Front yard update. Finished?

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wxman
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Front yard update. Finished?

Post by wxman » Sun May 02, 2010 1:00 pm

I thought I would share with you guys a few pictures of my front yard. I've been busily working at the beds this past week and am excited to finally see things coming together. All I need now is a great summer of heat and everything should explode. Let's hope this summer isn't like last year!

Looking northeast at the front yard. Phoenix sylvestris, surrounded by 2 trachycarpus fortuneis on each side.

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Looking southeast at the front yard. Phoenix sylvestris, surrounded by 2 trachycarpus fortuneis. Same design as the other corner.

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Closer shot of the middle. On each end I have an ensete maurelii, 4 musa basjoo near the top, and 2 black magic elephant ears in the front of the musa basjoo. In the background you can see the edge of another bed. It contains hostas, burning bushes and perennials (can't plant ALL tropicals in WI!)

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Another angle.

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Closeup of the basjoo and the elephant ears.

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Last, but not least, a shot of the front of the house. Washingtonia robusta and trachycarpus fortunei (both in the ground since 2008).

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Thanks for looking!



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hardyjim
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Post by hardyjim » Sun May 02, 2010 1:21 pm

Looks good Weatherman,pretty soon you'll have the rest of that grass
dug up!:lol:

Not a bad idea to pull back the mulch around the Bananas and EE's let the ground
continue to warm up and also create a well around them so you can give them more water,
the more water and fertilizer in warm weather the more growth.
<img src="http://weathersticker.wunderground.com/ ... rfield.gif" alt="Click for Fairfield, Iowa Forecast" border="0" height="60" width="468" />

lucky1
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Post by lucky1 » Sun May 02, 2010 2:44 pm

Wxman, nice job.
What a nice "wall" that'll create between your house and the road...you'll be able to suntan in the buff.

Agree with Jim...pulled back mulch will allow the soil to heat.

You'll reduce that grass area every year, looks good.

Barb
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TerdalFarm
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Post by TerdalFarm » Sun May 02, 2010 6:41 pm

Fantastic!
Show us how they grow over the Summer.
Abut the mulch, yeah, I pull away winter mulch in spring. I won't put down mulch until the Summer gets real hot (another month? :lol: )
About grass, it is horse food. If you don't have horses, kill it. I mow with "Round Up."
The wife seems to like lawns for some reason, so I make her mow. Anywhere she doesn't want to mow, I Round Up. Then I till in compost and plant expensive things.
Hence she likes to mow! :lol:
Seriously, you could do a whole front yard in tropicals and tropical-looking perennials. That's what I working on for my backyard. --Erik

DesertZone
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Post by DesertZone » Sun May 02, 2010 9:07 pm

Very nice! 8)
Shoshone Idaho weather
<img src="http://weathersticker.wunderground.com/ ... ooding.gif" alt="Click for Pearce, Arizona Forecast" border="0" height="50" width="150" /></a>
Here's to all the global warming pushers, may your winters be -30 below and four feet of snow in your driveway. Because I want you happy.
-Aaron-

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BILL MA
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Post by BILL MA » Mon May 03, 2010 6:37 pm

Looking real good Tim!
I like what you have done with the place this year. With
some good heat you'll have yourself a good jungle.

Are you going to try and leave the basjoos out this year?

Bill

serj
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Post by serj » Tue May 04, 2010 3:03 am

It looks like you live in a tropical zone!

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Paul Ont
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Post by Paul Ont » Tue May 04, 2010 8:46 am

Keep us updated on everything! I wonder how those Phoenix will fare? That's a tough one!

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hardyjim
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Post by hardyjim » Mon May 10, 2010 12:24 pm

Seriously though Tim,
create some wells around your Bananas about 3' out
from the "trunks" for starters so you can direct the water to them(and fertilizer),palms,bananas etc
need lots of water in summer heat/warmth to put out maximum growth.
You will be glad you did!
It is hard to get Banans,EE's etc enough water when you pour it on mulch-
and mulch will keep your soil temps down which will slow your Nanars down.
Last edited by hardyjim on Wed May 12, 2010 8:29 am, edited 1 time in total.
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canadianplant
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Post by canadianplant » Mon May 10, 2010 2:07 pm

Wow, do you plan on keepin them in ground all year round? Im in northwestern ontario, our climate is really similar. What are your night lows like right now? Here its too cold to plant basjoo ( mabey another week or 2, just unpredictible ) around 0, but usualy 2C and above at night. ALthough we had a -4C last night, the wisteria looks HORRIBLE LOL

LOL sry i should add that the yard looks GREAT!

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Jova
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Post by Jova » Tue May 11, 2010 11:15 pm

Looking nice! What are you planning to do with the ensete come fall?

wxman
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Post by wxman » Wed May 12, 2010 7:47 am

Sorry, been busy with work and life! All the palms will stay in the ground this winter and get heated boxes. The bananas will all be dug and stored in the basement. Never had any luck with storing basjoo in the ground.

I have 3 siam ruby bananas coming this week that will be going in a new bed I just made. 3 orinocos also going out front. Should get interesting!!

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hardyjim
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Post by hardyjim » Wed May 12, 2010 8:33 am

Basjoos need to get about 4-5" diameter trunks(base) to overwinter-
about(minimum) 3-5' of trunk height.

See post above^


You will love Siam Ruby!-
one of the prettiest bananas along with Ae Ae.

IMO
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palmtreecod
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Post by palmtreecod » Sat May 22, 2010 8:19 pm

Your Sylvies are looking good, why are these pictures not on PT??

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Jova
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Post by Jova » Tue May 25, 2010 11:20 pm

wax: looks very good... I'm glad that it's you that has to mow around all of that and not me:) As for the siam ruby, I bought a couple of those about a month ago and planted them outside. They haven't really done much so far, maybe grown an inch or so, and from what I've told, it's nearly impossible to overwinter them outside in this climate (6a) but I might still take a stab at it since I'm not really into digging plants up and hauling them inside for the winter. Are you planning to overwinter yours or bring them inside? The folks I've talked to are telling me that the siam ruby does best in 90f+ heat. I'd love to hear what your plans are with yours, since I'm still deciding what to do with mine:)

wxman
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Post by wxman » Wed May 26, 2010 6:12 pm

Hey guys...

The ensete maurelii, musa basjoo, musa orinoco are moving well now. The siam ruby are still sitting there, but I think they're getting ready to take off (their old leaves burned off and I'm left with just the roller. I hate when nurseries don't grow stuff in sun. I don't have the patience to spend weeks acclimating either).

The trachys are moving, the sylvestris moved 1/2 inch in the last week. My robusta is just sitting there though. :? I'm hoping it begins moving soon.

As for the bananas, they are ALL getting dug for the winter and stored in the basement. Overwintering bananas just doesn't work for me unless I would provide heat and I don't want to do that. I stored the orinocos last winter and they did well.

For you northern trachy growers, how many fronds do you guys get in a typical summer out of them? And how many fronds have they pushed so far this spring? Mine has pushed about 1 1/2 fronds this spring so far, and I want to know if that's on track with everyone else.

Thanks!

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hardyjim
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Post by hardyjim » Thu May 27, 2010 8:05 am

My slowest Trachy is pushing out #2
The fastest Trachys are all on #3,one may have 3+a new spear.
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lucky1
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Post by lucky1 » Thu May 27, 2010 10:53 am

My trachy (that finally got planted after 32+ years in a big pot) is pushing 2+.
You guys are way ahead
:|
Barb
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wxman
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Post by wxman » Thu May 27, 2010 7:08 pm

Thanks guys.

What I'm really concerned about is my washy. It hasn't grown AT ALL in the last 10 days. Soil temp is 74F around him and its been 80s during the day and 60s at night. What's also weird is he has 3 visible spears. One opened already without the petiole being exposed so it looks bunched in there like an acordian. The next one is half opened and the third one looks like a spear. Usually they push out before they fan out so they don't get bunched up. I don't see any cold damage or rot on the spears and they are firm. Just ... not ... moving ... UGH!! I would hate to lose it since it's been in the ground since 2008.

I half want to cut all the fronds off to stimulate growth again, but that's probably not a good idea. Last year the spear moved 2 inches a day with temps like these. Funny thing is it was growing slowly all spring and now nothing.

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hardyjim
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Post by hardyjim » Thu May 27, 2010 9:17 pm

Might just be loading up for a big growth spurt.
Give it some time,sometimes weather fluctuations can
can cause plants to stall while they regroup.
<img src="http://weathersticker.wunderground.com/ ... rfield.gif" alt="Click for Fairfield, Iowa Forecast" border="0" height="60" width="468" />

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BILL MA
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Post by BILL MA » Thu May 27, 2010 9:43 pm

Man Tim,
I would hate to say you have a root problem going on but what do you think about a mild peroxide watering? Also have you been watering it? DON'T!!!!
You must know already but they don't like water unless it HOT. That's not Wisconsin. The only time mine get a drink is when I'm fertilizing them once a month. There on there own loving life! Keep in mind mine have heat all year. A step I tried to get you to do when you still could.

When I watered them last summer they looked like crap, so I stopped watering them. Look at them now 6 fronds since defoliation, and there 40+ inches wide.

Just trying to help again,

Bill

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BILL MA
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Post by BILL MA » Thu May 27, 2010 9:47 pm

By the way mine are growing into pure beach sand two-three feet down. Don't ask me why there is playsand here under the ground!
I also planted them in a very well drained soil when I planted them.

wxman
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Post by wxman » Sat May 29, 2010 7:29 am

Thanks for the help. I hope it isn't declining.

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BILL MA
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Post by BILL MA » Sat May 29, 2010 4:16 pm

Me Too!

I posted a few more things in my responses to everyone on my front yard update that might be helpful.

Bill

ScottyON
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Post by ScottyON » Sat May 29, 2010 6:09 pm

Tim, My little trachy has put out three fronnds since Easter Weekend. Only one has completly opened up. I think most growers in the north can expect between 3 and 5 maybe..

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BILL MA
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Post by BILL MA » Sun May 30, 2010 5:50 am

7 or 8 here since I uncovered. Scott can verify in a couple of weeks, I know it sounds like a ton.

Bill

lucky1
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Post by lucky1 » Mon May 31, 2010 1:23 pm

That is a ton...man, that winter protection-turned into a GH gave them a super start!
Congratulations you guys!
Barb
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BILL MA
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Post by BILL MA » Mon May 31, 2010 4:25 pm

That was only on my washies Barb, the trachys have been out since March 5th. Not really to much protection this year for them and there only getting tougher.

Bill

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Okanagan desert-palms
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Post by Okanagan desert-palms » Mon May 31, 2010 4:50 pm

Tim it can`t hurt to give it some hydrogen peroxide. It`s not a good sign that it has slowed down just as it should be growing this time of year. I give all my palms regular treatments. Cheap prevention from fungus and they love it .Everything looks great otherwise.
http://www.using-hydrogen-peroxide.com/ ... oxide.html




John
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6b-7a

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