Yucca rostrata babies growing like mad

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 1:31 pm

These seem very robust, having grown an inch in less than a week:

They're outdoors on sunny days.
Barb

Okanagan desert-palms · Post by **Okanagan desert-palms** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 1:57 pm

Barb they are fast growers but I would put a fan blowing on them or be outside asap or their trunks will be very weak. IMO they do much better for me when they get wind and sun or artificial lighting and a fan from the get go. Just a heads up. They look great.

John

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 2:52 pm

Thanks John, will do.
Makes sense about having them out in the wind.

I'm sure pleased with the near-perfect germination rate.

How was the Coast trip?
Pics?
Barb

Barrie · Post by **Barrie** » Sat May 03, 2008 10:37 pm

I picked up a 5 gallon pot of Yucca rostrata today with about 8 individual plants. I'm wonderin' if I can divide these without too much grief? Anyone do this before? I recall the roots being brittle on a previous specimen.

Cheers, Barrie.

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Sun May 04, 2008 9:09 am

You should be able too. I do it often, just wiggle the plants apart when you get them out of the container. Some may not pull apart, but most should.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sun May 04, 2008 9:13 am

I recall someone saying he uses a hose to "water remove and separate" roots.
If these have brittle small roots, might be less damage working them apart with water.
Barb

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sun May 04, 2008 1:27 pm

I'm stumped...

Yucca rostrata were doing fine, then halfway up the first leaf they turned white and some fell over.

Each green leaf seems to be developing an area of necrosis halfway up.
Figured I had nothing to lose so gave some of them a mild Fish Fertilizer application.
Anybody know why the middle section is growing pale?

Thanks.
Barb

Barrie · Post by **Barrie** » Sun May 04, 2008 1:57 pm

Thanks Aaron ... I was somewhat concerned after my last episode and brittle roots breaking apart.
Barb ... I believe it was Laaz (Todd) that recommended tipping the pot and using a gentle garden hose spray to losen the tangled roots. Seems to me I did that years ago but forgot the entire event till then. Geez ... I can hardy wait to see what I'll forget in 20 years while gardening.

Barb ... any cool / cold weather (and moist soil) during your Y. rostrata seedling starts? Humm, might account for the conditions they're experiencing.

Cheers, Barrie.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sun May 04, 2008 2:07 pm

Hi Barrie,
Yup, you're right...it was Todd's suggestion...a good one.

I've kept the Y.rostrata seedlings indoors on the heat mat, and put them out only when it's sunny and warmish.
Now I think the sun might be too much for these little guys.

Barb

Barrie · Post by **Barrie** » Sun May 04, 2008 2:13 pm

Hey Barb ... time to toughen up these small Yuccas. They should be able to cope with most anything your weather can dish out (hopefully) from this point on.
There will be a natural "thinning of the herd" from some seedlings anyway.

Cheers, Barrie.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sun May 04, 2008 2:30 pm

I think the herd is falling over...

Damn!
Barb

Barrie · Post by **Barrie** » Sun May 04, 2008 6:20 pm

Well ... if there has been some extremes in fluctuation or sometimes stagnant (that pretty much covers the bases) conditions, this can occur

. Best bet is to keep watering to a minimum and fresh air circulation up.

Cheers, Barrie.

Barrie · Post by **Barrie** » Tue May 06, 2008 4:35 pm

DesertZone wrote:You should be able too. I do it often, just wiggle the plants apart when you get them out of the container. Some may not pull apart, but most should.

Man ... These will never seperate

. The root system is so thick and interwoven that anything short of dynomite won't work. Oh well, they're getting planted as a cluster.

Cheers, Barrie.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Tue May 06, 2008 5:51 pm

As a cluster, they'll look great when the trunks start appearing.
Better you don't break them.
Barb

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Wed May 07, 2008 3:37 pm

My seedlings are still suffering, wonder if I should've planted them in a rocky mix, versus potting soil.

Here's a site with THE COOLEST pic on page 1:
http://www.mswn.com/Plant%20Info%20Shee ... strata.pdf

Barrie · Post by **Barrie** » Mon May 19, 2008 5:13 pm

I planted my Yucca rostrata babies today. I hope yours are coming around now Barb.

Cheers, Barrie.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Mon May 19, 2008 5:20 pm

Ooooh, Barrie, nice blue. I wish mine were the size of your Y.rostrata!

Only 5 remain after the "herd thinning". Damn!

I'm getting two from mail order...they're in 24 ounce cups.

Do you "help" the plant start trunking by taking lower leaves off?

Barb

Barrie · Post by **Barrie** » Mon May 19, 2008 5:25 pm

"Do you "help" the plant start trunking by taking lower leaves off?

I can't induce or "help" any trunking effect by removing the lower leaves. These will start to form trunks at their own will. I do remove any dead or expired foliage. It'll be a while before these form trunks I'd imagine.

Cheers, Barrie.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Mon May 19, 2008 5:30 pm

Therefore my babies will take 35 years to trunk

Once a year I remove a few leaves from my dracaena marginata to expose more stem.
Doesn't seem to hurt them.

Barb

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Mon May 26, 2008 12:09 pm

Hey Barb!
Having lost my large (and small) Yucca thompsoniana this past winter (low was -23C, perfect drainage...) I've just purchased a fairly large rostrata for 25 bucks which I've planted and will moisture protect this coming winter... I think the thompsonianas would have been finw if I'd given them protection from the snow... Lesson learned...
I'll let you know how the rostrata does in a cold/wet zone 4b/5a!
Are you going to plant any of your babies out this winter??

Paul

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Mon May 26, 2008 12:47 pm

Hey Paul where on earth did you get a "fairly large" rostrata for 25 bucks

??
Millionplants.com just shipped their last ones to BC (John, I bet! ha ha).

The ones I ordered from Carolina are in a paperwork snafu...seems we "international" buyers have to buy 100 bucks worth of PRODUCT, not the total bill including phyto and shipping etc.

Doubt my seedlings will be ready for a winter outdoors, even protected.
Right now the 5 remaining each look like a couple of blades of three inch grass...

Paul I bet they'd do better if you could find a spot under a garage overhang, etc. ?

Barb

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Tue May 27, 2008 9:51 am

Hey Barb,
I got the rostrata from Broadway (millionplants) it was the most robust of the 25 dollar plants... Which means that it will trunk in about 2 years time! I've planted the Yucca in a protected south facing location. It will get near total mositure protection in winter... This is the same microclimate that allowed Yucca brevifolia to hold on for 4 years!

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Tue May 27, 2008 10:29 am

Paul,
I've heard they have great plants...just didn't get my order in on time to get any...damn!
I was very impressed with how quickly Tony answered my email enquiry.

25 bucks! Cheap.
Trunking in two years

...make sure you post pics as they grow this summer.

Your planting location sounds perfect.
Are you going to protect them this winter?
It'd be a shame to lose your valuable specimens.

Barb

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Tue May 27, 2008 12:51 pm

Barb, the only protection it will recieve is the mositure protection... It should be fine unless we get record cold, but even then it's along the south wall!

Oh, and the Trachy survived with much less damage then last year, it might actually gain some size this season! The needle looks a little more beat up then last spring, but should be fine by September

I also recently planted a Sabal minor McCurtain that Tony got in for me... We'll see how it compares side by side with a regular Sabal minor! My prediction: Both will have 70-80% leaf burn!

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Tue May 27, 2008 1:22 pm

Paul, you've had a few setbacks but sounds like your plants will be well situated for the coming winter.
The south wall will likely be its saving grace, along with moisture protection.

Does Tony get stuff out of Florida?
Is he bringing in any more $25 Y.rostrata, or is he starting again from seed?

How about some udpated pics?
Barb

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Wed May 28, 2008 8:45 am

Barb,
I think the 25 dollar rostrata were brought in as a smaller size then potted up... Not sure if he'll go back to seed or just order in some smaller sizes from somewhere. I think most of the palms come from Florida, but I'm not sure where he gets the Yuccas and similar (wholesale from PDN???)...
I'll have to get some updated pics before too much of the growing season has passed so that I can compare with how things look come September/October... I'll try to post a few asap!
Cheers,
Paul

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Wed May 28, 2008 9:32 am

Looking forward to seeing your pics, don't forget the rostrata

I think the industry is beginning to wake up to the demand for more "exotic" specimens.
Barb

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Wed May 28, 2008 10:01 pm

lucky1 wrote:Therefore my babies will take 35 years to trunk

Once a year I remove a few leaves from my dracaena marginata to expose more stem.
Doesn't seem to hurt them.

Barb

You should see a trunking plant in 10 years, 3-5 feet

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Thu May 29, 2008 10:05 am

Great news, thanks!
Barb

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 11:28 am

Glad I potted these up into deeper containers.
Was surprised at the root length.

Read on the internet that Yucca can get attacked by "desert beetles". So far, have seen only the odd ant climbing around on them.

Barb

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 1:42 pm

I have never had a beetle attack any of my yuccas that I have seen with my own eyes. I have seen mice, rabbits, and grasshoppers eat them, but mostly when they are small. Rabbits seem to do the most damage and ants don't seem to hurt them.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 3:44 pm

I'm going to keep them in pots off the ground for the first while to see what they attract/what nibbles on them.

Fortunately the rabbit problem of the city nearby hasn't yet spread to my area...must be the coyotes

Barb

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 8:16 pm

How big exactly is a double gulp? They look like the perfect containers.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 12:02 pm

Aaron, they're just shy of 10 inches tall...perfect for seedlings that need narrow/tall pots.

The 1.8 litre size = approx. half a U.S. gallon.

Had to buy them (@ 80 cents each) from the local 7/11 store.

Made of really strong plastic which didn't crack when I "drilled" a drain hole in the bottom with scissors.

Barb

PalmsNorth.com

Yucca rostrata babies growing like mad

Yucca rostrata babies growing like mad

H E L P

Mission impossible!

Cool yucca rostrata pic

Seedling Y.rostratas transplanted

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