GMG Green Thumb Club

[Mandryka]

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

It's just a big garden so there's lots of scope to try things. Anyway, I've just planted four Abutilons in four different places as a scientific experiment to see what happens.

Another experiment. I like young Eucalyptus foliage and I grow lots of E. gunnii, I cut them down each March. That's fine, except there's not much to look at between March and September. So I thought I'd see what happens if I plant them in pairs and pollard one of the two every two years. That was about three years ago and I think it's working. Result! That's my contribution to horticulture.

[Kalevala]

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.

I love Cherokee Purple (an heirloom), but have gotten *tired of dealing with the blights.  Money Maker and Mortage Lifter I have heard of [Is MM a British tomato?].  @Irons Sungolds are yummy!  But they are designed to be more of a salad tomato (you could also roast them I expect for a quick sauce over pasta).  They're not meant for canning.

*How do you deal with it/tips?

K

[Kalevala]

It's just a big garden so there's lots of scope to try things. Anyway, I've just planted four Abutilons in four different places as a scientific experiment to see what happens.

Another experiment. I like young Eucalyptus foliage and I grow lots of E. gunnii, I cut them down each March. That's fine, except there's not much to look at between March and September. So I thought I'd see what happens if I plant them in pairs and pollard one of the two every two years. That was about three years ago and I think it's working. Result! That's my contribution to horticulture.

Hope that they do well for you.  Which herbs are you growing this year?  I had to replant my tarragon (French).  Rosemary is in a pot.  Sage plant is happy and huge in the ground.  Have chives.  Under my grow lights I have:  marjoram, Genovese basil, Thai basil, and a variety of red basil, and dill...also cilantro.  Tempted to get some chervil seeds.  Also want to get a bay plant.

K

[Mandryka]

You're more serious about it than I am. I have thyme, sage, marjoram, winter savoury, rosemary. No annuals. I grow the prostrate form of rosemary, it's not as unruly as the upright forms and looks lovely tumbling over a wall or indeed a container. Bay trees can get huge! And some cooks say that the dried leaves are better, more intense.

(I've just had an idea typing this  - I may make a low hedge from rosemary! I know exactly where.)

Where in the states are you? What sort of climate?

@kalevela

[Kalevala]

You're more serious about it than I am. I have thyme, sage, marjoram, winter savoury, rosemary. No annuals. I grow the prostrate form of rosemary, it's not as unruly as the upright forms and looks lovely tumbling over a wall or indeed a container. Bay trees can get huge! And some cooks say that the dried leaves are better, more intense.

(I've just had an idea typing this  - I may make a low hedge from rosemary! I know exactly where.)

Where in the states are you? What sort of climate?

@kalevela

Hi M,

I grew some prostrate rosemary (years ago).  Had an (upright?) one which lasted for a number of years; I'd haul it inside during the wintertime.  A few years ago, it got some sort of...I want to say a spider mite which caused a disease and killed it just before I could move it back outside.    It grew big enough that I decorated it for Christmas (one year:  fairy lights, ornaments and a topper).

Fresh herbs are wonderful!  I enjoy cooking and appreciate having some fresh herbs around.  Trying to remember whether or not I've grown winter savory before?  Probably summer savory (some time ago).  Which dishes do you like to cook it in?

The herbs under the grow lights will go into the ground (maybe some in pots) when they get bigger; it's also cold and rainy here at the moment.

Love the idea of a rosemary hedge!  Do you use it in cooking?

The lemon verbena I don't use often, but it's nice to use in making summertime herbal teas.  I also have lemon balm (love those lemony fragrances).  Lemon balm is one of those dangerous plants in that it's quick to spread.

Tarragon and marjoram:  love that combo with mushrooms!  There's a recipe that I love by Deborah Madison (not a quick one to make, but oh so worth it).  It's for spinach crêpes (Note:  not spinach filled, but spinach in the batter).  You make a layer of three with a (I believe that it's with) ricotta and herb blend between the layers topped with sautéed mushrooms/herbs, etc. on top....Yum!

K

[Irons]

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?

Good question. Holders pay an annual rent, as long as they are willing and able to do so the allotment is theirs to own. The second part of your question is tricky and frankly I don't know. Over a period of time I have built ten raised beds - higher and more substantial then those featured in the video. I plan more as for me working on my knees is not an option and I enjoy building and using them. When the day comes? Honestly I don't know. One downside of our site is permanent structures of over 4' not allowed. For me this is frustrating as I would love a polytunnel.    

[Szykneij]

Good question. Holders pay an annual rent, as long as they are willing and able to do so the allotment is theirs to own. The second part of your question is tricky and frankly I don't know. Over a period of time I have built ten raised beds - higher and more substantial then those featured in the video. I plan more as for me working on my knees is not an option and I enjoy building and using them. When the day comes? Honestly I don't know. One downside of our site is permanent structures of over 4' not allowed. For me this is frustrating as I would love a polytunnel.     

Thanks for that. I find the whole subject interesting and enjoy watching the various allotment youtube videos like the one you posted.
  I was fortunate to be able to buy a piece of land adjacent to my property a few years ago, which allowed me to expand my limited gardening activity quite a bit. I've been able to build a bit of a nature enclave in the middle of an urban/suburban neighborhood. I have several birdfeeders operating and try to make sure there are pollinator friendly plants in bloom as much as possible. The other day, I was successful in transplanting some milkweed plants that escaped the milkweed patch and were growing in a high traffic area - not always an easy feat due to their deep taproots.
  Luckily, I can walk out my cellar door and have my garden waiting for me, but I'm glad there are places for others not so fortunate to benefit from the joys of gardening. There are mental, emotional, and physical benefits it provides, and I believe that, like forest bathing, garden bathing should be a thing, too. All plants emit phytoncides beneficial to health.

[Szykneij]

A few of the signs on my garden fence.