How to Repot an Unruly Monstera deliciosa - 'Swiss Cheese Plant'

The Swiss Cheese plant - Monstera deliciosa, can become quite unruly when grown as a houseplant which means that at some point you will need to repot it to get it back under control. In its native habitat young seedlings naturally grow towards the shade in order to find suitable support such as the trunk of a tree or a cliff face. This means that the juvenile plant is ideal for growing in shady conditions such as those experienced in a home. This is why Monstera deliciosa makes for such a good house plant

In this video horticulturist Simon will explain how he goes about this as well as adding his top five facts about this magnificent plant.

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Tropical Gardens UK: Exotic Garden February Walk-Round

Longer days and milder nights are starting to take effect in our exotic, cold hardy, tropical effect garden which means it's time for a February walk-round. Join horticulturist Simon as he checks out what is emerging in the garden.

Bulbs are the key plants that are making the most effort but some of the deciduous shrubs and climbers are emerging new leaves too.

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HOW TO PLANT AND GROW CORDYLINE AUSTRALIS

If you are looking to plant and grow Cordylines in your garden then you are in great company as this is one of the hardiest and most attractive architectural plants you can grow. Commonly known in the UK as the cabbage palm Cordyline australis is an evergreen ornamental tree endemic to New Zealand.

It has proven to be hardy enough to cope with UK winters and does so well on the south coast of England that it has now become naturalised. This means that it can produce viable seed which will germinate and grow on into mature trees. So good is its performance in the UK it has received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit not just for the true species but also the following cultivars: 'Albertii', 'Sundance', 'Torbay Dazzler' and 'Torbay Red'.

When choosing your site for planting look for a position which is either in full sun or at the very least semi-shadeed. Avoid shade as this will encourage weak, extending growth. Soil type is not too important although avoid heavy clay as this can stunt growth. Try to pick a area of soil that is moist but well-drained. Dry soils can be improved by digging in plenty of organic matter beforehand, whereas waterlogged soils can be managed buy planting into a raised bed.

In the first couple of years you will need to water your plants during periods of drought. If temperature look to drop below 8 degrees Celsius consider protecting the crown with a horticultural bag or fleece.

Elche Mediterranean Gardens, Spain Slide Show - Home to Cacti, Succulent...

Welcome to our slide show of  Elche Garden - Huerto del Cura, Alicante Spain. This wonderful garden is home to a fantastic display of cacti, succulents, Tropical, Exotic and Mediterranean plants. The undisputed star of the garden is the specimen of Phoenix dactylifera known as the 'Imperial Palm', a date palm with 7 arms that emerge at a height of 1.50 m from the main trunk and an age of about 165 years!

This was my second visit to Elche gardens and I can genuinely say that the standard across the whole of the garden was much improved. The displays looked well maintained and the plants themselves seemed stronger, healthier and in much better condition. However the last time I was there Spain was in the middle of a heat wave with temperatures entering the low 40's Celsius and no one like that including most of the plants.

So if you are in the area I would definitely recommend a visit as it is arguably the best garden in the area - just remember to always take water with you.

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How to Grow, Plant, Transplant and Re-Plant Cordylines Without Killing Them

There is always a risk when it comes to planting, transplanting or replanting cordylines and of course no-one wants to unintentionally kill them if they can help it. In this video English horticulturists Simon and Lorna explain the importance of reducing water loss from the leaves while the roots are inevitably damaged during the lifting process.

This cordyline is an established plant that has been lifted from an existing border and in this video we explain how to replant it in an other border using various techniques that will give it the best start in its new life.

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How to Grow Indoor Amaryllis from Bulbs

Who doesn't love Amaryllis and wouldn't want to grow them indoors from bulbs? Well if you don't then this video is not for you. Monstrous bulbs combined with massive architectural blooms is a heady mix and I for one absolutely love them. So to find out how easy it is to grow them indoors from a bulb I have asked Lorna to share her wisdom. Her secret? The airing cupboard!

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Tropical Gardens UK: Giant Arum Lily - Zantedeschia aethiopica 'Hercules...

This giant arum lily was an absolute surprise when we saw it at Wisley last year. So impressive was it that I had to buy one myself. The trouble is that very few nurseries were growing it but luckily I manage to pick up a specimen albeit a small one. Now there has been some issue regarding the name as mentioned in this video, plus I have been contacted by one of our viewers who states that Wisley does have it right and Champion plants who supplied the plant has it wrong. It is very difficult to say as nursery that introduced this plant is now calling both plants the same cultivar!

Anyway, what is important is that this plant is and absolute eye-catcher and is listed as hardy down to -5 to -10 degree Celsius, which means that it will grow in large parts of the UK.

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Tropical Plants Glasshouse - Birmingham Botanical Gardens

Welcome to the wonderful tropical greenhouse at Birmingham Botanic gardens with your horticultural hosts Lorna and Zoe. This tropical greenhouse is wonderful surprise housed in the Midlands, making the delights of quality horticulture more accessible to Brummie, like-minded gardeners who would otherwise have to rough it with southern posh-os in that there London! So enjoy this walkround where Lorna and Zoe point out anything that catch their interest.

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Tropical Gardens: Monte Palace Botanical Gardens, Madeira, Spain

The botanical gardens found at Monte Palace, Madeira were an absolute delight. We found them by making a trip adviser search before we arrived but we were blown away by just how good they were on our real-life visit. Of all the gardens we visit, and to be fair they were all great, this one was by far the very best. In fact I would go as far and say that this was a would class garden!

Now there are a number of water features here which have caused a problem with the microphone in places but despite this we hope you enjoy this garden which I believe was one of the first videos we ever made - hence out lack of  presentation skills.

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How to Grow Mistletoe from Seed

The hanging of mistletoe at Christmas to steal a kiss from a maiden may be considered sexual violence in today's society but please don't blame the mistletoe. Mistletoe is having a hard enough time! With the ever-dwindling UK apple industry meaning less and less host plants from which to grow on and steal nutrients and water from without giving anything back. So mistletoe are desperate for a helping hand!

With this in mind why not consider growing your own mistletoe from seed - assuming you have a suitable host tree and a pair of organic disposable gloves? The best time of year for this is February/March and you should be able to get hold of viable seeds from on-like retailers.

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Tropical Gardens UK: January Upgrades for our Young Exotic Effect Cold H...

Even in the cold depths of winter January has forced us from our heated blankets to do some  time-sensitive work in the garden. However if we don't do it now we risk damaging the emerging bulbs planted last year as well as lose an opportunity to move some ill-placed plants while they are still dormant. We also made an Avatar tree!

The opportunities where soil conditions are reasonable and its not too cold to work in are rare, so it makes sense to create a hierarchy of jobs that can be actioned quickly when conditions allow. Dipsite still technically being winter, walking around the local area we can see daffodils, snowdrops and a few crocus coming into bloom so you have to be really careful about not damaging the emerging bulbs when you are walking on what looks to be baron plant borders.

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Orchid Cactus (Disocactus ackermannii) Winter Disaster

Oh my goodness, my orchid cacti have been absolutely fine wintering outside for the past 6 years, then this year they have been absolutely smashed! 

If you didn't know before, Orchid cactus - Disocactus ackermannii is an species of epiphytic cactus that occurs in the cloud forests of Veracruz and Oaxaca, in Mexico. It is a gorgeous, evergreen plant with an arching trailing habit and produces dark green, long, flattened leaves which are only 2-3 inches wide but up to 36 inches long! Usually tough as old boots I like to grow it outside hanging from my trees.

This year however a polar vortex descended on the garden and stayed for a couple of weeks, just long enough to kill a lot of my 'on-the-edge' hardy plants. Even the back up plan cacti in the greenhouse were frozen to mush! Luckily it wasn't a complete disaster as you will find out in this video.

Cacti and Succulent Collection at Birmingham Botanic Gardens

Welcome to the cacti and succulent collection at Birmingham Botanical gardens with your horticultural hosts Lorna and Zoe. In this video they take a walk around the cacti and succulent collection pointing out the things of interest.

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