• Amused
  • Angry
  • Annoyed
  • Awesome
  • Bemused
  • Cocky
  • Cool
  • Crazy
  • Crying
  • Depressed
  • Down
  • Drunk
  • Embarrased
  • Enraged
  • Friendly
  • Geeky
  • Godly
  • Happy
  • Hateful
  • Hungry
  • Innocent
  • Meh
  • Piratey
  • Poorly
  • Sad
  • Secret
  • Shy
  • Sneaky
  • Tired
  • Results 1 to 7 of 7

    Thread: Gunnera manicata, Great for around ponds. But HUGE

    1. #1
      Paulzie67's Avatar
      Paulzie67 is offline Senior Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      Friendly
       
      Join Date
      Aug 2021
      Location
      Tampa Bay Area, Florida
      Posts
      188

      Gunnera manicata, Great for around ponds. But HUGE

      So, I fell in love with the look and idea of Gunnera manicata back when I was a kid. But I never ordered one as they were expensive back then. Now with the internet, (and as an old man ;-) ) I decided to order one.
      It's been a real learning curve as I was told they will not grow well, if at all in the Tampa Bay Area as it just get too hot... Or the sun is too intense.
      I figured I'd try anyway and well.... They're right. I had tried it in several locations and while it did well in the spring, In Summer heat, It just needed an Immense amount of water. I had loaned it to a friend that decided to put it in a large pot and had a water line to it, but it was STILL not enough. All the leaves died on it and I decided to take it back and nurse it.
      It is now a leafless corm in a pot of pond muck, sitting half way in a tub of water... with my Lotus pots.

      The roots looked good so I'm confident it will do better with some TLC and with summer almost over, I'm sure it will recover nicely.

      Has anyone else grown Gunnera of any kind around their ponds?

      Here's mine when it was doing well and in my friends pot, where we thought it would look impressive... but it was too much sun. Live and learn. Eventually I'll find a good spot for it.

      Name:  164808806_10158860030991273_5097449908167302895_n.jpg
Views: 95
Size:  159.2 KB

      Name:  180317033_10158980255901273_7104196388819844888_n (1).jpg
Views: 84
Size:  114.2 KB

      Name:  184195594_10159006600231273_1530942943442235174_n (1).jpg
Views: 90
Size:  140.4 KB



      LOL Not so impressive... Is it :-)
      But it Could have been!!! :-D

      Name:  184300060_10159006599326273_1505521741705710130_n (1).jpg
Views: 88
Size:  178.5 KB
      Last edited by Paulzie67; 08-29-2021 at 03:34 PM.

      • Remove Ads
        Advertising from Google
        Promoting Koi and Pond
        keeping since 2007

         

    2. #2
      One Poet's Garden's Avatar
      One Poet's Garden is offline Senior Member
      is Digging. And then digging some
      more!
       
      Feeling:
      Friendly
       
      Join Date
      Aug 2017
      Location
      Just outside the beltway
      Posts
      436
      I'm going to try growing it next season, near the big pond, in a place that only gets morning sun. Not sure it'll work, but Ive always wanted to try!

      Best,

      Bill

    3. #3
      Paulzie67's Avatar
      Paulzie67 is offline Senior Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      Friendly
       
      Join Date
      Aug 2021
      Location
      Tampa Bay Area, Florida
      Posts
      188
      I bought mine here.... https://scenichillfarmnursery.com/pr...20660342&_ss=r

      It shows sold out but it did when I went to order too. I contacted them and they had a couple available.
      They also have the smaller G. tinctoria.... but not as impressive ;-) Although it is in stock

      Should do ok where you are too.
      Last edited by Paulzie67; 08-30-2021 at 10:04 AM.

    4. #4
      One Poet's Garden's Avatar
      One Poet's Garden is offline Senior Member
      is Digging. And then digging some
      more!
       
      Feeling:
      Friendly
       
      Join Date
      Aug 2017
      Location
      Just outside the beltway
      Posts
      436
      Quote Originally Posted by Paulzie67 View Post
      I bought mine here.... https://scenichillfarmnursery.com/pr...20660342&_ss=r

      It shows sold out but it did when I went to order too. I contacted them and they had a couple available.
      They also have the smaller G. tinctoria.... but not as impressive ;-) Although it is in stock

      Should do ok where you are too.
      Thanks for the link! I'll likely try both species from seed sown in the greenhouse this fall. We'll see which one actually works. I've got an 8x8' space just past the northwest corner of the new pond marked out for it. I'll likely end up growing it under 40% shade cloth. The sun is so brutal in the back garden that colocasia leaves get scorched, and the rhubarb I tried nearby this year looked like someone had shot it with a death-ray by early June.

      Best,

      Bill

    5. #5
      Paulzie67's Avatar
      Paulzie67 is offline Senior Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      Friendly
       
      Join Date
      Aug 2021
      Location
      Tampa Bay Area, Florida
      Posts
      188
      Quote Originally Posted by One Poet's Garden View Post
      Thanks for the link! I'll likely try both species from seed sown in the greenhouse this fall.
      I bought a plant as I had chatted with several growers in Europe and only a few grow from seed and tell me, the number of seeds needed to get some seeds to germinate is far more than what is often sold online. They also say if they are not very fresh (within a few days off the plant) they will not even germinate. But you only need one to make it... right? :-)

    6. #6
      One Poet's Garden's Avatar
      One Poet's Garden is offline Senior Member
      is Digging. And then digging some
      more!
       
      Feeling:
      Friendly
       
      Join Date
      Aug 2017
      Location
      Just outside the beltway
      Posts
      436
      Quote Originally Posted by Paulzie67 View Post
      I bought a plant as I had chatted with several growers in Europe and only a few grow from seed and tell me, the number of seeds needed to get some seeds to germinate is far more than what is often sold online. They also say if they are not very fresh (within a few days off the plant) they will not even germinate. But you only need one to make it... right? :-)
      Ha! Very true! Actually, I have so many species I need to acquire, that I have a self-imposed economic rule that everything needs to be grown from seed. It's my no doubt vain attempt to stay out of the poor-house!

      And I'll try any species from seed ... twice. After that, I'll curse the species and move on to something else. It's a simple rule, and it preserves my sanity ... or what's left of it!

      Best,

      Bill

    7. #7
      Paulzie67's Avatar
      Paulzie67 is offline Senior Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      Friendly
       
      Join Date
      Aug 2021
      Location
      Tampa Bay Area, Florida
      Posts
      188
      Quote Originally Posted by One Poet's Garden View Post
      Ha! Very true! Actually, I have so many species I need to acquire, that I have a self-imposed economic rule that everything needs to be grown from seed. It's my no doubt vain attempt to stay out of the poor-house!

      And I'll try any species from seed ... twice. After that, I'll curse the species and move on to something else. It's a simple rule, and it preserves my sanity ... or what's left of it!

      Best,

      Bill
      LOL I know what you mean.. If I hadn't been warned against seeds for them, I would have tried. My last rare seed to try was Australian Grass tree. I ordered some seeds, tried and got nothing. Tried again and still got nothing :-( FAR to expensive to buy live plants too! Oh well. I'll either have to keep trying seeds or break down one day and buy a small plant.. not that it would matter as at my age, I'll never see it looking like a really cool "tree".
      Sad that I look at things that way now. "will I be alive to see it look it's best?"

      • Remove Ads
        Advertising from Google
        Promoting Koi and Pond
        keeping since 2007

         

    Posting Permissions

    • You may not post new threads
    • You may not post replies
    • You may not post attachments
    • You may not edit your posts
    •