The soft and fluffy cycads

There are two cycads in the rockeries and while they both flush every year, the smaller one flushes at the end of the summer and so the fronds get damaged over winter. The results in them having to be removed come spring. Finally they are both flushing now so there is more chance of the fronds surviving.

They grow at an amazing rate, and have now reached my favourite period for the flush.

The larger one looks amazing in the early evening sun, and the new fronds gleam. A really good flush this year.

They are great at this stage, unclurling and still soft. I want to stroke it every time I walk past.

Someone is loving the rain.

You need to look closely, but finally the large cycad is starting to flush.  Lots of rain and extra feed seems to have done the trick.

The wrong flush

There are two cycads in the rockeries; one large and one small.  They tend to flush on alternate years, so there is always something to look at.  Last year it was the tern of the smaller, which was posted here.

This year was the turn of the big cycad and so it has been checked regularly, but nothing.

The centre looks better than it ever has, but not a single sign of a flush. 

Then the small one.

They never do that, there is an order: large - small, large - small.

I'm guessing it has more to do with the state of the leaves than anything else.  Last years flush didn't like the winter and there is a lot of damage.

They say if you want your cycad to flush then cut all the leaves off.  It seems damaging them over winter is just as good.

Continuing a family garden tradition

With the back garden starting to take shape, time spent outside is getting back to a more normal routine.  Walking around this evening I couldn't help but think of one of the early memories of my parents in their garden.  My dad would get back form work, and after greeting my mum with a hug and a kiss, saying hello us kids, the two of them would head out to walk around their garden.  I never really understood what they did, it seemed to involve a glass of wine, a slow wonder pointing out plants that are doing well and usually being followed by at least one of the family cats and dogs. They still do this to this day, only now they are no longer interrupted by the kids.

View from seats in the side garden

What struck me was how I now continue this tradition. Getting back from work, I say hello to my OH and head out to look around the garden.  If the weather is fine, my OH may join me with a glass of wine, and while she is not really interested in plants, she doesn't mind me pointing out the odd plant doing well and we catch up on events of the day.

Main succulents rockery in the evening sun

When I was young I didn't really understand why they did it, in fact I didn't really understand until I properly got into my succulents about 10 years ago. Now it seems the most natural thing in the world and something I look forward to throughout the day. I am guessing this evening stole is quite common among gardeners around the world, with or without a drink and family pets.  What better way to relax after a day at work, especially in the long UK summer evenings.

Tonight as I looked around the plants all seemed to be settling in, if I needed a sign of this I found several not least the smallest cycad revoluta sending out a new flush.

Normally I would cut the old fronds off at around this point, the winter was so mild that this set have very little damage.  They have relaxed slightly, so once the new flush is completed I'll decide how it all looks and decide then.

So have have you carried on any family traditions in the garden, or have you come up with your own new ones?

The annual flush

Over the years 3 cycad revolutas have made their way into the garden, a small:

Medium

& large.

They seem to be borderline hardy in London, the fronds deteriorate over a two year period, so it is lucky that mine seem to flush on a two year cycle. It is well know that the trick to getting cycads flush is to mimic their natural rainfall, and provide copious amounts of water, along with high nitrogen feed, from the start of spring.  Some people have great success in getting yearly flushes, so far mine are every other year. The two smaller ones flush together with the large one flushing the following year. This year it is the turn of the large one.

It always amazes me how quickly things develop, this was last Sunday, with the old fronds still left on the plant and the new ones just starting to appear.

Then today, the old fronds removed and the new ones well on their way.

It helps that we are having a proper heat wave (for the UK) with todays high being 32C. They basked in the sun all day, then got a good soaking in the evening. If the heat continues it will be great for all the plants, giving them a proper chance to put on some serious growth ready for winter. 

A bit of protection for the bigger plants

Having been dug up in the summer and as I actually have space, almost everything is getting protection this year.  I started to move the bigger plants into the greenhouse today as I would be very upset to loose the after three years planted outside unprotected.

First in were the yucca rostratas.  They are totally hardy for me, but have a very annoying habit of dropping all their roots if disturbed, so are having to be re-rotted.  This should in theory be easy, but it is a worrying time as if they are ever going to suffer from rot it would be now.

They are two of the stars of by old dry bed, with the larger one being a perfect blue colour (not that you can tell from this early evening photo). The other one has had more shade for a lot of the time it was planted as is greener. 

The middle sized cycad was also brought in. It flushed over the summer, and for once I would like it to stay pristine and not have to cope with snow. The smaller one will go in another cold frame and the largest will get a fleece cover. 

The large agaves will mainly be in the other cold frame as it means I don't have to move them; I don't fancy having to carry them through the very narrow greenhouse door.  A few more may make into here along with some more of the aloes, but ideally I want to keep space to potter in there over winter and not totally fill it. 

I'm not sure what all the plants that are usually left totally unprotected are going to make of this special care.  They had better not get used to it, it will be a return to the tough life again as soon as the new dry bed is designed and built.

A little flushed

Cycads are a great group of plants that go really well with dry beds.  One of my favourite things about them is when they flush, putting out all their fronds in one go.  Getting them to flush is a bit of a trick, mainly involving lots of high nitrogen food and LOTS of water.  This summer we have not had to fake monsoon conditions as we are having so much rain.  As watering has not been required they have been fed less than usual so the big one (shown flushing this time last year) is having a rest.

I pleased that the smallest of my three is flushing again. This is the first time I have managed it in consecutive years . They seem a bit later this year, given that the first photo was taken exactly this time last year, they were already quite advanced, compared to the current flush.

As mine stay outside all year the main problem is frost damage to the young leaves.  Given how later these are I will pamper them a bit this winter, who knows maybe even move them into some sort of winter shelter (assuming I have one sorted).

The other problem I am going to have is that you can't move a flushing cycad otherwise the new fronds twist to re-orientate themselves. Not great to have two flushing when you are about to move house.  I am going to have to figure out some way of preserving the orientation of the pots to the sun, maybe using a marker in the pot to point due north, or to the sun at mid-day. No doubt I will post an update when I know what I am going to do.

 


The other one flushing is one that lost its last set of fronds over the winter and has been moved somewhere while it recovers. I go this one a couple of years ago with the idea of have them planted as a group. With the new garden I may actually finally manage it!

Now all we need is some sun, to ensure good strong growth and that they harden off quickly.

A few different plants in the garden

For several reasons, I usually only show the spikie plants in the garden, but I do have a few other plants and some of these are worth a mention every now and then.  If I had a lot more space there I would love a woodland garden, there are just so many good plants you could have. Who doesn't like walking through a wood on spring or autumn days, and they are almost as easy as the succulents.

One group of plants I was introduced to a few years back were the arisaemas.  I just loved the flowers and rushed out and got my first one. I am always surprised when they come back each spring, but come back they do,  and even spread.

Some have such delicate hoods, it is a shame they are so hidden away.

At my next house I will have to have a shade bed I can properly show these off. Currently they live beside and under my schefflera taiwaniana which is also having a very good year:

Finally today I noticed that my smallest cycas revoluta was starting to flush. Normally these don't do too badly in my winters, but this last one damaged all of mine, and I have been waiting hoping they all flush so I have something other than stumps to look at.

It is only the start but no matter how many times you see it, a cycad flush is always exciting.

A snowy cycad

Our heaviest snow fall this winter, only 4 - 5 inches but it is enough to weigh down all the frond on this cycad revoluta. I have 3 of these from a small one bought on a DIY shop,  up to this larger one.

While I wouldn't say they thrive unprotected with me,  they do survive and push out new flushes every other year. There is a definite knack to getting them to flush, watering at the right time and lots of nitrogen seems to be trick most people use.

This one is due to flush this year so fingers crossed I'll be posting pictures of it come early summer.