Why yes I did, and no, I haven’t had any issues…just a couple volunteers when I disturbed the roots or the mama plants froze back, and they were easily removed. But I have a feeling that's all about to change because today I saw this…
A good 7 feet way from the nearest Tetrapanax in an area that I’ve never dug in, oh boy...
Hearing reports of crazy out-of-control Tetrapanax forests I planted my first one in a stock tank.
It’s hardly gone crazy…
I’ve been hoping this one would send up a few babies.
It’s getting so tall it’s sort of silly looking, all by itself.
I guess I know where I’ll be transplanting the volunteers as they pop around the front garden. I wonder if I should warn the neighbors that the invasion has begun?
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I say get the bamboo out of the stock tank and into the ground and let them battle it out! Oh, since plantings work better in threes, maybe stick an Arundo donax in there as well. :)
ReplyDeleteToo bad the Bishops Weed is gone because it would make a lovely ground cover under that planting that you're imagining...
DeleteTetrapanax are easily pulled up if you don't want them. It's nice of this plant to re design plantings for us don't you think? It's like having a free designer consultation and planting.
ReplyDeleteYes unfortunately my earlier attempts to move a couple of volunteers proved just how easy they are to get rid of...since I failed to wait until they had any roots to speak of they died...
DeleteI think a forest is the way forward! less is more!
ReplyDeleteBut wouldn't a forest be more?
DeleteThe first Tetrapanax I ever saw were in Lauren Hall-Behrens' garden, maybe five years ago. When I visited last summer and asked where they were, she admitted she had to banish them from the garden. Mine is at the single silly, bare-trunk stage now, and I've been hopefully looking for babies to add some lower interest. Maybe I should be careful what I wish for?
ReplyDeleteI could be wrong but I think Lauren initially wanted them out because the indumentum was causing her immense discomfort. However I do remember a photo she shared of the mass she had to dig out, it was like that plant was intent on world domination.
DeleteMaybe take the shovel to the roots of your plant and see what happens? That's what I kept meaning to do to my tall one...
Good to know - I'll try disturbing the roots. I'll race you for a baby!
DeleteDeal! The race is on.
DeleteHooray! In it's 6th year the invasion began here and I was in a panic. I let one baby grow because I really liked the placement it had chosen about 5 feet from the mother, and another I dug up and placed in a bare spot of my garden. The rest were so easy to uproot and in the last couple years everyone has behaved perfectly!
ReplyDeleteGood to know...behaving plants are what I want in my garden!
DeleteI had no idea they were that inquisitive. I've always wanted one but they don't do well in our arid summers.
ReplyDeleteThere really is no match for their crazy proportions...I'm sorry you can't grow them Gerhard.
DeleteLooks like our blog swaps will be graced with a few rice paper plants in the future. I say "Bring em on!". You haven't scared me one bit, nor did Hinkley with his humorous take on Tetrapanax invasions.
ReplyDeleteI think it's Mr. Hinkley and his stories that had me initially worried. Like I would wake up one morning, look out the front window and see that overnight they had sprung up everywhere!
DeleteI wish I had to fear the tetrapanax! They haven't gone wild in the pots they've been growing in so far. Still, i'll be planting them very soon so we'll see.
ReplyDeleteI bet they've been saving up their energy just waiting to burst out once in the ground!
DeleteI have heard some horror stories about tetrapanx with regards to them sending out pups everywhere!
ReplyDeleteI have never tried growing it in the ground up here as I know it would get whacked every year by the winter and that is what seems like the catalyst to sending runners all over the shop.
"all over the shop"...for some reason that one had me laughing.
DeleteHahaha...well, we take those chances, don't we. I think we all have that one plant that we just kind of throw caution to the wind on, (mine is the Sumac out front). I don't think it's as bad for really avid gardeners, as we're more likely to spot the signs of trouble and cull the sprouts before it becomes too serious. Then again, maybe I'm just telling myself that so I feel better too :-)
ReplyDeleteAh yes your gorgeous Sumac, I wonder if their babies are transplant-able? I can see you being very popular at future plant exchanges if they are. I think you've made a good point about avid gardeners staying on top of things, or maybe I'm just delusional too...
DeleteI am interested I your stock tanks. Do you drill holes in the bottom? Where do you find is the most economical place to buy them? Sorry for contacting you in the comments. I couldn't find a contact me link. Thank you. Susan
ReplyDeleteNo holes, there is a drainage hole on the side towards the bottom with a plug, which we removed on the tanks that needed drainage. We bought our tanks at Burns Feed out in Gresham. They're the best price we could find. If you don't want to drive that far you can buy them in town right off Fremont at the Bamboo place...of course you pay for the convenience factor. (no problem with using the comments section - if you ever want to email me there is a link on the "about me" page)
DeleteOh we'll, we've battled the Bishops weed ,...we garden are warriors!
ReplyDeleteI think we need t-shirts proclaiming this!
DeleteI wish we could get our main plant to get as tall as yours. Ours sends many pups a few feet away from the mother plant. Some of them we let them get on, adding to the lushness of the garden. The rest we just cut back to ground level, they tend not to come back anymore, in the same spot anyway...
ReplyDeleteI wonder why yours isn't getting the height you desire? Maybe not hot enough in the summer?
DeleteBring on the tetrapanax forest. Hardly seems like a pest to me :) I love this plant.
ReplyDelete