GMG Green Thumb Club

[Mandryka]

O.k., it's getting warmer now....I'd swear that I see a few tiny signs of growth on my thyme plants.  Is it wishful thinking?  Fingers are still crossed here....Episode 13 of the "Thyme of my Life".

K

Where are you? Alaska? On top of a mountain?

Re thyme, I grow them in an old sink. They seem to last about 2 years before dying. Is that par for the course? These two were planted at the start of March - maybe two's one too many.

[Szykneij]

A new toy that I am finding more then useful around both garden and allotment. Tying tomato plants to canes for example is tiresome, especially young plants. With this tool job completed in a second. How it works is beyond clever. Half close and the top arm grabs a length of fresh tape, fully close and tape is secured around both plant and support.
If interested shop around! Big variation in purchase price.

My tomato plants have reached the stage where they need staking, and once again, I need to thank you for recommending this tool a couple of years ago. An incredible time (and back) saver!

[Irons]

My tomato plants have reached the stage where they need staking, and once again, I need to thank you for recommending this tool a couple of years ago. An incredible time (and back) saver!

Cheers. Yes, in constant use this time of year with tomatoes doing what they do growth wise. Using blue plastic tape which does stand out attached to stem but less likely to miss at the end of season and leave buried. There is talk of biodegradable tape which would be good.

[Szykneij]

Cheers. Yes, in constant use this time of year with tomatoes doing what they do growth wise. Using blue plastic tape which does stand out attached to stem but less likely to miss at the end of season and leave buried. There is talk of biodegradable tape which would be good.

Biodegradable tape would be great! The tape I have is red, which sort of matches the tomatoes once they appear. It does create a bit of a Christmas tree effect when the plants get big.

[Kalevala]

Where are you? Alaska? On top of a mountain?

Re thyme, I grow them in an old sink. They seem to last about 2 years before dying. Is that par for the course? These two were planted at the start of March - maybe two's one too many.

I'm in a very (currently) soggy area--and not on top of a mountain  .

Like the sink idea!  How clever and fun!

Mine lasted longer; not certain how many years?  I did bring them inside during the winter.  Planted three in a large *pot (some sort of resin which was lightweight).  I'm guesstimating that the top of it was about 2 feet across (will measure it the next dry day that we have)?  Still not certain whether or not they are totally dead (besides rain, also cold here).  Questions:  Is it all mold/lichen (due to the rain and cold temps)?  And:  Are what I believe to be leaf growths still alive?  No luck this past weekend trying to find French thyme.  Will check out a farmers' market this weekend.

Have purchased one tomato plant...more to follow?

K

*Trying to remember what brand they were/are.  Have held up well.  Expensive, but I ran across them on sale at a nursery, so I bought some of them.

p.s.  How big is your sink and what kind of thyme plants did you plant?

[Mandryka]

I'm in a very (currently) soggy area--and not on top of a mountain  .

Like the sink idea!  How clever and fun!

Mine lasted longer; not certain how many years?  I did bring them inside during the winter.  Planted three in a large *pot (some sort of resin which was lightweight).  I'm guesstimating that the top of it was about 2 feet across (will measure it the next dry day that we have)?  Still not certain whether or not they are totally dead (besides rain, also cold here).  Questions:  Is it all mold/lichen (due to the rain and cold temps)?  And:  Are what I believe to be leaf growths still alive?  No luck this past weekend trying to find French thyme.  Will check out a farmers' market this weekend.

Have purchased one tomato plant...more to follow?

K

*Trying to remember what brand they were/are.  Have held up well.  Expensive, but I ran across them on sale at a nursery, so I bought some of them.

p.s.  How big is your sink and what kind of thyme plants did you plant?

It's about 30 inches wide, an old farm stone sink I picked up about 20 years ago from an antique shop near Hereford. I don't know the variety of thyme - just "culinary" thyme. In fact, I grow (in the ground) winter savoury, which tastes like thyme. It lives for ever, seeds itself about and has very nice white flowers in Summer.

Close to where I live is The Royal Horticultural Society's gardens at Wisley (look it up.) They used to have a garden there which basically consisted of beds raised about 3 feet off the ground, all filled with alpines. It was a fabulous plantsman's garden, those alpine plants are like jewels and by raising the bed you could see them for all their spectacular beauty. I bought the sink thinking I would raise it and create an alpine trough in it. It never happened, but one day . . .

[foxandpeng]

Not so much thyme here, but enormous quantities of borage and different varieties of mint. And rosemary. And basil  chives, lemongrass, and sage.

Taking cuttings for when we move.

[DaveF]

A couple of pics: of my "Cottage garden" border, which a year ago was a patch of untended lawn, full of dandelions and clover.  Still needs work - the logs are to keep cats off the as-yet-unplanted bit.  I'm hoping that the baby delphiniums and hollyhocks at the back will soon grow up and add a bit of structure and colour variety.  It also needs some medium-height yellows and oranges - suggestions welcome!

And the wildflower meadow, which is 3 years old but has only just reached what looks like a good balance of plants (last year the oxeye daisies completely took over).  There's a bees' nest in my neighbours' wall just the other side of the compost bin, so it's good to sit there of an evening and see them coming and going the short distance to the flowers.

[Kalevala]

A couple of pics: of my "Cottage garden" border, which a year ago was a patch of untended lawn, full of dandelions and clover.  Still needs work - the logs are to keep cats off the as-yet-unplanted bit.  I'm hoping that the baby delphiniums and hollyhocks at the back will soon grow up and add a bit of structure and colour variety.  It also needs some medium-height yellows and oranges - suggestions welcome!

And the wildflower meadow, which is 3 years old but has only just reached what looks like a good balance of plants (last year the oxeye daisies completely took over).  There's a bees' nest in my neighbours' wall just the other side of the compost bin, so it's good to sit there of an evening and see them coming and going the short distance to the flowers.

Looks lovely!  Good job you!

What about some *calendula?  They are an annual.  It's been some time since I've planted them (I do miss them).  They come in various heights, and if I'm remembering correctly come in white, yellow and orange.  A shorter variety would be good for the front of your bed.  Alyssum, which comes in various shades:  white (common) also purple and pink.  Again, an annual (and which bees love).  You could also mix in some herbs--like tarragon, sage, basil (or maybe you have a separate area for those?). Some type of heliopsis?  Creeping thyme?

*Some years ago, I ordered some seeds from Thompson and Morgan (based in the UK).  I think that it was called Tom Thumb, but I'm not seeing it on their website.  It was a short variety, but very cute.

K

[Irons]

Looks lovely!  Good job you!

What about some *calendula?  They are an annual.  It's been some time since I've planted them (I do miss them).  They come in various heights, and if I'm remembering correctly come in white, yellow and orange.  A shorter variety would be good for the front of your bed.  Alyssum, which comes in various shades:  white (common) also purple and pink.  Again, an annual (and which bees love).  You could also mix in some herbs--like tarragon, sage, basil (or maybe you have a separate area for those?). Some type of heliopsis?  Creeping thyme?

*Some years ago, I ordered some seeds from Thompson and Morgan (based in the UK).  I think that it was called Tom Thumb, but I'm not seeing it on their website.  It was a short variety, but very cute.

K

Good advice, K.

[Szykneij]

A couple of pics: of my "Cottage garden" border, which a year ago was a patch of untended lawn, full of dandelions and clover.  Still needs work - the logs are to keep cats off the as-yet-unplanted bit.  I'm hoping that the baby delphiniums and hollyhocks at the back will soon grow up and add a bit of structure and colour variety.  It also needs some medium-height yellows and oranges - suggestions welcome!

And the wildflower meadow, which is 3 years old but has only just reached what looks like a good balance of plants (last year the oxeye daisies completely took over).  There's a bees' nest in my neighbours' wall just the other side of the compost bin, so it's good to sit there of an evening and see them coming and going the short distance to the flowers.

Awesome garden and meadow! Great for the pollinators!
I'm OK with the clover. It's a nitrogen fixer and honeybee favorite.

[Szykneij]

I just got this "Titan Squash Tunnel" for my cucumber plants - a surprise gift from my wife. It came together well, but wasn't all that easy to assemble. There were no indications as to where the pieces should go, and eyeballing it or using a tape measure were a challenge. It would have been easier, too, if I had gotten it before I had plants in place. I discovered one advantage hard containers have over grow bags is that they're easier to move.
  I'm going to wait to put the included netting on until the plants get a bit bigger.

[DaveF]

Thanks @Kalevala, @Szykneij, @Irons, for advice as well as admiring comments .  The border is intended for perennials (I'm a lazy gardener) - annuals go in the pots at the back of the house.  Consequently, Today's Purchases (Non-Classical) have been 2 lovely Galliardias (which I am also raising from seed, but can't wait - lazy and impatient), which were covered with bees even on the market stall, and a yellow Geum to go with the red ones over on the right of the border.  Then I think I'll finish off with some of the ubiquitous Crocosmia, which grows wild as garden escapes in these parts.

[Irons]

I just got this "Titan Squash Tunnel" for my cucumber plants - a surprise gift from my wife. It came together well, but wasn't all that easy to assemble. There were no indications as to where the pieces should go, and eyeballing it or using a tape measure were a challenge. It would have been easier, too, if I had gotten it before I had plants in place. I discovered one advantage hard containers have over grow bags is that they're easier to move.
  I'm going to wait to put the included netting on until the plants get a bit bigger.

A most worthwhile investment. So many advantages for cucumbers and squashes growing vertically then rambling across the ground. I am growing for the first time 'Mini Munch' cucumbers this year after reading many positive reviews. Home grown cucumbers have much more flavour then those from supermarkets.

[Szykneij]

A most worthwhile investment. So many advantages for cucumbers and squashes growing vertically then rambling across the ground. I am growing for the first time 'Mini Munch' cucumbers this year after reading many positive reviews. Home grown cucumbers have much more flavour then those from supermarkets.

Let me know what you think about the Mini Munch cukes once you harvest. Cucumbers are my favorite eating vegetables and my number one choice is Lemon Cucumbers. Unfortunately, I had a lot of trouble germinating them this year and I haven't been able to find any for sale around here. Those plants I did get to grow aren't looking too great and the weather hasn't been cucumber friendly on top of it.
  You're absolutely correct about home grown being tastier than supermarket varieties. I think that's probably true about any vegetables, especially tomatoes.
 

[Kalevala]

It's about 30 inches wide, an old farm stone sink I picked up about 20 years ago from an antique shop near Hereford. I don't know the variety of thyme - just "culinary" thyme. In fact, I grow (in the ground) winter savoury, which tastes like thyme. It lives for ever, seeds itself about and has very nice white flowers in Summer.

Close to where I live is The Royal Horticultural Society's gardens at Wisley (look it up.) They used to have a garden there which basically consisted of beds raised about 3 feet off the ground, all filled with alpines. It was a fabulous plantsman's garden, those alpine plants are like jewels and by raising the bed you could see them for all their spectacular beauty. I bought the sink thinking I would raise it and create an alpine trough in it. It never happened, but one day . . .

Sounds like a lovely idea!

I took a look at the Wisley website--beautiful!  Hope that you've enjoyed many wonderful strolls around there. 

Thyme pot is about 1 1/2 feet across.  Still saying a prayer for the plants in there (I didn't make it to the Saturday farmers' market); I should probably be figuring out which requiem I should play for them instead.

All of the rain and cold temps have been hard on my roses (black spot on several of them).  So it goes....

I just got this "Titan Squash Tunnel" for my cucumber plants - a surprise gift from my wife. It came together well, but wasn't all that easy to assemble. There were no indications as to where the pieces should go, and eyeballing it or using a tape measure were a challenge. It would have been easier, too, if I had gotten it before I had plants in place. I discovered one advantage hard containers have over grow bags is that they're easier to move.
  I'm going to wait to put the included netting on until the plants get a bit bigger.

Cool setup!  Last time I tried growing cucumbers, I suspect that it was cabbage moths that brought a disease to them--killing them off. 

@DaveF  Sounds lovely!  Enjoy!

K

[Kalevala]

@Mandryka How deep is your sink?  My pot is also a bit over one foot deep (tapered downwards).

K

[Kalevala]

Not so much thyme here, but enormous quantities of borage and different varieties of mint. And rosemary. And basil  chives, lemongrass, and sage.

Taking cuttings for when we move.

Excellent!  Hope that all goes well.

K