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GRH
07-29-2008, 08:03 PM
Are any of you here gardeners? For me, gardening is one part job and one part passion. I work in the field of horticulture, so my personal garden is often an extension of my career...It's a place where I can trial plants, learn new things, and give a home to unwanted/unsold plants. But beyond that, gardening is a hobby and a love for me. It's so peaceful...

At any rate, I like gardening of ALL sorts. My first dappling as a child was helping my grandparents work a farm, so I have interest in veggies. My first plants that I truly took care of myself were a variety of herbs-- I still have the same rosemary from many years ago. From there I have branched out into ornamentals, and have steadily learned more and more about the world of landscaping-- sun plants, shade plants, native plants, bog plants, etc. Career wise, I have grown organic greenhouse tomatoes for several years and I have been a landscape director overseeing an 87 acre facility as well.

If there is interest, I can go into more details about what I'm growing this year and how my garden has evolved...

sesame
07-30-2008, 02:25 AM
The plants/trees I have grown.
1) Polyalthia longifolia, family: Annonaceae; Deodar, Debdaru = Sanskrit.
2) Cinnamomum Tamala, Fam: Lauraceae; Tejpatra: Sanskrit
3) Carissa carandas, family: Apocyanaceae; Karamcha, Karamarda: Sanskrit
4) Cissus quadrangularis, fam: Vitaceae; Harbhanga, Harjora, asthisrinkala: Sanskrit.
5) Cymbopogon citratus, fam: Poaceae; gandhatrina, atigandha: sanskrit.
6) Areca Catechu, fam: Palmae; Betel nut, Supari, Gubak\Tantusara: Sanskrit
7) Momordica Charantia, Fam: Cucurbitacea, Bitter Goard, karavella : Sanskrit


I will add some more if you are interested.

GRH
07-30-2008, 07:31 AM
Yes, add some more Sesame. In particular, are you fond of betel nuts? I've always been curious to try them, but have never gotten around to it.

As for my own garden, I have a lot of trees on my current property, so I have very few patches that offer anything resembling full sun. At best, the majority of the yard varies between partial sun to deep shade. In the sunnier areas I have some seed grown Shasta Daisies, some inherited daylilies, a white 'rapid-fire' Hydrangea, yellow and orange varieties of Coreopsis, Black-Eyed Susan, a bunch of Marigolds, a few Lupine, some Jasione, Dianthus, Globe Thistle, Phalaris grass, and a Delphinium...

I had a Meconopsis which didn't do so well, and I am thinking about adding some Goldenrod to the back of my border for some tall, late season bloom. Right now I have some Iris which hasn't done much as I divided it this season, and the foundation of this section of the garden are the Hydrangea shrub and a well-established Yew. I have done a lot to try to open the garden up, I climbed the surrounding trees to nearly 20 feet in the air and took off lower branches to try to get more sunlight to the garden. Still, there is more shade than I'd like, and the daylilies in particular have performed lackluster...

At any rate, that covers a small section of the yard...In a future post I'll work my way around towards the shadier sections and eventually to the vegetable/herb plot...

ila
07-30-2008, 08:49 AM
I envy your ability to grow plants GRH. I have hated gardening ever since I was a little kid and had to look after a big garden by myself (and I do mean big - approx 50' x 200'). Our family grew all the vegetables that we required and it was my job to plant, weed, and harvest. I have never liked gardening since although I wish I could at least grow grass now. I get a good crop of dandelions every year and no matter what I do it seems I can't keep ahead of them.

Since you say that you would like to have more sun in your yard then you could probably do wonders with my yard. It gets a lot of sun throughout the full day.

sesame
07-31-2008, 08:10 AM
1) Jaba or China rose from my garden, (its very small :p)
Hibiscus rosa sinensis. :yes:



2) Aloe vera in my window sill.

kraken111
07-31-2008, 10:41 AM
I:yes: FIND ORCHIDS TO BE TRULY SPLENDID!!!

sesame
08-02-2008, 09:54 AM
There are 24,000 different species of orchids! :eek:
The subfamily Epidendroideae is the larges one. It has 500 genera (plural of Genus), and 16,000 species.

Image description= genus Cymbidium, of the Orchid family, belonging to the subfamily Epidendroideae.
The name Cymbidium is derived from Greek Kumbos which means cavity. Its found in N. India, China, Japan and Malaysia.



2nd image: Phalaenopsis, a strain of Epidendroideae.
Its a natural Hybrid species, one of the surprises of nature.
Its commonly known as moth orchid.

Image source=internet

sesame
08-02-2008, 02:17 PM
These are fresh Cinnamon leaves from my garden.
Nothing beats the aroma of fresh leaves in your dishes.
Also there is some added pleasure to taste something
nurtured in your own garden. It feels great :yes:

ila
08-02-2008, 02:54 PM
These are fresh Cinnamon leaves from my garden.
Nothing beats the aroma of fresh leaves in your dishes.


I thought cinnamon was made from the bark of the tree. Is the leaf also edible or is that the part that cinnamon is extracted from?

sesame
08-02-2008, 06:45 PM
2) Cinnamomum Tamala, Fam: Lauraceae; Tejpatra: Sanskrit
Tejpatra or Cinnamon leaves.
Both leaf and bark are used
for adding flavour to edibles.:yes:

Generally, Bark of Cinnamomum verum is used.

sesame
08-04-2008, 01:26 AM
Would you like some fresh exotic food served like this? ;)

GRH
08-04-2008, 08:16 AM
That's interesting Sesame, I never knew the leaves also carried flavor, but it doesn't surprise me. Homegrown herbs really do far surpass any sort of store bought flavorings. Have you ever grown cacao? There was a conservatory a mile or so from where I used to live and I loved going into it and looking at the many tropical fruit and spice trees, the luscious vines, the orchids, bromeliads, etc. It was a nice way to spend an hour of one's day, I remember liking the cacao tree and used to have one grown from seed, but let it get too dry. I also used to grow coffee and succeeded in growing my own beans from a pot-grown specimen.

SluttyShemaleAnna
08-05-2008, 08:31 AM
Anna's gardening tips:

1) Make a lawn
2) Cut a hole in the middle
3) Play Golf! YAY!

or

1) Build cage
2) Fill cage with fruit
3) Make smoothies! YAY!!

sesame
08-05-2008, 12:18 PM
Anna's gardening tips:

1) Build cage
2) Fill cage with fruit
3) Make smoothies! YAY!!
Why would anyone build a cage?

Sister Anna,
Do you wanna -
keep away the birdies
from eating away the smoothies - with your cage?

Liquidasset
08-05-2008, 03:23 PM
Anyone know?

sesame
08-06-2008, 09:25 AM
I decided to make a face pack for myself out of fresh herbs from my garden. So, I cut one thick aloe vera leaf and sliced it several times. Look at the thick mucilage it id filled with. Its more like jelly! The ideal face pack would be aloe vera jelly + pomegranate (juice & skin) + turmeric root. Its much better than Garnier face pack, or such like brands available commercially.

marlowe
08-06-2008, 12:11 PM
I decided to make a face pack for myself ......

Shouldn't this have been posted in the 'Self Facial' thread?

sesame
08-06-2008, 02:41 PM
Shouldn't this have been posted in the 'Self Facial' thread?:lol: Well said, marlowe. But it all depends on the material used in the pack. And what is the sourse of it!

Plants dont ejaculate, you see? ;)

sesame
08-25-2008, 05:02 PM
Hey GRH,
How're you doing sweety! Dont get too busy with your research work. I am having a problem with Fertilizer. I am applying manure + bonedust available in the market to my potted plants and they are dying! Can you tell me some way to prepare the soil with nutrients before potting? You're the most knowledgable person around here in this subject. How should I add natural fertilizers(my 1st choice)? Do I mix it up with the soil and leave for a few days? Or should I move on to chemical fertilizers? Please help.:yes:

GRH
08-26-2008, 05:25 PM
Hey GRH,
How're you doing sweety! Dont get too busy with your research work. I am having a problem with Fertilizer. I am applying manure + bonedust available in the market to my potted plants and they are dying! Can you tell me some way to prepare the soil with nutrients before potting? You're the most knowledgable person around here in this subject. How should I add natural fertilizers(my 1st choice)? Do I mix it up with the soil and leave for a few days? Or should I move on to chemical fertilizers? Please help.:yes:

My friend, I am at best plant guru, not a plant God... :)

Tell, what plants are you growing? And more importantly, what are their symptoms? Without knowing these answers, MY immediate response would be to move to chemical solutions, but I don't advocate this for someone who doesn't necessarily understand the larger profile of soil chemistry/etc. What was your pre-plant procedure, what species did you grow, and what were their requirements, and symptoms of deficiency? And if you failed to meet their requirements, WHAT did you do? THESE are all pertinent questions to be asked in opinion...

bob90
08-29-2008, 12:35 PM
I studied to be a Landscape Gardener many years ago, had a passion for gardening as a kid. Always kept a keen interest in Gardening, although i no longer work in the field.

Cant beat growing something from seed though, i try and grow all of my own bedding plants for the summer, and veg. Currently trying my hand at some Cactus seeds. Got a bit of a current fetish for cactus plants and air plants.

SluttyShemaleAnna
08-29-2008, 08:58 PM
Why would anyone build a cage?

Sister Anna,
Do you wanna -
keep away the birdies
from eating away the smoothies - with your cage?

umm, how else are you going to keep birds from eating your fruit? duh.

Ogryn1313
08-30-2008, 06:27 AM
I have a ficus (spelling?) tree. Raised it from a little twig and two scraggly assed leaves into a big tree as tall me. I'm quite fond of it....

but please...can anyone here tell me why on earth my cat Skreebo Richardson frequently eats dead and dried out leaves fallen leaves from it?

What's the point?
Is it good for him?
Bad for him?

I just don't know. So please...enlighten me. You might even get head out of it.

sesame
08-30-2008, 08:10 AM
umm, how else are you going to keep birds from eating your fruit? duh.Anna, I used to think in the similar line... build protective cages and all that. But all these wireless antennae built on rooftops for relaying mobile communications have virtually caused all small birds to vacate the city. I dont see any sparrow nowadays.:innocent:

GRH
08-31-2008, 04:11 PM
I have a ficus (spelling?) tree. Raised it from a little twig and two scraggly assed leaves into a big tree as tall me. I'm quite fond of it....

but please...can anyone here tell me why on earth my cat Skreebo Richardson frequently eats dead and dried out leaves fallen leaves from it?

What's the point?
Is it good for him?
Bad for him?

I just don't know. So please...enlighten me. You might even get head out of it.

I would attribute this to the nuances of felines. I have had Ficus species over the years, ranging from tiny plants to tall trees larger than me. As any tree is prone to do, the trees have dropped leaves at various points of their life. I have two cats, and neither has shown much interest in Ficus leaves. But at the same time, these cats love to eat string, plastic wrap, cardboard, and other oddities. One cat can devour a cardboard box with no interest in string, and will also go after plastic; the other cat has little interest in cardboard/plastic but will eat string and damn near anything that is edible (to include Jalepeno peppers). I think cats are incredibly diverse in what they will mess with...My best guess is that they are seeking some sort of sensory input that we (as owners) are not providing. But fear not, among the typical Ficus plants that I know, none of them are toxic, so your cats aren't suicidal.

GRH
08-31-2008, 04:17 PM
Bob90, be careful to not get the cacti seeds too moist, to avoid rot. I have nine cacti (and several succulents) that I've had for many years. The core of my cacti collection is actually older than my marriage of five years. You can (sometimes) graft cacti onto a more vigorous rootstock...It's one type of species that is more easily grafted than others, you can graft both rootstock and stems (as you often see in stores).

GRH
08-31-2008, 04:24 PM
Anna/Sesame, I used to do landscaping in zoos...So I know FULL WELL the battle that a gardener can have between preserving plants and maintaining an aesthetic regarding preservation of plants versus keeping a visitor friendly experience.

Specifically, I worked with kangaroos, and as a browsing species, they were notorious for stripping bark off of trees. The solution to this wasn't too bad, as the trunks of trees could be wrapped with bamboo-wraps or wire cages in a way that wasn't too obtrusive. But I must agree, birds are the most difficult. They used to completely strip our banana trees and would reak havoc among our blooms/fruit in certain exhibits. There was only so much you could do to deter birds, without just excluding them from an exhibit space.

So Sesame, any details about your specific inquiry? I'm still waiting...

sesame
08-31-2008, 04:40 PM
Ok, Gwd, tell us about the simple preparation of soil for a bonsai banyan tree. The soil would be very little and yet rich in nutrients that should sustain the plant for 6 months. Then perhaps another soil change will do. The fertilizers should be organic. Ok, youre ON. now

GRH
08-31-2008, 05:01 PM
Ok, Gwd, tell us about the simple preparation of soil for a bonsai banyan tree. The soil would be very little and yet rich in nutrients that should sustain the plant for 6 months. Then perhaps another soil change will do. The fertilizers should be organic. Ok, youre ON. now

Damn you Sesame, you have to make me feel stupid!!! The wife has had an interest in bonsai for a few years now, and I have attempted to humor her with little success.

There used to be a bonsai nursery that we would visit, and we got several pieces of gardening literature from this place. There were several bonsai pieces I saw that were hundreds of years old, but I hate to say, I fear that I have always been too cheap to really do bonsai "right," for a variety of reasons.

What I understand of bonsai at large, much less banyans specifically, is the necessity of good drainage. Theoretically, you want a small volume of soil, but that is largely a matter of relativity regarding the plant size, etc. The drainage is very important, and as best I can tell, bonsai masters invest a lot of thought into the ideal mix of sand, grit, organic, etc. materials in their growing media. Among growers I have met, they have told me that a proper bonsai should be watered nearly daily, and fertilized almost weekly (this is assuming the proper draining media).

Obviously, this sort of protocol reeks of more chemical solutions to fertility than an organic approach. But if they are right regarding drainage and a nearly daily watering schedule, you want a medium that will freely drain with no problems...

And if you are insistent about a media that will provide organic nutrients over a long period, I'm not sure what to say. I have done some of my research with compost products that have provided adequate plant fertility over several weeks. Here is where I am cautious in making advice. Compost products are HIGHLY variable in quality, some have led to good growth and others have led to very little good growth. This largely relates to the maturity of the compost (and a variety of factors).

Also, some organic sources break down fairly quickly and others very slowly. For instance, bone meal is a very slowly decomposing source of fertility. Compare that to manure. Manure depends largely on its state of decompositions and its source...For instance chicken manure provides a much higher percentage of nutrients and is more likely to burn a crop.

Actually, this topic is somewhat akin to my own research. I am seeking to see what organic sources of fertility do with irrigation methodology over time...Bonsai in particular depends on a very specific type of irrigation/drainage, so this seems relevant.

Ogryn1313
09-01-2008, 01:40 AM
I would attribute this to the nuances of felines. I have had Ficus species over the years, ranging from tiny plants to tall trees larger than me. As any tree is prone to do, the trees have dropped leaves at various points of their life. I have two cats, and neither has shown much interest in Ficus leaves. But at the same time, these cats love to eat string, plastic wrap, cardboard, and other oddities. One cat can devour a cardboard box with no interest in string, and will also go after plastic; the other cat has little interest in cardboard/plastic but will eat string and damn near anything that is edible (to include Jalepeno peppers). I think cats are incredibly diverse in what they will mess with...My best guess is that they are seeking some sort of sensory input that we (as owners) are not providing. But fear not, among the typical Ficus plants that I know, none of them are toxic, so your cats aren't suicidal.

Ficus..so that's how it's spelled. Thank you. Cats certainly are full of nuances. Mysterious little loveable balls of fur. Seems each one is unique, not two alike of personality. That relieves me to know it's leaves are not harmful to my cat. It's getting to be a drag to constantly be policing them up out of fear. I'll let him eat them then. Thanks for the answer.

sesame
09-02-2008, 04:20 PM
Cant beat growing something from seed thoughI beg to differ sir. I think seeing a cutting, a small branch grow into a whole new plant is much more interesting. So is grafting. Its a miracle to witness One branch belonging to One species of plant can fuse itself into the stem of anothet separate species!! And Life finds a way to continue growing, living, surviving. Its Amazing!!

Ogryn1313
09-02-2008, 08:08 PM
Back to my ficus. It sheds leave alot. Often you see smaller branches which look promising like they'd grow into bigger ones. And they end up dying. My ficu is two main "trunks." One splits into a y at the top. And from these a few smaller branches. But I've seen ficus trees with several large trunks. I've seen them rival bushes.

Why is mine so diminutive? I know the size of the pot matters and I have it in the biggest one I can find in my area. It doesn't seem to want to grow into a bigger ficus let alone with many branches. Any tips?

SluttyShemaleAnna
09-03-2008, 07:21 PM
Anna, I used to think in the similar line... build protective cages and all that. But all these wireless antennae built on rooftops for relaying mobile communications have virtually caused all small birds to vacate the city. I dont see any sparrow nowadays.:innocent:

I'd say it's the big ass pigeons and seagulls that have banished little birdies from cities. It's the lack of habitat, where's a bluetit going to live in the city? No cunt feeds birds anymore, what are they meant to eat, no fucker has a bird box in the city, everyone's cutting down trees because they get sued if a branch falls on someone. Only big fat bin raiding pigeons and seaguls can get any food, a little sparrow doesn't stand a chance. Out here in the country there millions of cute little birdies, that's cos we have bird feeders and bird boxes and we are nice to birds out here, people are fucking rotten cunts to little birdies in the city.

Ogryn1313
09-03-2008, 07:31 PM
I live in the country, well mountains, same shit. I feed the birds all the time. We have a lot of what I call "parking lot birds." Little cute brown guys come hopping along pecking at stuff. And I have a hummingbird feeder. One time 4 of them where there. That's rare to see! We have the odd sea gull here sometimes. I figure they get lost since I'm in Kentucky! Lots of predatory birds like hawks. Buzzards. And cranes..ugly. But I always feed the animals. Especially ducks. Can't help but love them. The bird seed attracts other animals too. I have chipmunks and squirrels all over here.

SluttyShemaleAnna
09-03-2008, 08:10 PM
I live in the country, well mountains, same shit. I feed the birds all the time. We have a lot of what I call "parking lot birds." Little cute brown guys come hopping along pecking at stuff. And I have a hummingbird feeder. One time 4 of them where there. That's rare to see! We have the odd sea gull here sometimes. I figure they get lost since I'm in Kentucky! Lots of predatory birds like hawks. Buzzards. And cranes..ugly. But I always feed the animals. Especially ducks. Can't help but love them. The bird seed attracts other animals too. I have chipmunks and squirrels all over here.

We put out a load of fat balls on a feeder for the birds at my grandmas house, and we went to the shops for 15 mins and a when we got back squirrels had stolen them all! They are right little robbers, we had to tie them on with wire the next time so the birds got a chance to eat them.

We get a few hawks in our garden, usually chomping on some unfortunate little birdie, but hey, like that singing baboon in the lion king says, thats the circle of life, lol.

We had to ban ducks from our garden, we chase them out when ever they come in. We had a duck nest for hte last 2 years and the ducks managed to trash the whole garden, and eat all our water lillies, so now it's an offical duck free zone. (the lil ducklings were cute tho)

I remember being somewhere in the US where there were dozens of humming birds everywhere, fucked if I can remember there it was tho.

Ogryn1313
09-04-2008, 12:39 AM
An English cousin of mine raises peregrine falcons. I'd like to see her in action with them.

Originally the ducks in my town were found only at the lake in the state park. Over the years they've multiplied and moved out into the rivers. When we have little league games it's not uncommon for them to land on the field and disrupt the games.

But for me, I'd say my favorites are the little squirrels and chipmunks who come around. I could watch them for hours. They're really funny. Problem is, where there are small furry cuties there are also long scaly monsters. Lots of snakes. An 8 foot 5 inch timber rattler was killed here recently. And at night out on sidewalks and parking lots you have to keep an eye out for snakes as they soak up the residual heat. I've been bitten once by a copperhead this way.

Our little police station has no cells. Instead there is a bench with a sturdy eye bolt. They cuff a prisoner to this until they can take him t the detention center. One time, a copperhead slithered out from the pop machine. They say the prisoner on the bench actually dragged the bench outside. That's right, its so bad here even the police station is infested.

SluttyShemaleAnna
09-04-2008, 07:09 AM
lol, I'm glad there,s only 1 snake in the UK, the Adder and it's not poisonous enough to kill an adult. They are quite rare too.

cockluva
09-23-2008, 04:36 PM
I absolutely hate gardening, and i just can't stand mowing the lawn, if i could i'd concrete the garden.:frown: