About 16" now George. This is how it looked when I repotted it in spring -georged wrote:Nice A. polyphylla, Mike, definately getting a twist on. How big is it across.
Only brought my smaller ones in so far. The larger ones can wait until frost is forcast.
ALOE SEEDS That's pretty much it for me. I grew half a dozen seedlings this year and all but 2 have been sent on to gardening friends.georged wrote:My understanding is that they need less water over winter but you should never let the roots dry out.
Another looker there mikeHerts Mike wrote:That's pretty much it for me. I grew half a dozen seedlings this year and all but 2 have been sent on to gardening friends.georged wrote:My understanding is that they need less water over winter but you should never let the roots dry out.
Here's Aloe deltoideodonta-
i sent a list to the place you mentioned asking about stock on some aloe's, problem is theres about 15 on the list, and thats before i ask about other stuff 
hope they reply soon 
As people here perhaps know from previous discussion, my full-size Aloe polyphylla have been outside permanently for many years now (in pots). None have died from this, though one once lost its growing point (and eventually produced two offsets - I sold one of the offsets at the National Show, as there's no point me having more than one plant of the same clone).PhilW wrote:I have a polyphylla too, albeit smaller than yours mike, which a friend gave me that he grew i beleive from seed
I have been told in the growing season that they like their feet wet most of the time? But in winter do they still benefit from more water than most?
Hi Clarke - thanks for thatClarke Brunt wrote:As people here perhaps know from previous discussion, my full-size Aloe polyphylla have been outside permanently for many years now (in pots). None have died from this, though one once lost its growing point (and eventually produced two offsets - I sold one of the offsets at the National Show, as there's no point me having more than one plant of the same clone).PhilW wrote:I have a polyphylla too, albeit smaller than yours mike, which a friend gave me that he grew i beleive from seed
I have been told in the growing season that they like their feet wet most of the time? But in winter do they still benefit from more water than most?
So these large ones spend the winter very wet, since it rains on them, and there's not much evaporation, and the plants aren't growing.
The rest of them, apart from small seedlings, are still outside at the moment. I'll bring them in eventually - perhaps when frost threatens, as I've proved previously that even medium ones can die outside.
I suspect the winter-watering doesn't really matter very much. It doesn't harm them to water, but probably doesn't make much difference if you don't, as they're not growing. The entire plant is renewed so quickly when they are in growth - completely new leaves, completely new roots, that I don't think it matter much what state they are in when growth starts again in spring. Basically, once in the greenhouse, I'll largely ignore them - perhaps watering occasionally if it occurs to me.
Hope I get more than one flower spike in 2013 (only got one in 2012 - no seed despite attempted self-pollination). I'd say 3 of the plants might be large enough to flower, two more that I'd say are probably too small, and the remaining large one has split into two rosettes, neither large enough to flower, and next year I'll divide it (and sell one).
May i also ask bout polyphylla seeds? I have some i got from Silverhills (South Africa) last autumn, and i tried sowing 6 or sow by putting them in a jar of water for a while, and once they looked to be sprouting i put them into a pot to try and grow....but i lost them all? So i was wondering where i wnet wrong, as i still have a few seeds left and would like another go. Not sure if i kept the pot too dry, too warm/cool, planted them too deep etc etc also are you supposed to put the seeds a certain way in the pots doing it this way, or can you just literally chuck em in the pot and dust over with a bit of compost?
