Advice on narrowboat friendly plant

[kremmen]

Can anyone recommend a plant / shrub that would survive my complete lack of knowledge in this area that I could place on board that might survive if I didn't remember to water it regularly and wouldn't grow too large?

 

Thanks.

 

Paul

[Naughty Cal]

Dragon Tree.

[Stilllearning]

Some of the smaller herbs might be suitable? Rosemary, thyme, french tarragon?

[Bettie Boo]

Curry plant is another perennial that does well over winter and doesn't require to much TLC and has a lovely scent taboot; my sage & chives also survived the winter and are coming on strong again, as is my mint & surprisingly flat leave parsley.

 

A "few" of my pansy's made it through the winter but they do require regular dead heading

[kremmen]

Thanks everyone. I will bear these in mind when I move back aboard in the next fortnight.

 

Paul

[StarUKKiwi]

I have lavender, rosemary, sage and chives that live on the roof. I have now planted tomatoes, but the others survived the winter fine

[Ange]

Spider plant. So resilient even I haven't managed to kill one yet.

[Cruising Mike]

I second a spider plant. If you are around to water it sparingly it will be fine. It likes rather dry soil, but to grow big and grow extra heads, more regular watering. I've had spider plants in or around the home since i was knee high and i've yet to see one die

[David Schweizer]

These seem to be very popular on some boats :-

 

Edited April 13, 2015 by David Schweizer

[Boaty Jo]

Rudderdendron

[Theo]

I second a spider plant. If you are around to water it sparingly it will be fine. It likes rather dry soil, but to grow big and grow extra heads, more regular watering. I've had spider plants in or around the home since i was knee high and i've yet to see one die.

But don't allow anyone aboard with conkers.

 

N

[Jerra]

For an indoor plant the Aspidestra as preferred by the Victorians is in my experience as tough as old boots.

[Dave_P]

Assuming you mean indoors? Good choices would include, Aspidistra, Sanseviera, spider plant, ivy, philodendron, Epiprinum, Zamioculcas. All will put up with a lot of neglect in terms of watering. If you're also concerned about big changes in temp too (which is common on a boat), aspidistra and ivy are probably your best bet.

[Phil Ambrose]

We have a umbrella plant, in fact we have had it for 35 years, 15 of them on a boat. Attractive varigated leaves, woody stem and doesn't mind a bit of abuse.

Phil

[BGA]

I recommend an Aloe Vera requires almost no attention and can be used to help healing of cuts scratches and burns marvellous.

[Dave_P]

We have a umbrella plant, in fact we have had it for 35 years, 15 of them on a boat. Attractive varigated leaves, woody stem and doesn't mind a bit of abuse.

Phil

How big is it though?

[Naughty Cal]

We have a umbrella plant, in fact we have had it for 35 years, 15 of them on a boat. Attractive varigated leaves, woody stem and doesn't mind a bit of abuse.

Phil

I had to Google it. Never heard of them referred too as an umbrella plant before!

[Water Rat.]

Well, it depends where you want to grow your plant. Inside or outside?

 

If it is inside you need a plant that is happy to grow in low light levels - Spider plants easy to grow and resilient to neglect; Succulents are great and don't need too much attention or water, butterfly orchids, dead easy and will flower again. Ferns are good but need water.

 

Outside - again it depends where you want to put it. If on the roof it has to be very low growing - the prostrate rosemary would be excellent - you can eat it, it flowers (Bees love it) and is evergreen. But, as far as shrubs go here are a few more: Skimmia - evergreen, small flowers followed by red or white berries, Lavender, Potentilla - pretty flowers in various colours, Hebe, go for a dwarf variety - evergreen flowers pinks/purples, Cistus - lovely flowers. Pop into you local garden centre and have a browse.

 

Be sure to pot it into good compost with drainage, add slow release fertilizer, water it until it is established then you will find that most shrubs are fairly tough as long as they get some water occasionally.

 

Check out FB page The Canal Boat Gardener. Let us know what you do.

[Guest]

Money tree or proper name:

Crassula portulacea

even I can keep these alive. I rarely water them, and they can live inside, or outside in warm weather. You simply can't go wrong. My plant got frozen solid once and I chucked it in the shed assuming it was dead. Sometime later it picked up again and is still going many years on. I agree re. spider plants too.

 

http://www.gardens4you.co.uk/index.php?/Crassula/Crassula-portulacea-Gollum-Jade-1-plant&gclid=CLrbutDljsUCFe_LtAodBX0AHA#.VTojKjdVK1F

Edited April 24, 2015 by Guest

[Water Rat.]

Money tree or proper name:

Crassula portulacea

even I can keep these alive. I rarely water them, and they can live inside, or outside in warm weather. You simply can't go wrong. My plant got frozen solid once and I chucked it in the shed assuming it was dead. Sometime later it picked up again and is still going many years on. I agree re. spider plants too.

 

http://www.gardens4you.co.uk/index.php?/Crassula/Crassula-portulacea-Gollum-Jade-1-plant&gclid=CLrbutDljsUCFe_LtAodBX0AHA#.VTojKjdVK1F

And you can grow a whole new crassula plant from a single leaf - how neat is that!

[Naughty Cal]

And you can grow a whole new crassula plant from a single leaf - how neat is that!

Yep. We have a new one Liams mum left us shortly before moving to Scotland last year. It started off as a couple of leaves that had dropped off hers. It is now growing like mad!

[tillergirl]

We have a Peace Lily. Friend bought it 3 years ago a when we moved on board and it seems to be ok

[Dave_P]

The main downside of the spider plant is how horrid they look.