I've read on the net that if one cuts off the gunnera flower it will make
larger leaves. This is not common advice and I am keen to get bigger leaves
off my gunneras. Any advice welcomed.

spakker wrote:
I've read on the net that if one cuts off the gunnera flower it
will
make larger leaves. This is not common advice and I am keen to get
bigger leaves off my gunneras. Any advice welcomed.

Not a tip I've ever heard. I had one at my last place, and treated it
with skilful neglect: it seemed happy enough.

--
Mike.

"Dave Poole" wrote in message
...
Spakker wrote:

I've read on the net that if one cuts off the gunnera flower it will make
larger leaves.

This is true of young, small, newly planted specimens since a
comparatively large amount of energy is expended in the production of
the flower spike. The best way of ensuring rapid growth and really big
leaves (assuming
you can accommodate leaves that are up to 8 or more feet high and over
5 feet across) is to provide masses of moisture throughout the growing
season and mulch heavily with well rotted manure in spring. (snip)
next year's growth is largely determined by the amount of food the
plant manages to accumulate during this year and the better you treat
it now, the better it will be in 2006.

HTH
Dave Poole
Yes, makes sense. The flowers (2 of this year) are maybe 2 feet tall and add
to the attraction of this prehistoric looking plant for me.

On Mon, 30 May 2005 15:16:44 +0100, Dave Poole
wrote:

Spakker wrote:

I've read on the net that if one cuts off the gunnera flower it will make
larger leaves.

This is true of young, small, newly planted specimens since a
comparatively large amount of energy is expended in the production of
the flower spike. However, once the Gunnera has settled in after a
couple of years and is growing strongly, the removal of flower spikes
makes little or no difference.

The best way of ensuring rapid growth and really big leaves (assuming
you can accommodate leaves that are up to 8 or more feet high and over
5 feet across) is to provide masses of moisture throughout the growing
season and mulch heavily with well rotted manure in spring.

You can also give additional liquid feeding until late summer - a
couple of gallons every 2 - 3 weeks will be fine. Bear in mind that
next year's growth is largely determined by the amount of food the
plant manages to accumulate during this year and the better you treat
it now, the better it will be in 2006.


A friend of our has one planted in the soakaway area from their septic
tank. Continuous moisture and feed. It grows well!


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net