garden for a few months it seems to be worth all the effort.
May 12th, 2010 @ 9:58 pm
Looking forward to visiting again this year Will. Thanks for the great blog. Oh and I lost my Ensette again this year!!!!
May 13th, 2010 @ 5:31 pm
Hi James – glad you like the blog. Another Ensete Maurelii hits the dust! For the last few years Homebase has been selling fairly good sized plants for around £15 although they haven’t got any in yet, usually from mid June. I had 18 good sized plants, but only half survived the winter, but those that have are fine.