Need Some Gardening Advice - I Know Nothing!

[simon43]

OK - the amount of knowledge that I have about gardening and plants could be written on the back of a postage stamp

So I need some advice...

I've taken it upon myself to restore the Phuket Tsunami cemetary wall in north Phuket to something that befits it's important status. This forgotten location is a 50 metre long commemorative wall that was built just after the tsunami, at the location in north Phuket where the bodies were gathered and identified. There are flags and inscriptions for all the 38 countries who lost citizens in the Tsunami, and there are personal flowers and dedications from family members.

I have visited this location on a number of occasions and it's apparent that no-one is looking after it. The wall and surrounding area is totally overgrown and covered with weeds. It's a total disgrace and shameful to see. (I compare it to the beautifully-maintained war cemeteries of Europe - what a comparison!)

I'm not going to get involved in the politics of who should be looking after the area (if anyone). Sometimes it's just better to go and do it yourself - privately.

I had a go this morning at clearing the weeds by hand. It was hard work to manually pull them up! I cleared maybe 30% in a few hours.

Would it be better to spray these weeds with 'Roundup', wait a week for them to die off, and then clear the dead weeds?

My plan is to remove all the weeds from in front of the wall and then replant with a manageable ground-hugging plant that produces a nice and dense cover of flowers.

Can anyone suggest a suitable plant that will not grow tall and can spread like an ivy or grass lawn? How would I maintain this plant to keep out the weeds? (maybe selective spraying of any weeds that grow up?)

I want to try to make this as managable as possible. I'm not a gardener

Any practicable suggestions are most welcome!!

Simon

[meandwi]

Although your intentions are good. I would hire a local gardener to pull the weeds and clean the area. Then hire him on a monthly basis to watch over the place. Volunteer work is a touchy subject in Thailand, and could result in possible fines and jail time.

Since there is no irrigation, I would plant a native "weed" to grow there. And since the name of the "sensitive plant" is fitting, Thats what I'd plant.

It's everywhere and easily started from throwing seed all over. It grows very low and will eventually choke out other weeds and give pretty flowers.

Good luck,

meandwi

Edited July 13, 2008 by meandwi

[TBWG]

OK - the amount of knowledge that I have about gardening and plants could be written on the back of a postage stamp

So I need some advice...

I've taken it upon myself to restore the Phuket Tsunami cemetary wall in north Phuket to something that befits it's important status. This forgotten location is a 50 metre long commemorative wall that was built just after the tsunami, at the location in north Phuket where the bodies were gathered and identified. There are flags and inscriptions for all the 38 countries who lost citizens in the Tsunami, and there are personal flowers and dedications from family members.

I have visited this location on a number of occasions and it's apparent that no-one is looking after it. The wall and surrounding area is totally overgrown and covered with weeds. It's a total disgrace and shameful to see. (I compare it to the beautifully-maintained war cemeteries of Europe - what a comparison!)

I'm not going to get involved in the politics of who should be looking after the area (if anyone). Sometimes it's just better to go and do it yourself - privately.

I had a go this morning at clearing the weeds by hand. It was hard work to manually pull them up! I cleared maybe 30% in a few hours.

Would it be better to spray these weeds with 'Roundup', wait a week for them to die off, and then clear the dead weeds?

My plan is to remove all the weeds from in front of the wall and then replant with a manageable ground-hugging plant that produces a nice and dense cover of flowers.

Can anyone suggest a suitable plant that will not grow tall and can spread like an ivy or grass lawn? How would I maintain this plant to keep out the weeds? (maybe selective spraying of any weeds that grow up?)

I want to try to make this as managable as possible. I'm not a gardener

Any practicable suggestions are most welcome!!

Simon

Hi Simon

Very commendable.

But good idea to get a local to do the weeding bit. Anyway I would plant "Kem" small specimens can be bought for a couple of baht each from any nursery.

There are different types so you would need the small version which would form a hedge and smother most other plants, just need an occasional trim. They grow everywhere so must be very tolerant of local conditions, flower most of the year and attract butterflies.

See ... http://www.thai-blogs.com/index.php/2005/0..._meaning?blog=5

Sorry not a good pic but at least you will give you an idea. As I said small specimens 5-6in tall can be bought for a couple of baht. Initial watering will help them get established and help the thicken up quickly.

Good luck

TBWG

PS A local gardener is cheaper than roundup!!!

[sbk]

Sensitive plant is extremely invasive and thorny. I personally dislike this plant having had my ankles snagged on it numerous times.

Dok Khem (Ixora) is an excellent suggestion. Once established it is extremely drought tolerant, thrives in full sun and is tougher than heck. Get the small version (it has smaller leaves than the full size version and doesn't grow very tall). The small version comes in pink, white, yellow and red. It will, however, develop a hedge shape.

If you want really low growing but still showy get various colored flowers of vinca. The local name is dok kii moo but I am not sure what it is called in Thai Bangkok. The latin name is Catharanthus roseus. While it is an annual flower at home my plants seem to last quite a long time, flower all the time and are extremely drought and sun tolerant. This will be lower growing than the ixora.

[lannarebirth]

There's a ground cover here that you see almost everywhere. My worker calls it "tua bpinto", but I don't know if that's it's real name. It's a low groundcover w/ small green leaves and small yellow flowers. Very easy to plant and propagate. If it gets a month of rain in raint season it will not die through the next dry season. It will look very dry in dry season if not watered however. Anyhow you just plant a small shoot evry 15 cms or so and within a year it's all grown together inm a nice low spreading groundcover.

I'll try to find a picture.

[sbk]

Oh, I know that plant, I think its called Perennial Peanut Arachis glabrata.

Is this the one?

[lannarebirth]

Oh, I know that plant, I think its called Perennial Peanut Arachis glabrata.

Is this the one?

If that's not it, it's very similar to that. Perhaps more widely spaced and smaller flowers. the description saws to grows up to 12" tall, and I usually see it at about 3""-4"" in height. It's very hardy I know that. It's a great plant for "problem areas".

[meandwi]

Start a donation drive to help you with this honorable task. Post photos here, and around town where expats and tourists stay and live. Showing the decline of the area and a plan of what you would like to do. I would donate my time as the landscape architect and provide a planting plan and renderings to help. All I need is dimensions of the area. Email me if this is of interest.

I'm sure you will find the help needed to make the wall a place for family, friends, and tourists to visit and remember those who lost their lives that tragic day.

Good luck,

meandwi

[sbk]

Unfortunately Thai Visa does not allow solicitations on the forum. However, I think your idea is a good one, so perhaps go with the posters, and maybe talk to some local business owners as well. And wonderful to hear you are willing to help meandwi.

Good luck in getting this area cleared, its nice to see people trying to give back to their communities.

[simon43]

OK, thanks for all the replies. I'm a Tourist Police volunteer, so well aware of the 'fragility' of doing volunteer work, especially if it's something that a Thai (or Burmese!) can do.

I have to keep this project very low-key, to avoid making whoever is responsible for the garden upkeep lose face. Actually, I don't think anyone is responsible for it. But it's better to avoid any major project, numerous gardeners etc. (It doesn't need that really). But this wall is not an official memorial (that's some other multi-million baht white elephant that is never visited). I tend to think that relatives prefer a simple location to visit, not so 'in your face'.

The actual wall is maybe 50 metres long, with a weedy strip running in front of the wall, about 2 metres wide. That's all there is, so it's pretty simple. The plant suggestions made by posters are excellent!

Simon

Edited July 14, 2008 by simon43