Wednesday 5 October 2011

All Out

Following a week of unseasonably high temperatures, the cooler autumn weather has arrived giving the team a dilemma, when do we start bringing the large tender plants in? Better to be safe than sorry, we decide that today is that day, two and a half weeks earlier than last year. The whole year has been running two to three weeks earlier than 2010, ever since the hot April temperatures.


The first problem is to cut down the Tetrapanax papyrifer, handling the plants can cause irritation to your skin and breathing problems when the furry particles from the giant leaves are disturbed. Having itched, coughed and spluttered on previous occasions, the team wear masks as a precaution.


Once these plants have been removed and the dust settled the team move in to clear all the remaining plants. The loaded trailer is taken over to the greenhouse where the plants are potted up and safely stored for the winter.


The giant banana plants are taken over to the greenhouse with the help of the tractor grab, some have had their heads cut of in order to fit inside, but have already grown a centimeter by the time they arrive, see blog entry '2 Inches' 15th October 2010.


By the end of the day all the plants are inside and potted up, the border has been weeded, levelled and will have leaf mould added tomorrow in preparation for its winter display. This border was planted up by the 9th June, see blog entries 'The Last Piece' and 'The New Border (The Fallen Tree Border)', four months of tropical magic is now enjoying the warmth of the greenhouse until next year.

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