GMG Green Thumb Club

[Irons]

That's a very kind offer. Here's the pot I need to move, I put a chair near it so you can get a feeling for the Herculean nature of the task. It's filled with loam based compost.  Do you think that tool would be up to it?

In fact - and to answer PD's question - heavier the better. Lighter objects tend to slide off when you push them. Steps can be a problem, and of course will not work on grass. If you wish a loan send a PM.

[Mandryka]

In fact - and to answer PD's question - heavier the better. Lighter objects tend to slide off when you push them. Steps can be a problem, and of course will not work on grass. If you wish a loan send a PM.

Looking at it today I decided that it's best to know your own limitations in life, and it looks so big and heavy I just don't think I could do it even with your wheelie tool. I'm going to call in a pro.


Thanks for the offer though, much appreciated.

[Irons]

Looking at it today I decided that it's best to know your own limitations in life, and it looks so big and heavy I just don't think I could do it even with your wheelie tool. I'm going to call in a pro.


Thanks for the offer though, much appreciated.

Your back will thank you. Good luck.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I think that that pot could take 2-3 people lifting it just to get it onto a dolly!     Good luck!

[Herman]

It looks like a great spot to sit and have a quiet moment with some coffee or tea.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

It looks like a great spot to sit and have a quiet moment with some coffee or tea.

Agreed!  Very serene.  Do you sit out there often Mandryka?
PD

p.s.  Finally, we're getting some rain...yippee!  And it arrived just as I was about done with cutting back some brush for the day too..excellent timing!   

[Herman]

There was a terrific thunder and lighning rainstorm last night, so all the grass is green again here.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

There was a terrific thunder and lighning rainstorm last night, so all the grass is green again here.

Yeah!!   

[Mandryka]

Agreed!  Very serene.  Do you sit out there often Mandryka?
PD

p.s.  Finally, we're getting some rain...yippee!  And it arrived just as I was about done with cutting back some brush for the day too..excellent timing!   

Where you choose to be in the garden is where the shade is best, and that varies from season to season and from hour to hour.  The garden faces South West, and can get uncomfortably hot. There's also a pond which attracts everyone because of the reflections of sunlight on water - it draws you in like an open fire. The space in the pic has a huge table, so it gets used for eating most.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Where you choose to be in the garden is where the shade is best, and that varies from season to season and from hour to hour.  The garden faces South West, and can get uncomfortably hot. There's also a pond which attracts everyone because of the reflections of sunlight on water - it draws you in like an open fire. The space in the pic has a huge table, so it gets used for eating most.

South-west:  good for a lot of plants, but hard on the gardener!  That's right, I remember you talking about your pond.  Trust that you have some new frogs to replace the ones who had died and that they are doing a good job of keeping the mosquito population down?

Will be harvesting my first eggplant of the season today and maybe a cucumber too.  Hope to make some pesto out of my basil today too.  Do you grow any tomatoes or herbs in your garden Mandryka?

The main rose show is over for the year (cut back most of the old blooms...a bit more to do.  Hard to get in there to do it as peony in front of them was HUGE this year).  I do have a few of David Austin's repeat blooming roses in my garden...need to give them some more food.  Are others here familiar with this rosarian?

Best,

PD

p.s.  Enjoyed a short stroll around my garden this morning with a cup of coffee:  feels nice and fresh and cool after yesterday's rain.   

[BWV 1080]

Set up a small water garden and seeded it with some silt from a nearby creek to breed dragonflies, now always have 3 or 4 flying around the pool, and saw a 4-5" giant darner yesterday (but that is not the photo which I think is a blue darner




Edit - why don't iCloud or Shutterfly links work?

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0h8Bi-KcP7kx3kvv2Q05_g3FQ

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Set up a small water garden and seeded it with some silt from a nearby creek to breed dragonflies, now always have 3 or 4 flying around the pool, and saw a 4-5" giant darner yesterday (but that is not the photo which I think is a blue darner




Edit - why don't iCloud or Shutterfly links work?

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0h8Bi-KcP7kx3kvv2Q05_g3FQ

Hello BWV!  And welcome!

Sorry that we can't see your pictures; perhaps someone else here can help?  I think also that there is a thread about how to upload pictures here under (sorry, not certain of the name....)something like forums news?  I'll try and find it for you and edit this posting.  Just read a tiny bit about all of the insects that dragonflies eat...neat!  I see them (one?) every so often in my garden.  I don't have a pond though.  How does silt help? 

PD

EDIT:  Perhaps you might look here (or at least until someone else has better ideas...or, if you don't find it, you might post your query there?):  https://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,302.0.html

[BWV 1080]

Hello BWV!  And welcome!

Sorry that we can't see your pictures; perhaps someone else here can help?  I think also that there is a thread about how to upload pictures here under (sorry, not certain of the name....)something like forums news?  I'll try and find it for you and edit this posting.  Just read a tiny bit about all of the insects that dragonflies eat...neat!  I see them (one?) every so often in my garden.  I don't have a pond though.  How does silt help? 

PD

EDIT:  Perhaps you might look here (or at least until someone else has better ideas...or, if you don't find it, you might post your query there?):  https://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,302.0.html

The link does not work?  Dragonflies lay eggs in water, taking some silt from a nearby creek was an attempt to transplant some eggs /larvae to my pond

[Pohjolas Daughter]

The link does not work?  Dragonflies lay eggs in water, taking some silt from a nearby creek was an attempt to transplant some eggs /larvae to my pond

Never mind...my mistake:  your link does work!  I think that my brain was fried from dealing with computer troubles...still trying to sort them out (almost there I hope!).

Wonder how it is then that I see dragonflies in my garden?  I guess that there must be enough moisture around for them?  I did/am trying put out an upturned bin lid with some water from my hose as it's been hot and I hope that it would keep the birds happy..though I don't wish to encourage mosquitos!  Need to get a new bird bath at some point (my old one I think is beyond repair).

Delighted to report that we're now getting some decent rainfalls (a few downpours yesterday) and have chances for showers off and on over the next few days.  They had instituted water restrictions since it had been so dry lately.

Harvested my first Asian-type eggplant today (passed it along to some friends).  Cucumbers will be coming in very soon...all at once in the next few days, so I'll have to figure out what to do with them.  A good problem to have though.

What do you like to grow in your garden BWV?

PD

[BWV 1080]

Never mind...my mistake:  your link does work!  I think that my brain was fried from dealing with computer troubles...still trying to sort them out (almost there I hope!).

Wonder how it is then that I see dragonflies in my garden?  I guess that there must be enough moisture around for them?  I did/am trying put out an upturned bin lid with some water from my hose as it's been hot and I hope that it would keep the birds happy..though I don't wish to encourage mosquitos!  Need to get a new bird bath at some point (my old one I think is beyond repair).

Delighted to report that we're now getting some decent rainfalls (a few downpours yesterday) and have chances for showers off and on over the next few days.  They had instituted water restrictions since it had been so dry lately.

Harvested my first Asian-type eggplant today (passed it along to some friends).  Cucumbers will be coming in very soon...all at once in the next few days, so I'll have to figure out what to do with them.  A good problem to have though.

What do you like to grow in your garden BWV?

PD

Dragonflies need oxygenated water (a water garden with underwater plants will do the trick), while mosquitos want un-oxygenated water (nothing living in them to eat the larvae I guess), which is why water gardens don't breed mosquitos.  I grow herbs mostly

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Dragonflies need oxygenated water (a water garden with underwater plants will do the trick), while mosquitos want un-oxygenated water (nothing living in them to eat the larvae I guess), which is why water gardens don't breed mosquitos.  I grow herbs mostly

A neighbor of mine has I think a very tiny water feature/garden (I remember that he said that there were frogs in it...my cat used to be fascinated by them apparently).  I wonder whether or not they might be homing there?  I haven't seen the garden, so no idea what it's like.  How far do they travel?  Any idea?

Herbs are wonderful to grow too.  I have several types of basil, flat-leaf parsley, tarragon, oregano (Greek), sage, chives, golden-lemon thyme, German thyme, rosemary, lemon verbena, and a tiny bit of dill which keeps reseeding itself but in the wrong area.  Need to plant some more seeds of cilantro as first batch didn't take.  Which herbs do you enjoy? 

And, I forgot to say, nice picture of a dragonfly!  Surprised that you were able to get such a good one...so tiny, and fast movers!

PD

[Herman]

I used to have a wonderful big rosemary bush in the backyard of the house where I used to live until 2004.

I stood close to a brick wall facing the south (where I have moved since).

That's the only way to have good strong rosemary: many sun hours and good warmth.

[BWV 1080]

On my fourth attempt to get rosemary growing after I remodeled my back yard a few years ago.  Alot of trees, so sun is an issue plus it can get too wet in Houston, but this one is on its second summer, so a good sign.  Have peppermint that keeps coming back every year, but for some reason spearmint fares poorly. Also planted alot of basil, and will have some good pesto in a few weeks

[Mandryka]

One nice herb to grow is fennel -- very good flowers and tasty leaves. It's a short lived perennial but seeds itself about a bit.

At the moment I have rosemary, winter savoury, thyme, marjoram and an ugly old sage. The savoury and marjoram make excellent summer flowering bushes, flowers which bees love.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

One nice herb to grow is fennel -- very good flowers and tasty leaves. It's a short lived perennial but seeds itself about a bit.

At the moment I have rosemary, winter savoury, thyme, marjoram and an ugly old sage. The savoury and marjoram make excellent summer flowering bushes, flowers which bees love.

I used to have a wonderful big rosemary bush in the backyard of the house where I used to live until 2004.

I stood close to a brick wall facing the south (where I have moved since).

That's the only way to have good strong rosemary: many sun hours and good warmth.

Nice to see that you gentlemen enjoy growing herbs.     I should try some savory (haven't in ages)...where, I'm not certain...hmmm.  I have learned over the years that one can overwinter rosemary in a pot inside.  Tricks that I've learned:  have a decent-sized saucer underneath it.  Put some gravel in the bottom of the saucer.  Water it via the saucer in the wintertime (to avoid that lovely fungus!); a bit less water, put in a room that is sunny but on the colder side...no fertilizer.  Don't water often, but well.  And if the gods are feeling kind, it will overwinter fine.  Possibly add a fan in the springtime when it's getting warmer but still not warm enough to put outside.

I haven't grown that type of fennel before -- for flowers.  The kind of fennel that I grow is for the bulbs.  At least, if the rabbits and butterfly caterpillars let me (the caterpillars like the foliage....need to get some queen anne's lace or something else that they like and can keep them away from or shift them to vs. my food).  What variety of fennel are you growing Mandryka?

Best wishes,

PD

p.s.  I forgot to mention that I also have some spearmint and pineapplemint; the pineapple mint is more delicate and I'll probably bring some inside for the wintertime just to make sure that it survives.