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Profile Image Jim Whitmore

Jimfwhitmore

A small garden that I have transformed over two year from a mess I am sorry to say. New to this but enjoy it every day. Like to sit and look lol

Cordyline australis 'Torbay Red'

  • Season Icon Mid SpringMid Spring 2021
  • Like Count 15
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Jimfwhitmore

Is there anything I can do to revive this before I just dig it out ?

4w
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hayleyaj

Yes, remove all the lower drooping leaves and it should throw up more new ones. They are pretty tough. Give it a seaweed feed too

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Jimfwhitmore

@hayleyaj thanks. Gave it a seaweed feed but will do as you suggest.

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london148

You can be brutal and chop it down by 1/3 . It will grow stronger with new leaves.

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Jimfwhitmore

@london148 what just leave the a stump ?

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italydiva

I’m wondering about mine too Jim. Will be interested to see how you get on with all the advice. Please keep us updated 👍

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Jimfwhitmore

@italydiva I have stripped off all the lower leaves. Looks like a mohican

4w
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london148

Yes ! You can cut through the stump. It will sprout again, in fact - by doing this you get multiple growing branches, and a stronger tree. This is also the way to shorten Cordylines if they get too tall 🌴 might also be of interest to Angela @italydiva

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italydiva

That made me chuckle Jim....sounds like the right haircut for this spiky little number! 😆

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italydiva

Oh...that’s interesting Debra. I didn’t know you could do that. When you say you get multiple growing branches presumably it starts to look more like a tree than a single fountain firework (if you know what I mean)?! @london148

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Jimfwhitmore

@italydiva ... waiting for this answer also now 😂

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london148

Yes, thats exactly right Angela ! Some Cordylines just have a single trunk with the spiky leaves the on top . Some have a trunk and then the trunk divides with multiple heads of leaves ( this can happen naturally ) but this also what happens if you cut the Cordyline ( brutal ! Like chop its head off ! ) and reduce its height. (Even to ground level for a sickly plant) it might look dead for a season but will make new healthy shoots @italydiva

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