Flowers and foliage April 2008

[Martin Baxendale]

Or do you think it'd be better to plant the straggly D. petraeas in some troughs I'm replanting this Spring, in very well-drained mix including pumice grit amongst tufa lumps, planted deeper than in the pots so the straggly shoots are buried and hope they layer themselves? Do you (or anyone else) grow any D. petraea outdoors successfully? Maybe in troughs? I don't want to lose my old plants to winter wet, but I think they might do better outside than in my dirty, shady old lean-to.

[Michael J Campbell]

Martin, Plant your Petraea out in the troughs and and cover the lower branches with coarse sand,you could scrape the bottom of the branches lightly to encourage rooting. In summer when you get some new growth make some cuttings in a compost with at least 50% sand and leave them until next spring and some of the should be rooted. If any of the branches root you could pot them up next April.

Re. one man nursery, old habits die hard.
Cheers.

[Michael J Campbell]

Martin, I have just planted some Daphne's out  in a scree bed, but not Petraea as I do not have enough stock yet to risk it.I use all my plants for propagation as Petraea is always in good demand,and I have a waiting list. 

[Michael J Campbell]

I know this is a little off topic but here is a picture of my Camellia hedge takes a few weeks ago.
Camellias in the back garden.

[Paul T]

Michael,

Wow!!!!!    Those Daphnes are living up to your new title!!  Amazing!! 

[Michael J Campbell]

 

[Martin Baxendale]

Thanks for the advice Michael. I'll try putting the Daphne petraeas in the troughs and layering them. Nice camellia hedge!

[Michael J Campbell]

Maggi & Alan, here are the Daphne's
 General view 2 - 3 -14
4 Cuttings
5 Grafts
6 Grafts to the left and cuttings to the right of the timber divider.
19 Cuttings.
23 Grafts

[Michael J Campbell]

Here are a few variegated Daphne's if you happen to like them, personally I don't.

Daphne Peter Moore
Daphne Golden treasure
Daphne clotted cream
Daphne Audrey Vokins

[afw]

Michael
Thank you very much for showing us your daphne propagation house, your skill as a nurseryman is very much in evidence.  Do you use the misting technique to maintain growth?
Maggi's epithet of Mr Amazing is well earned.
Alan

[Michael J Campbell]

Alan, no mist and no heating cables, just a 5' x 2' heat pad.
Cheers.

[Michael J Campbell]

The Trillium's are starting to bloom.
I am afraid I nicked the pollen on a few of them for pollination

[mark smyth]

Michael I'm blown away with your huge collection of plants.

What I see in the Daphne house is by far superior to what I bought last year from _ _ _ _ _  _ _ _ _ _ _ - am I allowed to say, Maggi? edit M: Best not too, Mark! They came minus their pots, to save postage!!, in plastic bags in a box with no support of any kind

[Michael J Campbell]

Mark,Daphne's don't like to travel without their pots,they resent any root disturbance. Very temperamental plants.

[Michael J Campbell]

A few more Trillium Rivale including a couple almost pure white.Sorry about the specks of dust,didn't notice until I put them on the computer.