Our other ancient plant is Gunnera manicata (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunnera_manicata). It is a wonderfully exotic plant, situated next to our pond. Growing to 8 or 10 feet tall, which ours does, it is a wonderful addition to our garden. And it is an old timer, having been around for 90 million years, or so! You can see the flowers and the large leaves in this early spring photo. The horsetail, grass and cork elm grow very well in this patch as well!
So, how do we tend this plant? It does take some work, but well worth the effort.
In October, when the first frosts show up, the Gunnera will begin to die back. When this happens, we cut the stocks and leaves off, and lay them over the roots of the plant – as you can see in this picture. The end result, is actually a nice garden area of winter interest.
Each Spring, we remove the cut leaves and stalks that protected the roots all winter from the low temperatures. We spread slow-release fertilizer and wood chips around the plants. Then we place a drip irrigation line around the plants to give them the water they need all summer. See the black soaker hose winding around the Gunnera roots.
Our summers have been quite hot and dry for the past few years, so the key to successful Gunnera is to make sure it is getting enough water. We turn the soaker hose on for 3 to 4 hours every time we water it – about twice a month. Our drip irrigation system works well, as it provides a lot of water to the roots, and complies with CVRD watering regulations.
Enjoy the advancing autumn, and the tail end of the colourful autumn leaves. Happy Gardening! Gordon