Echium

[Kirsty_84]

I've got an Echium seedling (I presume it to be Echium pininana) which is in a pot in my potting shed. What should I do with it now? Put it outside, or keep it in? It's looking quite healthy and strong so I don't want to mess up! I know getting it through Yorkshire winters will be hard, but I'd just like to have a go.

[vicky]

Keep it in a pot - winter here will kill it! Plant out asap the weather allows in the spring.

[Cosmo and Dibs]

I've got mine in a large pot and will take it indoors over the winter.

[Kirsty_84]

It's now looking a bit sickly (I can kill plants just by looking at them ) Does it need heat (I read somewhere they don't need heat for germination, but what about bringing them on?), how much water should I give it?

[vicky]

Should be fine in a greenhouse over winter (or porch or conservatory) but wrap a layer of bubblewrap around the pot and plant, I leave the top open (like a big bubblewrap loo roll all around) to let the airflow and stop it rotting.
I like mine to go trough winter on the dry side so won't water during the winter.
Mine are still outside now I won't get them in till it's colder

[Kirsty_84]

My echium looks like this. It's growing fast, should I repot it before winter or not?



Also,

Some of the leaves are turning brown at the edges. Does anyone know what's causing this?



And the stem looks brown at the bottom. Is this normal?

[vicky]

The brown stem looks ok - they get quite woody. Leaves too look like nothing to worry about. I wouldn't pot on now as the roots may not have time to grow into the bigger pot and damp compost can cause them to rot. It looks fine!
Experimentally I'm going to put a couple of mine indoors (instead of the gh) to overwinter (just baby ones) to see if that speeds them up for flowering next year (this summer was so pants none flowered - I've dug them up and am hoping they get on with it next year...)

[dave_norm_smith]

If they don't flower the first year and you can get it through winter you will get a larger flower stem the following year. I managed to get one through two winters without flowering and the flower spike alone was about 10 foot (not including the 4- 5 of stem) I've lost all mine due to the two terrible winters we just had. The bees go bonkers for them!

[Two_Sheds]

Some of the leaves are turning brown at the edges. Does anyone know what's causing this?

If soggy brown, it's overwatering. If crispy brown, it's underwatering (usually)

[Two_Sheds]

I had to look this one up - it's tree echium - because my echiums (vulgare) look nothing like it

It's grown here as a tender biennial isn't it? I might give it a go, if it's a nice blue (I want the colour of my shed, that shade)

[dave_norm_smith]

Yep, thats the one I had but I planted in the first year and no flower, no flower in the second and then flowered in the third. However I believe most do flower in the second year as you have said. The colour is similar to your shed as that appears to be the same shade as my fence (albeit faded)

Two things though, you may want to grow behind something as the trunk is butt ugly and use gloves to handle them when past around 50cm. They have thousands needle pointed hairs, not like a cactus but unpleasant all then same!

[Two_Sheds]

Thanks for the warning Dave ~ not suitable for the school garden then, but a definite bonus in my front garden (for the people who like to steal my flowers)

[Kirsty_84]

Thanks all,

The leaves are crispy brown. I've reduced my watering because the soil was getting very soggy, as if it wasn't taking much up.
Should I water from the top, or the bottom?

I'm never normally this careful with plants, I just let 'em do their own thing, and it usually works for me. But I'm amazed that I got one to germinate so I don't want to kill it off!

I see them in Cornwall and they're amazing, I even like the 'butt ugly' stem.