1) 7-10G will be OK for the next 1-2 yrs before you are ready to plant it out.

2) Extra drainage - since I assume you intend on keeping this plant outdoors unprotected, use lots of drainage to keep the root zone from getting wet during an extended rainy period. Mine are in almost 100% perlite (relatively cheap in bulk, and lightweight). Also, Yucca prefer an alkaline mix so be generous with some dolomite which tends to make mixes alkaline.

Yucca rostrata has thick roots like a tree Aloe. When it arrives, most likely they will be dried out. The primary focus for this season will be to establish a new root system. By the end of the summer, new growth will be obvious.

3) I have 2 big Yuccas, and when I got both I didn't stake either of them. The root ball is bulky enough to keep it stable, but some support might be needed I suppose.

4) Definitely keep it somewhere sheltered and out of direct sun. It will need time to recover from the root damage. I would keep it in the sunroom and wait until later in May to take it outdoors. I wouldn't water much either - maybe one good watering a few weeks after you pot it up, and that's it.

Once outside, full sun and rain is perfect.

x

x -

Thanks for the detailed reply, buddy. So, just to clarify:

1) To translate 7-10 gallons, are you basically saying a 14-20 inch pot diameter? I found this scale somewhere...do you agree with its translation?

a 4" pot= a pint
a 5/6" pot= a quart
an 7/8" pot= a gallon
(there are also 2 gallon sizes, though harder to find)
a 10" pot = a 3 gallon
a 14" pot= a 7 gallon
a 20" pot= a 10 gallon
a 24" pot = a 15 gal
a 30" pot= a 20 gal
a 35" pot = a 25/30 gal

2) Wow, almost 100% perlite! What do you amend that with? A small amount of topsoil? I have other drainage material like pumice and turface...none of that? Thanks for the tip on the dolomite, too.

3) So, pot it up, keep it dry...then water it for the first time in a few weeks after potting it up? Is that right?

Again, thanks for the response.

T

Yes, 14-20" is about right. If it's too small, the plant will just topple over, so you'll know quickly whether what you select is the right size :-)

I only amend the perlite with Osmocote Plus 6-month formulation with micronutrients. I just feel safer with the perlite, especially when the root system is not mature. Pumice is fine but expensive. You can add some Turface, it won't hurt.

And yes, keep it dry. This not a particularly fast species so be patient with growth until the roots recover. After that first watering, let the mix dry out almost completely before watering again. Broken roots are susceptible to rot so its better to be safe than sorry.

x

Wow, a year has gone by with my Yucca. I thought about putting it outside (it is in my unheated garage, perlit/turface soil mix), but we are getting some wet, cold weather right now.

That said, x makes these plants sound pretty bullet proof. So, my question is, can it handle these kinds of bullets (my 10 day forecast):

Mar 11 Today
Periods of rain. High 51F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Rainfall around a half an inch. Locally heavier rainfall possible.

Mar 11 Tonight
A few showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low around 35F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.

Mar 12 Tomorrow
Mostly cloudy. High 52F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph.

Mar 12 Tomorrow night
Mostly cloudy skies. Low 36F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.

Mar 13 Sunday
Mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the upper 40s and lows in the upper 20s.

Mar 14 Monday
Cloudy with occasional flurries. Highs in the upper 30s and lows in the low 20s.

Mar 15 Tuesday
Mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the mid 40s and lows in the low 30s.

Mar 16 Wednesday
Few showers. Highs in the low 50s and lows in the mid 30s.

Mar 17 Thursday
Partly cloudy. Highs in the low 50s and lows in the upper 30s.

Mar 18 Friday
Morning clouds followed by afternoon sun. Highs in the mid 40s and lows in the low 30s.

Mar 19 Saturday
Few showers. Highs in the mid 40s and lows in the upper 20s.

Mar 20 Sunday
Sunshine. Highs in the low 40s and lows in the low 30s.

So, would you put yours out?

Thanks.

Tom

Tom,

You're darn tootin' I would, especially if I had the foresight to make a mound/other raised bed for it, especially if that plant could be located in it and near the house / other heated structure.

I'm looking forward to growing this species here.

And X, that's some great growing information / wisdom - thanks for telling us about it in such detail.

Jeff -

How about in a pot...would you, could you, in a pot?

(put it outside now, that is...)

T

I'd guess (and that's all it is) that now's not the most propitious time to start acclimating it, Tom, when the weather can be so fickle. I'd do it when the nighttime temps aren't below 50F/9C consistently; however, I may be being too cautious and the plant will be fine. It just doesn't seem to be the time yet for acclimating plants to an outside environment.

Mine has been outside all winter with no protection from temps in the single digits and many feet of snow. Not even any broken leaves!

I also have 2 smaller ones in pots - one in a 6-inch, another seedling in a 4-inch pot, both left outside completely exposed. And they look perfectly fine.

I would be more concerned about sunburn after being indoors all those months, than the cold and rain, to be honest.

x

Told you x says they're bulletproof..:-).

So, x, just to belabor the point...you are suggesting I can set it outside, in a place that will not get too much direct sun to start...let it get wet, let it freeze, etc...and it should be fine? Right?

You saw my forecast.

Thanks!

T

If your plant has already started into growth, then I would leave it be. Tender new growth may not be as equipped to handle the elements.

If your plant is still dormant, then by all means take it outside.

[not my photo]

These plants grow in areas that will get major dips from warm to frigid. We get drops of 50 degrees in a day. I planted mine in a pot this winter in November and it did fine in Texas. It got to 11 degrees, so I imagine that it will do well for spring in MAine.

wantonamara - Massachusetts, but similar to Maine. On a related note, I just read a book that described the climate in Vermont as '9 months of winter and 3 months of bad sledding!'. Maybe not that severe here...

So, the yucca is out.

(gulp!)

Thanks.

T

High country gardens has it listed for Z5 but my friend I think in OKC (Z6b or 7a) had a bit of trouble with it on a bad cold front. The thing is that she also gets huge swings down into and pass (this year) the big 0 and then is back to being mild again. Plants in New Mexico (high Country Gardens) gets a more stable mountain pattern and I think that is easier on plants. Plants get hardened slowly unlike our head over heals tumble downwards. But maybe I do not know what I talk about. NM had a swing down to -19 this year. I bet they have a lot of empty pots. and spots in their garden.

Hey Tom, I like climbing the Green mountains......in AUGUST.

I've had one growing in my backyard for about 5-6 years (Z-5 Denver). It is nearly 10 feet tall and thriving. We've had a couple of -20 events with no problems. It is situated in direct sun and loves every minute. This originally came in a #20 size pot and cost $350 wholesale. I dug a hole about 3 times the size of the root ball and was careful to ensure it rested on solid soil and planted it about 2-3 inches higher than it was growing in the container. Because of the cost, I placed heating cables around the sides of the planting hole and secured it with landscape pins. I didn't water it once during the first winter and have never had the heating cables on again.