GMG Green Thumb Club

[Szykneij]

What about a plant sitter (come around every few days to check on things)?
K

Good idea, but not that easy for someone other than myself to deal with.

One difference - you have rain!

That we do! It's sunny today, but the weekend forecast calls for possible high winds and heavy rain - not good  conditions for young vegetable plants. The cooler temperatures expected for next week aren't ideal for the garden, either. Looks like I'll continue to bring my 19 trays in and out of the cellar for a while longer. At least I'm getting some good cardio exercise.

[Kalevala]

Good idea, but not that easy for someone other than myself to deal with.

That we do! It's sunny today, but the weekend forecast calls for possible high winds and heavy rain - not good  conditions for young vegetable plants. The cooler temperatures expected for next week aren't ideal for the garden, either. Looks like I'll continue to bring my 19 trays in and out of the cellar for a while longer. At least I'm getting some good cardio exercise.

That's a lot of tray hauling!   

I worked in the garden for about 2 1/2 hours so far today.  The weather forecast is lousy for the upcoming holiday weekend--quite a bit of rain and cloudy and cool to boot.  I'm trying to get some various clearing done and then want to fertilize my rose bushes, peonies and some other bulbs.  At least it's cool out (pretty darn nippy this morning!) which makes it easier on the body.  Also, I planted my new rosemary plant in a lightweight container (so that I can move it inside come the fall).  Lemon verbena plant is doing well; thyme not so good.  I think that it's still alive (gave it some compost and a bit of fertilizer several weeks ago.  It's been so cold and rainy lately that it's hard to tell if there is new growth on it or if it's just my imagination.

Veggie and herb seedlings are small but are sprouting nicely (knock on wood).  Too cold out here to even think about planting carrot seeds, etc.

Off to go back outside before I get too relaxed.

Happy gardening all!   

K

[Irons]

First rain for over a month today, most welcome. Still performing the 'Hokey Cokey' with tomato plants! Made monumental decision they are going in the ground tomorrow (22/5) no matter what, but with night time temps forecast for tonight and Thursday at 5c I have a new strategy. After a thorough soaking an ideal time to plant up the leeks in a raised bed, and for the umpteenth time delaying planting of toms until Friday when night time temps and beyond forecast to be double figures.
I am concerned after watching YT allotment channel that with such an unusually high/low temps between day and night can result in bolting of beetroot. Very important crop for us and would be highly miffed if we lost it.

Talking of allotment YT channels, one I view weekly not because of being particularly informative but find relaxing and just a nice watch.

 https://youtu.be/m4cQCZxPMYc?si=EgEJSn1YZRusGO3w   

[Kalevala]

First rain for over a month today, most welcome. Still performing the 'Hokey Cokey' with tomato plants! Made monumental decision they are going in the ground tomorrow (22/5) no matter what, but with night time temps forecast for tonight and Thursday at 5c I have a new strategy. After a thorough soaking an ideal time to plant up the leeks in a raised bed, and for the umpteenth time delaying planting of toms until Friday when night time temps and beyond forecast to be double figures.
I am concerned after watching YT allotment channel that with such an unusually high/low temps between day and night can result in bolting of beetroot. Very important crop for us and would be highly miffed if we lost it.

Talking of allotment YT channels, one I view weekly not because of being particularly informative but find relaxing and just a nice watch.

 https://youtu.be/m4cQCZxPMYc?si=EgEJSn1YZRusGO3w   

Sorry to hear that your weather has also been all over the place.  Glad that finally had some rain.  I would be happy to share some of the rain that we're due to get over the weekend (maybe 2 1/2 inches?).  Back finally pooped out on me today--got a bit more done but not as much as I had hoped to have accomplished.

I'll check out your channel after a hot bath--and (hopefully fix a plumbing clog in the kitchen).

K

[Mandryka]

I've just planted a pomegranate bush. Against a warm wall in Surrey.  Pray for the plant please.

https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/67011/punica-granatum-var-nana/details

[Kalevala]

I've just planted a pomegranate bush. Against a warm wall in Surrey.  Pray for the plant please.

https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/67011/punica-granatum-var-nana/details

Oh, neat! Is that the same kind as one would find in the fruit section of a grocery store (no idea how many different varieties there are of them)?  I would have thought that your garden would be pretty much filled up by now.  Or did you axe one of your plants (or Mother Nature did) or move somebody elsewhere?  And how are your pear trees doing this year?

Made headway with weeding/bush whacking, but I didn't get as much done today as I had hoped to...so it goes!

K

[Mandryka]

Oh, neat! Is that the same kind as one would find in the fruit section of a grocery store (no idea how many different varieties there are of them)?  I would have thought that your garden would be pretty much filled up by now.  Or did you axe one of your plants (or Mother Nature did) or move somebody elsewhere?  And how are your pear trees doing this year?

Made headway with weeding/bush whacking, but I didn't get as much done today as I had hoped to...so it goes!

K

Pears are fine - looks like there will be a good harvest, but it's too early to say.

It's an excellent year for roses. This is a first floor view of my Cécile Brünner

[Szykneij]

First rain for over a month today, most welcome. Still performing the 'Hokey Cokey' with tomato plants! Made monumental decision they are going in the ground tomorrow (22/5) no matter what,
 

Some of the first tomato plants I started needed to go out because they were way too long inside, so I planted them two days ago. The next day, we had high winds and temperatures in the 40s - F (around 7 C), but they're still looking OK. They're certainly not going to thrive at the moment, but it appears they were hardened off well enough to withstand some harsh weather. Now, they just have to survive the heavy rains from the noreaster that's forecast for tomorrow until we get some sun and warmer weather.
  Last night I gave 10 tomato plants to a friend who just got a plot in a community garden, our New England version of allotments.

Pears are fine - looks like there will be a good harvest, but it's too early to say.

Pears are my favorite fruit. The only others that comes close, in my opinion, are Honeycrisp apples. I'm willing to bet it was really a pear tree in the Garden of Eden.

Kalevala - How is your damaged rose bush looking? Is it making a comeback?

[Kalevala]

Pears are fine - looks like there will be a good harvest, but it's too early to say.

It's an excellent year for roses. This is a first floor view of my Cécile Brünner

Wow!  That's beautiful!  Is it just one rose bush and does it have any scent?

Some of the first tomato plants I started needed to go out because they were way too long inside, so I planted them two days ago. The next day, we had high winds and temperatures in the 40s - F (around 7 C), but they're still looking OK. They're certainly not going to thrive at the moment, but it appears they were hardened off well enough to withstand some harsh weather. Now, they just have to survive the heavy rains from the noreaster that's forecast for tomorrow until we get some sun and warmer weather.
  Last night I gave 10 tomato plants to a friend who just got a plot in a community garden, our New England version of allotments.

Pears are my favorite fruit. The only others that comes close, in my opinion, are Honeycrisp apples. I'm willing to bet it was really a pear tree in the Garden of Eden.

Kalevala - How is your damaged rose bush looking? Is it making a comeback?

Pears are yummy!  I treated myself to some pears from Harry & David around the holidays [I also sent an order to a relative with some blue cheese and they were very happy with them.].

Too early to say yet; one of the cuttings is still mostly green, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.  As for the stump(?) in the ground, there's some new growth (I gave it a bit of food and need to feed it again soon); however, it's still quite small (weather's been cool lately/below average)...and more rain forecast.  Had hoped to feed a number of things today, but back was tired.

But progress though!

And that was very kind of you to give some of your tomato plants to a friend.  By the way, do you normally plant your toms a bit below ground level (to encourage branching, but I suspect would also help in terms of support)?  Haven't bought any yet (I don't grow that many due to space limitations).  Do you grow mostly plums or a variety of types?  I love the taste of heirlooms, but they can be so fussy particularly with regard to disease resistance.  Jet Star has been one of my fallbacks...that and ones like Better Boy.  From the market, I've gotten to appreciate what I believe is a Japanese type called (and I'm going to have to Google); I believe it's Komatsu.  The one that I've seen (and also think that I've grown once) was kind of a burgundy-colored one.  It's on the smaller size but bigger than a cherry one.  I'm trying to find more varieties that I can grow in pots....that and figure out how to keep the chippies out!  Sigh....

K

[Kalevala]

@Irons I wish that I could work as fast as she did!   

Neat ideas regarding the compost bins.  I'm curious that as to why she didn't overlap the liner (to protect the wood)...or not enough air getting in there to help?  Any thoughts?

Hope that your beets grow well (I'm planning on planting a small amount myself).

K

[Mandryka]

@Kalevala Cécille Brünner is a perfect buttonhole rose. It does have a scent too. It's just one bush, I planted it about 20 years ago. It has started to climb the pear tree, you can just see it on the extreme left of the photo, I'm going to let it have its way.

[Kalevala]

@Kalevala Cécille Brünner is a perfect buttonhole rose. It does have a scent too. It's just one bush, I planted it about 20 years ago. It has started to climb the pear tree, you can just see it on the extreme left of the photo, I'm going to let it have its way.

Do you often times wear it that way? 

K

[Szykneij]

And that was very kind of you to give some of your tomato plants to a friend.  By the way, do you normally plant your toms a bit below ground level (to encourage branching, but I suspect would also help in terms of support)?  Haven't bought any yet (I don't grow that many due to space limitations).  Do you grow mostly plums or a variety of types?  I love the taste of heirlooms, but they can be so fussy particularly with regard to disease resistance.  Jet Star has been one of my fallbacks...that and ones like Better Boy.  From the market, I've gotten to appreciate what I believe is a Japanese type called (and I'm going to have to Google); I believe it's Komatsu.  The one that I've seen (and also think that I've grown once) was kind of a burgundy-colored one.  It's on the smaller size but bigger than a cherry one.  I'm trying to find more varieties that I can grow in pots....that and figure out how to keep the chippies out!  Sigh....

K

These are the varieties I have this season:
Ace 55
Besser Cherry
Black Cherry
Blueberry
Box Car Willie
Cherokee Purple
Crnkovic Yugoslavian
Delicious
First Pick
German Johnson
Gold Medal
Hillbilly
Kellog's Breakfast
Moneymaker
Mortgage Lifter
Mr. Stripey
Mule Team
Old German
Pantano Romanesco
Ponderosa Pink
Pruden's Purple
Rutgers
Sioux
Stump of the World
Sungold Cherry
Tommy Toe

I start about 200 plants because there are numerous people I give them to every year, keeping about 50 for myself.

I definitely plant them deep, taking off the bottom leaves. Any part of the stem that's underground will produce roots, making for a stronger plant. That's partly why the plants that are outside now are surviving the wind - a good portion of them is below ground level.

[Szykneij]

Errrr . . . yes!


   

As you will see Cecile Brünner is really thriving in my garden and she's started to invade the big pear tree. I like the effect but I'm wondering if I should nip it in the bud -- will she completely smother the tree?

Mandryka -  Out of curiosity, I went back to the beginning of this thread and found your Cecile Brünner and pear tree back in 2020!

I wonder what happened to poster Mozart who originated this thread back then.

[Mandryka]

Mandryka -  Out of curiosity, I went back to the beginning of this thread and found your Cecile Brünner and pear tree back in 2020!

I wonder what happened to poster Mozart who originated this thread back then.

Yes, I cut it back. But this year I've decided to let it grow.

[Mandryka]

Anyone got any experience with Abutilon? I've just bought 4 Patrick Synge and I'm wondering how big they're likely to get IF I prune them hard back in the Spring.

[Kalevala]

Anyone got any experience with Abutilon? I've just bought 4 Patrick Synge and I'm wondering how big they're likely to get IF I prune them hard back in the Spring.

What a neat looking plant!  I found this article which might help:  https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-care-for-abutilon-plants-3976754

Looking forward to hearing how it goes and how you like them.   

Are you doing a lot of revamping of your garden Mandryka?

Rainy day here...a break from the garden.  Now housework (and perhaps planting of some flower seeds...wish that my grow stand had more levels).

K

[Irons]

@Irons I wish that I could work as fast as she did!   

Neat ideas regarding the compost bins.  I'm curious that as to why she didn't overlap the liner (to protect the wood)...or not enough air getting in there to help?  Any thoughts?

Hope that your beets grow well (I'm planning on planting a small amount myself).

K

I overlapped a raised bed with black plastic sheeting last year which proved to be a mistake. Below ground, fine. Parts exposed to direct sunlight fell apart which appeared very untidy.

[Irons]

These are the varieties I have this season:
Ace 55
Besser Cherry
Black Cherry
Blueberry
Box Car Willie
Cherokee Purple
Crnkovic Yugoslavian
Delicious
First Pick
German Johnson
Gold Medal
Hillbilly
Kellog's Breakfast
Moneymaker
Mortgage Lifter
Mr. Stripey
Mule Team
Old German
Pantano Romanesco
Ponderosa Pink
Pruden's Purple
Rutgers
Sioux
Stump of the World
Sungold Cherry
Tommy Toe

I start about 200 plants because there are numerous people I give them to every year, keeping about 50 for myself.

I definitely plant them deep, taking off the bottom leaves. Any part of the stem that's underground will produce roots, making for a stronger plant. That's partly why the plants that are outside now are surviving the wind - a good portion of them is below ground level.

Impressive list! The only one familiar to me being Sungold which is hugely popular in the UK. I'm actually not a fan as thin skinned and does not last well. I would appreciate a heads up of any that you find particularly impressive which will be duly noted for next year.
I'm not growing any under glass this season as going big on chillies and peppers. I have set up for thirty indeterminate toms and three determinate planted in large plastic pots. I try to select blight resistant if possible, and this year growing all three of the 'crush' family Crimson, Cocktail and Blush. One, not blight resistant, that I am planting is Bloody Butcher, a dark red variety and very early cropper. A friend strongly recommended after impressive results last year. I have fruit forming and still in pot!

[Szykneij]

Impressive list! The only one familiar to me being Sungold which is hugely popular in the UK. I'm actually not a fan as thin skinned and does not last well. I would appreciate a heads up of any that you find particularly impressive which will be duly noted for next year.
I'm not growing any under glass this season as going big on chillies and peppers. I have set up for thirty indeterminate toms and three determinate planted in large plastic pots. I try to select blight resistant if possible, and this year growing all three of the 'crush' family Crimson, Cocktail and Blush. One, not blight resistant, that I am planting is Bloody Butcher, a dark red variety and very early cropper. A friend strongly recommended after impressive results last year. I have fruit forming and still in pot!

The Sungolds are our favorite. Luckily, I don't need to worry about them not lasting long because my wife and I end up eating most of them right off the vine while out and about in the yard.
  I'll let you know how others turn out and which ones we like the best. I don't worry too much about getting high yields as I'm most interested in variety. We'll pick a couple each day for tomato sandwiches and try to rate the ones we enjoy the most. (This is safer than our Irish whiskey ratings at a nearby pub.)
  On another topic: Watching the video you posted, it's clear that it took a lot of hard work and a considerable amount of materials to create the bins and other beds in her allotment. What's the reliability of getting the same allotment for a long period of time, and what happens to all the construction when the time comes for someone else to take it over?