How to Grow and Divide Phormiums plus Buying Tips
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- Опубліковано 7 вер 2024
- Today's video is all about Phormiums, from the smaller varieties like Yellow Wave up to the giants like Tenax looking at care, watering and how to divide these colourful and evergreen exotic garden plants.
Great video George. I agree with you. These plants are indestructible . I have 2 plants, one donated to me and one I planted about 10 years ago. Both purple, both massive. I spend most of my time not caring for this plant but hacking away at them as they are both borders of my Dicksonian bed with 4 tree ferns in. They provide an excellent colour contrast with the green of the tree ferns. However they constantly grow into my tree fern growing zone so I hack them to maintain their space. They are useful plants for their hardiness and colour but if I'm honest I don't really appreciate them as much as I should. It's human nature I think, that which requires no effort is unappreciated, that which is expensive/rare/challenging to grow is appreciated. My karma is good tonight so I'll end on that note. Great work George 👍
Thank you and that’s absolutely correct! They’ve got a great form and colours to contrast with your tree ferns and whilst they’re never going to be the main attraction they’ll always add to the atmosphere. If they were really fussy and needed protecting over winter we’d probably think they were amazing 😂
This was packed with good info that i needed. Going now to make my purchase. Thanks for this video!! 👍👍
Nice one, enjoy!
Really like your videos. They're really informative and you've got a great way of presenting them
Thank you very much, I appreciate it! This was one of my earlier vids but I'm pleased it's helpful. Good luck with all your gardening plans this year!
Great vid ,i have a green yellow variegated pink variegated and dark brown and never even thought of dividing them so thanks so much George
Thanks and no worries, it’s how I’ve got so many!
Beautiful Plants...
Thank you for the great tips... George's Jungle.
Thank you, they are 😊
Really great video ..so useful. Keep them coming!
Thanks Helen, trying to cover my favourite summer plants while it's a great time for people to buy them for their own gardens this year!
Useful advice I will be adding a few more of these to my collection now I’ve seen how easy they are to get more free plants 🌱
Nice one, they’re not necessarily going to be the centrepiece of the garden but a great ‘accessory’ plant and really colourful 😃
Thanks George. I bought a young Jester this winter and just unwrapped it after getting carried away with the fleece ahead of the expected cold snap tomorrow. 🤦♀️😄 Appreciate the guidance.
Nice one, Jesters are lovely. It would probably be fine but I’d fleece it up with it being small and a new plant for definite. Or pop it in the garage etc for a few days!
Just obtained a few Phormiums - now i know what to do with them - useful video George!
No worries, thanks 😃
Which varieties did you go for?
@@GeorgesJungleGarden Cookianum Cream Delight & Flamingo New Zealand Flax
@@B4dlands There’s loads of colourful kinds available, a whole rainbow of them!
Your videos are always so relevant to me! I was just at a garden centre on Friday and made note of a phormium tenax that I want to buy. I hope it’s still there on Monday.
Nice one Jim! I wanted to get videos on a lot of the structural evergreen plants before it’s time to get the summer display planted out!
Also I have a black one that is a smaller variety that I could split up! I was just thinking to move it - thanks for letting me know I can divide it! My orange/pink one that I bought around the same time last year has sadly not grown enough to split, but good to know I could do that in future!
No worries, it’s a great way of filling up your garden once you find nice varieties 😃
Another great how to video
Thanks Paul 👍
Awesome vid George! Bought my first fatsia japonica last night at b&q thanks to your suggestion! Can’t wait to add more plants to my garden this year, keep the vids coming!!
Thanks Rich, that’s great! Keep it sheltered over the next week as it’s going to be cold. I did want to do a good few vids over this weekend but I’ve been mega busy getting on out there 😂
How much are they going for in B and Q ? Saw some in Homebase yesterday at £45 , seemed a lot 😳
£8!
@@rj12341 bargain !
@@elf9967 £45 is a lot unless it’s a very good plant, I’d be tempted to get an £8 one and be patient 👍
Just devided mine and ended up with 6 plants, hopefully they all survive
Nice one! Give them time to fill out but I’m sure they’ll be just fine 👍
Nice one 👍
Thanks David!
George, when are you going to talk about Cordy lines?
Hi, there's not a huge amount I do for them care wise and hardiness very much depends upon location in my experience so I haven't come across something specific that would make a video stand out in my eyes (yet!). Was there anything specific you wanted to know and I'll try my best to help?
@@GeorgesJungleGarden I do see them in the background in your videos but noticed you never spoke about them. I have 3 at my house and would be interesting to see your take on the plant. You are not a fan if I guess?
Hi, no I think they're great. There's just not a lot I can really offer to a video in terms of my experiences, little tips I've learned or care tips as they're generally very low maintenance and I wouldn't protect them. They're tough to a point, very exotic looking and quick growing so perfect for a background plant and I'll try to share more of them going forwards.
Hi, can I get your advice please George? I recently divided a large one into four, all had root as I cut it into quarters, but two are developing a yellow/orange colour why would this be could they be dying? All in new pots with fresh compost and had a dose of tomato feed to help! Worried I’ll lose them as they’re beautiful and desperate to start growing little tropical collection! Thanks in advance 😊
Hi and apologies for my delayed reply. Hopefully they've bounced back now! Some foliage dieback / yellowing is normal for divisions which may not have enough root or the roots got damaged whilst dividing. Personally I'd prioritise keeping them well watered while they settle back in, hopefully they bounce back soon enough for you!
What if you have heavy clay soil?
Hello George, first may I say how much I enjoy your informative and enthusiastic videos.
I know you are a busy man but you answer other enquiries with such good humour - SO.
Staying on topic; some years ago I bought and planted several coloured Phormiums but lost most through that dreaded (specific to Phormium; 'Trionymus diminutus') mealy bug. I am an organic gardener!!!
Nearly impossible to eradicate but gosh did I try, after discovering this nasty critter I have seen an awful lot hiding on nursery specimens.
That wasn't a query really (unless you've a solution?)
But - here is one; a large surviving clump; ready for division, was pink white and green but
except for a few leaves, reverted back to dark green. Have you come across this before and are you able to recommend an explanation?
Hi Jeff and thank you, I appreciate it! I'm also organic but haven't had issues with mealy bug unfortunately - I know it's not good advice but I tend to either wash some things off or just leave other bugs for the birds etc. to deal with - any other damage is just one of those things. So unfortunately I haven't got any organic specific advice for that question yet (I'll come back to you if I read anything) BUT for your other question, was there a sudden change in light levels or growing conditions for the plant?
@@GeorgesJungleGarden I appreciate your speedy response and advise.
The loss of exotic colour in the Phormium clump has been gradual and does coincide with the growth and fleshing out of the deciduous trees planted on the street. I hadn't contemplated that impact. Light levels are a consideration when positioning -
but being a plantaholic (is there a clinic for that?)
packing them in to my unruly jungle means they have to make the best of what their given.
All the best
Jeff
@@TheHardlove4u Hi Jeff, that does sound like the most likely answer I'd say but I suppose the question is do you still appreciate / like the plant for the colour it is now? There is no clinic for being a plantaholic unfortunately, it's terminal...
@@GeorgesJungleGarden Hello George
You gave me some thought about whether there is a single plant I don't like
(in it's own way). I have nurtured some exotically ugly beauties over the years.
I lived in Sydney for 30 of them (years). Now back on the South Coast UK.
Anyhow --- the Phormium does need to be divided and that will give me an opportunity to relocate some of it.
Cheers Jeff
@@TheHardlove4u Good luck with the division, they are tough plants. Are you enjoying the challenge of trying to recreate a Sydney garden over here?
Hi great video and info. Can I just keep mine in a big pot? I have no room in my garden borders really.
Many thanks 🌴
Hi and thank you! You can indeed, I've got one like that round the front of the house. They're a good pot choice as they can cope with drying out but obviously will be slower growing / smaller when kept in a pot.
@@GeorgesJungleGarden thank you very much for your reply. That’s good to know!..🪴
@@bev747sp No worries, good luck with them 😃
Great video George, really informative!
Hoping you can help with some phorium issues i'm having. I've had one in my house in a pot for a few months now and recently it's really started drooping, and a lot of the leaves have died off. Any ideas what i'm doing wrong? I thought there's a chance i'm overwatering, but the soil seems pretty dry. I've got access to a south facing shared yard, tempted to leave it out there instead?
Thanks Jamie! In all honesty I’ve never heard of them being grown inside so I can’t really give much specific advice but I imagine it’ll be happier outside (harden it off in the shade for a week or so first so it doesn’t get sunburnt). I imagine it’s either over or underwater for that’s the issue or maybe it’s too dark and the air too dry inside. Hard to say!
@@GeorgesJungleGarden Ok thanks for the advice! I'll give that a go.
@@jamiedeakins5761 No worries, good luck with it!
Hi George, Really enjoy the videos-keep up the great work !I'm really struggling to find trachycarpus fortunei most local garden centres have sold out and online they have suddenly gone very expensive. I heard about the plant from one of your previous videos and tried the places you recommend.Any suggestions?
Thanks, busy busy at the minute but trying to keep them up! Maybe find out when Hardy Palms are getting them in? What size are you looking for?
@@GeorgesJungleGarden I was going to take your advice and get one medium/large one as a centre piece and get a few smaller ones to play the long game. Your garden is going to be amazing when complete 😍. George just curious how long ago did you start this hobby and how much would you say it cost(to get to this stage) .Thanks for replying by the way
@@mamoonrouf Nice one! Thanks! I’d definitely get in touch with Hardy Palms to see when they’re getting stock in for the bigger one, Tesco actually have small ones in for a fiver around here! I started again around 6 years ago and wouldn’t be able to put a price on everything but I certainly wouldn’t be able to afford everything at current or garden centre prices 😂
Hi George so I've split 2 phormium up and ended up with 6 smaller clumps. I've cut the leaves down to about 8 inches. Will these grow quicker in a make shift growing tunnel I've made?? Also how often should I water these?? I only water my other other established phormiums about once a week.
Hi Steven, now it’s warmer I would just keep them outside and don’t let them completely dry out. Watering a couple of times a week should help them settle in.
@@GeorgesJungleGarden thanks George I'll leave them in a spot that gets sun all day.
@@stevenbrewster7894 They’re tough so should be fine, you can keep them somewhere a bit shaded while it’s warmer this next week and they’re settling in but in all honesty with a bit more water they should be just fine.
@@GeorgesJungleGarden top man thanks again George for taking the time out to reply and advise me. Keep up the good work 👍
@@stevenbrewster7894 Thanks, I’ll try to 😃
Yeah, when you get moss and lichen growing on the wall it'll look like long lost jungle ruins.
Also don't forget, if you pour sour milk or yoghurt over the stones, (or very fresh wet cow pooh), it will encourage lichen growth.
Mind your own business is useful on walls too, you can let it spread and it keeps weeds down.
Thanks, you’ve got it! I’ve read that tip before and I’ll definitely give it a go. The shade and regular watering by itself would get it done I imagine! I’ve got clumps of mind your own business so it’s already been introduced to the garden, I’ll definitely spread some over the stone!
Hey George, would transplanting one of these from the ground in Mums garden to the ground in mine be roughly the same sort of root split etc ?
Hi Dani, I'd try to get as much root as possible for a quicker recovery. It's a great time to tidy them up and divide if you're going to at the same time though.
Hi George I love your yellow wave tryed looking for one online but it only comes up with the really large ones what variety the one you got I have no idea what I'm looking for thank you
Hi, I've had a look online and there does seem to be some places selling it as a Tenax with a big potential size. Personally I've found it stays compact and other places like Big Plant Nursery have it listed as 1.5m height which I'd say is about right. If you google Phormium varieties there's a site that goes through some of the other low growing varieties, it could be worth a read!
Great thank you for your help as always
@@donnathompson583 No worries ☺️
Brutal, have just done this got 17 smaller ones and trimmed the leaves back. How are yours recovering?
Nice one, sounds productive! Mine grew well all in all, and some have been planted out, others given away. I hope they do well for you!
Hey George - just planning some spring purchases...
currently I have a bed that has mainly slender tall plants like trachy, musa, cannas, gingers, (all in a sunny spot) but not a great deal of things for ground cover. Do you have any recommendations?
Looking for something that will be front positioned in a boarder, covers the ground and adds to protecting the roots in winter too. I use grasses and ferns currently although the ferns are tricky when it’s peak summer in direct sunlight so I prefer them in a more shady dappled spot. So looking for something a bit more leafy with low to medium height
Hi, I wouldn’t worry too much about the root protection aspect but I’d look at Heucheras then Persicaria as first choices 👍
We have one large , one medium phormium that were hit by the cold spell and now the leaves are turning crispy and don’t look great . Would you recommend cutting the dead leaves back individually , leaving the few that weren’t damaged or cutting all at base and starting again ? If I did cut them off at base how long will it take to re grow and look ok again , the large one especially is a feature plant in the garden .
How cold did you get and what sort of Cordyline is it out of interest? Personally I’d only chop off the damaged leaves and it should bounce back this summer 👍
@@GeorgesJungleGarden lowest was about -4 I think , in Surrey , south east . I don’t know the types and sadly can’t upload photo on here . One is pink , the other has very thick cream / green leaves , I’m sure that’s no help at all 😂
Also gunnera sprouted early and we got frost , all new leaves black and crispy . Shall I just cut them off hoping new ones will come ? Only had the odd leaf frost bitten before . Thanks for any advice 👍😊
@@elf9967 I think it’s more the duration of the cold that caused the damage then. I’d remove the tatty leaves and I’m confident the plants should make it!
@@elf9967 I’d cut the black leaves off yes and more should come pretty soon 👍
Hi George. I have a border which is about is about 7 meters long and 1 meter wide What phormium would you recommend. In the border currently I have fatsia Japonica 2 Musa Basjoo and pink China (if they come back).I have a space which I cleared and I need to fill it.
Hi Jimmy. How tall do you want it to get? 2-3m plus or less than 1m?
Less than a meter would be great. Also I saw your phormium yellow wave in the video. I am struggling to get one. Where did your phormium from
@@jimmyalvinewart6361 Yellow wave and some of the smaller phormiums would be great then, avoid the upright Tenax varieties. It was a garden centre purchase unfortunately!
@@jimmyalvinewart6361 I hope you don’t mind me butting in. I got a whole load of great Phorniums from Crocus.co.uk. They may seem a bit pricey compared to some garden centres but their plants never fail.
Both my Sundowners died in the snow in January. North Lanarkshire
Oh dear, we have had a bad winter for the colourful varieties, they’d usually be OK. There’s a chance they might come back later in spring though!
hi great video can you recommend any small growing phormiums? i have a tiny tropical garden but would love to be able to add one or two that dont grow too big.
Thanks! The Cookianum varieties are generally the smaller ones, I’m a big fan of Jester but stupidly gave my last plant away a few years ago 😂
@@GeorgesJungleGarden oops lol. I will have a look to see what i can find. I just think one or two here and there at the back of the borders would look nice and give me something to look at at least in winter
@@stevieboy1ify Definitely, they’re great for that 👍
Hello, where is your garden?
Hi, we’re in North Lincolnshire in England 👍
Hi George,
I have a large phormium “similar to the size in your video” would it be okay to dig it up and divide it just now? Or should I wait until the weather warms up ?
Ps brilliant videos, so informative for a tropical beginner like me 👍👍👍
Hi Colin and thanks! If there’s no rush then I’d probably wait another few weeks or so, but in reality they’re tough plants and it shouldn’t cause an issue doing it now.
@@GeorgesJungleGarden
Hi George,
Thanks for getting back to me, as I guess your Small Garden 😂😂 must keep you very busy 👍 I will wait a couple of weeks to be sure.
Keep the videos coming, they are so helpful
@@colinwilson7134 No worries and thanks! Even if I didn’t have a job the garden could still take up all of my time this year 😂