Latest pics and other stuff that's going in

Actually the shipping was just under $100 for Fedex Ground. Still, I would have paid $200 if that's what it took! It shipped out of Riverside, CA to my business in Eagan, MN. Packed and shipped late Monday afternoon, in my hands on Friday at 10:00AM my time. Not bad! I saved a little on the residential vs commercial delivery address. Also I gave the seller my Fedex account number to use which bills me for the shipment so the shipper does not have to mess with it. That saves a few more percent also. Beats the heck out of UPS cost for the same size shipment from the same place. 110 pound box! I got the tree (this one and last year's two) from a lady who sells mostly fruit trees on Ebay. She also sometimes sells 5-foot trachys with 2 to 2 1/2 foot trunks on Ebay. I work with her outside of Ebay for the best deals. It is my understanding she gets these windmills from a wholesale grower, while not actually growing them herself. Jim- let me know if you want her contact info, she is a great lady to work with.

Yeah Jim, I hate mixing the soil too. It was a pain but I think it worked out well. I mixed in some Milorganite, mycorrhizae (Micogrow soluable powder), some bone meal, and I used a small amount of root hormone. Soil mix was mostly mushroom compost and "Moo-nure" brand organic/manure compost. I added about 20% coarse sand mixed with a bit of pea gravel and about 5% original meduim clay (original dirt from the hole). I also threw in a fair amount of perlite and a bit of peat moss for good measure. It was a bit of a job!

Actually the lady I got the trachys from did/does sell bismarcks also. Her prices are very good but I don't quite have the stones to try to grow one here outside. Very cool trees though. One of my favorites, one I admired every day at the place I stayed in PV in Feb of this year...

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Yea
Bizzy's are one of the coolest for sure.
I think they can handle the moisture here in summer but need some extra help staying dry from about
10-1 on.
We'll see would be really cool to see this grow 6-8 leaves this summer and be able to start from there next year-
however unlikely I will give it a try,it's not a house plant and only cost me $20,so why not give it a try?
At that price I could just throw one in every year-but I wouldn't do that to one of my favorite palms-we'll see 8)

mnpalms, nice job with the soil mix.
Mushroom manure? wow, that's one spoiled palm 😀

$20 for a Bizzie? Jeez, I paid almost that for the SEEDS (none of which made it). 😥
Barb

Nice pics, Jim, as usual, full of energy and enthusiasm! 😀
Did you care the stem of basjoo by some fungicide?
As for Gunnera it grew very well but didn't survive winter in the garage. 😥
Your yard soon will be the best in all your state.

Nice pics, Jim, as usual, full of energy and enthusiasm! 😀
Did you care the stem of basjoo by some fungicide?
As for Gunnera it grew very well but didn't survive winter in the garage. 😥
Your yard soon will be the best in all your state.

Thanks Antti
Yes,I sprinkled copper fungicide on it an fall/wrapped in house insulation and covered with a trash can full of mulch and plastic.

Here's the latest and the "greatest" so far

First the ferns-
D.antarctica beginning to open spring croziers

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D.squarrosa opening croziers

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C.cooperi has grown a lot this winter,it's sitting on a railroad tie and is bigger then it looks in the picture/that pot is 15" tall<windy day!

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Arundo donax var(Giant reed grass) coming up

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Orinoco(possibly blue java)this was a 6' tall section I overwintered in the basement(there is a pic in the same spot from last years pics)
I cut it down because the top was a little mushy-it's already busting out of the center!

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Small Rowe red

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Overwintered Basjoos opening there first leaves

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Canna musifolia from Dennis(statenisland GWF)

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Planted my Princeps last week-not fully recovered from WSM damage but well into growth mode-should be beautiful by fall!

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My other 2 Princeps-what a beautiful Trachy Princeps is!

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Thanks for looking

Jim What's the plan with those Tree ferns? You going to plant them out?

Bananas are bouncing back nicely!!

I'm curious about the tree ferns as well. I've killed one D. antarctica in the winter and one in the summer and so plan to give them all a pass until I move to Belize someday.
My other question is about the Arundo donax var(Giant reed grass).
I have an area where I was thinking of putting bamboo, but it gets really wet as we discharge pool water there, and it doesn't drain well.
A. donax seems to grow well around here without getting weedy (as it does further south). Local nurseries don't carry it because of the bad. rep. it has. What do you think of it?
--Erik

Erik, discharge area for pool water...chlorine? saltwater? neither are good for plants.
Maybe pick a spot on the north side of house.
Ferns like very little sun (filtered, if any, i.e. understory) and moisture/humidity.

Jim, agree with you on the Princeps palms.
Very very beautiful.

That Orinoco is huge!
Dump some water on that Rowe red...

Barb

Tree ferns are planted
Erik
Arundo donax can be used in a bog setting or kept dry,very diverse.

Barb
It was the wind that made it look dry.

WOW everything looks so awesome - especially the Butia! My bananas are black stumps at the ground, I wonder if I'll ever see pups!
Thanks for showing your updates Jim, it's always so inspiring!

Heidi

Thanks

Here are some more pics of the yard and a better pic of the cactus flower-thanks for looking guys!

This T.fortunei is a -2f survivor-incredible!

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DOESN'T LOOK LIKE MUCH NOW BUT THIS BABY TRITHRINAX CAMPESTRIS(BLUE NEEDLE PALM)SURVIVED THE WINTER,THIS PLANTS ROOTS GO DOWN 18+INCHES-I JUST NOTICED SOME GREEN PUSHING UP TODAY!

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PLANTED MY 2 BRUGMANSIAS TODAY

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CASTOR BEAN PLANTS ARE 6 WEEKS AHEAD OF LAST YEAR-THEY GREW 12' TALL AND SOME LEAVES WERE 42"ACROSS

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BASJOOS TODAY 4-9

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2 OTHER ORINOCOS-

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Congrats on your overwintering Jim.
-2F for that Trachy is really something!
It'll be good to see that Trithrinax responding to 18" long roots! 😯

Your basjoos are 6 inches ahead of mine...ah for some warm soil and nice temps.

Those pinkish colored areas on the cactus beside the flower...is that more buds?
or is it just bald?

Barb

Congrats on your overwintering Jim.
-2F for that Trachy is really something!
It'll be good to see that Trithrinax responding to 18" long roots! 😯

Your basjoos are 6 inches ahead of mine...ah for some warm soil and nice temps.

Those pinkish colored areas on the cactus beside the flower...is that more buds?
or is it just bald?

Barb

Bald buds 😀