About 13 years ago someone gave us a 'Yucca Tip'. As we had no garden
it lived indoors and grew in some very twisted shapes (the light was
poor) until it fell over! Three years ago it had some babies and so,
when we moved house last year, we kept two babies and had to ditch the
original plant.

Now that we have a small garden and the two babies are threatening to
take over the house I wondered whether it would be safe to move them
outside. Are they true Yuccas? Would they be hardy outside on a
small London patio?

Sheila Richards
http://pages.britishlibrary.net/sarichards/

"Sheila wrote in message
About 13 years ago someone gave us a 'Yucca Tip'. As we had no garden
it lived indoors and grew in some very twisted shapes (the light was
poor) until it fell over! Three years ago it had some babies and so,
when we moved house last year, we kept two babies and had to ditch the
original plant.

Now that we have a small garden and the two babies are threatening to
take over the house I wondered whether it would be safe to move them
outside. Are they true Yuccas? Would they be hardy outside on a
small London patio?


Yes they would be but you will need to wait until the Chelsea Flower show
(after any chance of severe frost) before you put them out for the first
time, after a summer of acclimatisation they will survive the winter OK.
Neighbour has a clump in their front garden, been there a decade or more.
Best dug into the ground where they will grow into excellent specimens,
totally different from those poor house grown ones, and they will flower
every year with large spikes of cream flowers, quite beautiful. Pull up a
couple of patio stones if you have to, to make somewhere for them.
If you have no ground then pot them into large pots using a "John Innes"
(Soil based) compost and remember to water and feed them.

--
Bob

www.pooleygreengrowers.org.uk/ about an Allotment site in
Runnymede fighting for it's existence.

"Sue & Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

"Sheila wrote in message
About 13 years ago someone gave us a 'Yucca Tip'. As we had no garden
it lived indoors and grew in some very twisted shapes (the light was
poor) until it fell over! Three years ago it had some babies and so,
when we moved house last year, we kept two babies and had to ditch the
original plant.

Now that we have a small garden and the two babies are threatening to
take over the house I wondered whether it would be safe to move them
outside. Are they true Yuccas? Would they be hardy outside on a
small London patio?


Yes they would be but you will need to wait until the Chelsea Flower show
(after any chance of severe frost) before you put them out for the first
time, after a summer of acclimatisation they will survive the winter OK.
Neighbour has a clump in their front garden, been there a decade or more.
Best dug into the ground where they will grow into excellent specimens,
totally different from those poor house grown ones, and they will flower
every year with large spikes of cream flowers, quite beautiful. Pull up a
couple of patio stones if you have to, to make somewhere for them.
If you have no ground then pot them into large pots using a "John Innes"
(Soil based) compost and remember to water and feed them.

--

Thanks! I'm afraid they will have to go into containers but at the moment
they are well and truly pot-bound and grab me by the throat every time I try
to go upstairs! It will be a great relief to all of us to get them outside.
Are these true yuccas?

Sheila

"Sheila wrote in message
Thanks! I'm afraid they will have to go into containers but at the
moment
they are well and truly pot-bound and grab me by the throat every time I
try
to go upstairs! It will be a great relief to all of us to get them
outside.
Are these true yuccas?


Yes, in the Agave family, from the Americas and from desert type areas too,
quite surprising they survive outside with our cold wet dull winters. They
were always considered tender plants but have proved themselves not to be,
just like some other plants.

--
Bob

www.pooleygreengrowers.org.uk/ about an Allotment site in
Runnymede fighting for it's existence.