Gardening On The Islands

[sbk]

This is a pinned thread for the gardeners among us, discussing gardening tips specific to the islands, their unique climates, soils and growing conditions. Photos are welcome, questions and answers for those in need.

Please do not post off topic issues as theywill be deleted without notice.

Cheers

sbk

[samuijimmy]

Hello & welcome, to all gardeners here on the Islands of Koh Samui, Koh Phengnan & Koh Toa.

It was me who suggested having a "local site" to discuss gardening: Plants, flowers, trees, Bugs & resources, for such things as tools, fertilizing etc. Tips & tricks, your experiences in with local gardening in general.

Although many of the plants we can grow here, grow elsewhere in Thailand & other tropical areas, we are different, in that, things that do well in other areas, may do better or worse here, simply because we do not get the cooler nights that they get in say the Northern areas of Thailand.

I think plant lovers would agree that we have some amazing plants to work with here, but there are plants we try to grow, that we can't no matter how hard we try at least from my experience! Some of the good nurseries we have here, do bring in some plants from the north which just do not cut it.. but every thing is worth a try... & may just need different micro climate, than I have where I live.

As for my experience, I have been involved in Horticulture most of my life, both in UK, various parts of Canada & now in Thailand for almost three years...

I am not doing it professionally here, just spading away in my own garden, instead of someone else's! It keeps me busy & slim & trim!

No one knows everything about gardening, there is always something new to learn... & a garden is never finished!!!! I certainly don't know all the answers, so hope there are others out there to share, tips & experiences.

I love the way many Thai people make an effort to "spruce up" their shops & homes, with plants & do a good job of it generally... I have certainly learnt a lot from several Thai's, when it comes to propagation of many plants... Some plants you can just stick cuttings in the ground & in no time you have nice plants .... with a bit of TLC of course... Others need to be "air - layered & of course some from seed too.... but it all depends on timing and the effort put into it, that gives the result.

The big difficulty here of course is the Thai's don't use the latin names, (or English Common Names, which makes it a little more difficult sometimes), but the are a number of good gardening books available, & pictures can say a thousand words in any language! I have thousands of plant & flower pictures, since photography is another passion of mine, so if this flies I add & hope others will too.

The problem is often there is not enough hours in the day to do everything!

OK let's get this going!

Jim

(with the sometimes green thumb & some times memory lapses ! but will do my best to keep on this )

First question: Which of the Three main Islands here in the Gulf of Thailand has the most varieties of Palm trees in the whole wide world?

[samuijimmy]

Here is a link to pictures of some plants on the islands, (mostly anyway!) as time permits I will add more, but if anyone has time to add names & other relevant information, please feel free to do so!

http://picasaweb.google.com/samuijimmy/Flo...KoPhenganKoToa/

[Boater]

good luck with the new pinned thread, just noticed it....

just a quick one, can you grow parsnips in thailand?

[samuijimmy]

I don't think Parsnips would not do well here on the islands, I have never seen any being grown here, but perhaps in the northern reaches of Thailand... (cooler at night!!!) or definitely in London!

Carrots won't do it here either.

There is a tree here, that the Thai's dig up roots and call it "Thai Potato". They just cut stems & lay them in the soil & within months a 12 foot high tree! Then they dig up the roots... which look like a huge elongated potato... must admit it I have never tried it, so not sure what they taste like.

There we go my mission today will be to take pictures of the "Thai Potato" tree! & add it to my picasa link.

[Wellington]

I don't think Parsnips would not do well here on the islands, I have never seen any being grown here, but perhaps in the northern reaches of Thailand... (cooler at night!!!) or definitely in London!

Carrots won't do it here either.

There is a tree here, that the Thai's dig up roots and call it "Thai Potato". They just cut stems & lay them in the soil & within months a 12 foot high tree! Then they dig up the roots... which look like a huge elongated potato... must admit it I have never tried it, so not sure what they taste like.

There we go my mission today will be to take pictures of the "Thai Potato" tree! & add it to my picasa link.

Can anyone help with this problem?

I have inherited a 7 year old Bouganvillea hedge which has been clipped to a height of 3/4 feet and is three wide. It shows strong growth and in 3 months I have pruned it hard twice.

BUT it will not flower

[sbk]

Bougainvilleas don't flower year round Wellington. Bougainvillea do bloom off of new growth, so expect it to flower but if you keep pruning you will be cutting off the flowering branches. Don't feed it lots of nitrogen, that will restrict flowering.

Root vegetables from cool climates will not grow in the South.

The plant you are talking about jimmy is not really a tree, although when allowed to run rampant sure appears to be one. My MIL planted that and it took us days and days to get rid of the dam_n things so we could plant our avocado trees. Its cassava, and while is edible is quite woody. Alot of other countries use it for animal feed.

My personal favorite is jicama (mun gaeow in Thai or yam bean in english (Pachyrhizus erosus)

You can buy them in the market but they also grow easily from seed. Its a vining plant and you eat the root, its crisp like an apple but not so sweet and a bit starchy like a potato but much crisper.

[Wellington]

Bougainvilleas don't flower year round Wellington. Bougainvillea do bloom off of new growth, so expect it to flower but if you keep pruning you will be cutting off the flowering branches. Don't feed it lots of nitrogen, that will restrict flowering.

Root vegetables from cool climates will not grow in the South.

The plant you are talking about jimmy is not really a tree, although when allowed to run rampant sure appears to be one. My MIL planted that and it took us days and days to get rid of the dam_n things so we could plant our avocado trees. Its cassava, and while is edible is quite woody. Alot of other countries use it for animal feed.

Thanks; I'll let it run rampant for a bit.But it should be flowering over the last two months shouldn't it?

My personal favorite is jicama (mun gaeow in Thai or yam bean in english (Pachyrhizus erosus)

You can buy them in the market but they also grow easily from seed. Its a vining plant and you eat the root, its crisp like an apple but not so sweet and a bit starchy like a potato but much crisper.

[sbk]

Did you forget to make a comment wellington?

[samuibeachcomber]

growing mint,cucumber,basil at present doing ok.also planted sunflower seeds and they too are coming up,just waiting on chili seeds to germinate.having fun trying out different seeds.planted some marigolds but was an abject falilure.

[sbk]

I've always had problems with mealy bugs on my marigolds. Where did you get the mint seeds from?

[verygoodgirl]

great idea keep me posted thanks

[samuijimmy]

The plant you are talking about jimmy is not really a tree, although when allowed to run rampant sure appears to be one. My MIL planted that and it took us days and days to get rid of the dam_n things so we could plant our avocado trees. Its cassava, and while is edible is quite woody. Alot of other countries use it for animal feed.

My personal favorite is jicama (mun gaeow in Thai or yam bean in english (Pachyrhizus erosus)

You can buy them in the market but they also grow easily from seed. Its a vining plant and you eat the root, its crisp like an apple but not so sweet and a bit starchy like a potato but much crisper.

SBK

This "Thai potato thing" Cassava, (learned something there!) sure grows like a tree & extremely fast, from branches cut about 12" long & laid in the soil...

I guess the local Thai's had a good laugh when I planted it as a screen, which does work, except every once in a while they come and dig up the plants... there goes the screen!

(Red Hibiscus works well too, from cuttings, using the older wood!!! I'll use that in future as the screen, and plant the Cassava, where it does not matter if they did up! ).

There is about two rai here, technically I only rent about 1/2 rai... but I keep digging up more ground & expanded over the limit... no one seems to mind that...

My garden sometimes has no boundaries when it comes to food... although I really don't mind, I get tons of help from the neighbours & I know they can't afford many things we take for granted.

[samuijimmy]

growing mint,cucumber,basil at present doing ok.also planted sunflower seeds and they too are coming up, just waiting on chili seeds to germinate having fun trying out different seeds.planted some marigolds but was an abject failure.

Mint can be found growing in ditches, personally I don't like the local Thai mint, Generally mint that has cross pollinated from two varies loses its taste.. I suspect the northern areas of Thailand the good mints can be grown...

I tried Cucumbers & Zucchini last year, the bugs always beat me to eating them.

Basil, (Italian type,) did really well for me last year, lasted from April through to October... Key is not to allow them to bloom. Local shops have the seed... but don't buy seed of anything, if the racks are sitting in full sun! They never seem to germinate.

I had great success with what I call Melons, & Pumpkins, although you need to watch for boring worms. I used Neem tree oil which seemed to help on some plants, in general... You can buy it at some of the local nurseries in small bottles, BS 2 if memory serves me correctly.

Never touch the young melons just as they start to develop from the flower stage...the little hairs bruise very easily & they melons won't develop!!

Chili, seem to take for ever to develop, but I think from what I have observed, once they have grown, they just seem to keep producing, at various times of the year. I've Had no luck with Bell peppers.

Tomatoes I have tried several times with no success... giving up on them! ... anyone have any luck with them here?

I did two batches of Corn, (Peaches & Cream type) the early crop planted last April, did not produce as well as the second crop planted in July or maybe August, they turned out really well.

Okra, or what the Burmese call "Lady Fingers", produced well for months. Very pretty flower on them, too. (The Thai's don't seem to like them, so if you need seed you may need to be friends with a Burmese worker! who seem to bring them in from Burma).

Peanuts seem to do OK, they just creep along & produce their shells underground, from what I understand, there two types, one that produces in a few months & another that takes over a year to mature.

Long green beans seem to do OK, but a bit tedious making the supports!

There are a number of other vegetable leafy crops the local use too, but I am not sure of the names.. you see them in the morning markets.

As for Marigolds, one of the few "annuals" that can do well here, I could never get them to germinate, in the seed trays, then the neighbour kid came over & just scattered the seed on the ground & that worked!

Mealy Bugs seem to attack a few things at certain times, the only thing to do is spray, or if you have tons of patience go around with some pure alcohol (rubbing alcohol) & a Q tip, and dab them with that...

[Daffy D]

Interesting thread

I've had some success with tomatoes but it was always touch and go, they're so temperamental

Planted some marigold seeds that are just coming up so will watch over them.

I have varied success with growing things in Thailand, there seem to be no set rules, a plant will one day be thriving and looking really promising and the the next few days it will wilt and die on me. Then something I planted months ago and gave up on as nothing was happening will one day suddenly start to sprout

[samuijimmy]

Well, Daffy D, We hope to make it interesting & useful at the same time!

Gardening is not always easy or exacting science, what does well for one, does not necessarily for another... Soil, watering, fertilizing, sun, shade, etc etc.

Areas close to the sea are going to be influenced by salt spray, which some plants will not tolerate ... all kinds of factors really.

Here is some of my thoughts & experiences on "Annual Plants" we can grow here or not!

I find Petunias fizzle out very quickly, within 2 or 3 months. They may last longer at higher elevations? Where the nights get cooler... Anyone up them there hills, any experience with that?

Impatiens (what Brits call "Bizzy Lizzy" seem to be OK if grown in Shade or morning sun at the most... Easy to make cuttings from, to keep them on going.

Coleus, all seem to do OK in sun or shade. Pinch off flowers. Again easy to make cuttings to make new plants. When I pinch the plants back, I just stick the pinched off pieces into a pot & plant out a few weeks later.

Portulaca seems to do well, that one surprised me...especially in the wet season. Every once in a while I just ripe them out & divide them to new sets of plants...

Cocks comb, seem to do OK, until they get chewed up by caterpillars!

Marigolds already mentioned, seem to be OK after the first plants establish, them just allow a few to seed.. & let those germinate & then transplant.

Anyone else have any have some experiences with "Annuals" to share here?

I use the term "annuals" as they would be more familiar to those in the northern climates... gone at first hard frost... here they seem to live for more than one year.

[sbk]

I've grown Sweet Basil and Thai Basil and both turned into shrubby woody bushes. Until I went to the US for a few months, they didn't get watered and died. Was devastated there.

I've never done much vegetable gardening, mostly ornamentals but I do know the solution to the tomato problem. There are tomatoes that have been developed that are super heat and humidity tolerant and should grow well in Thailand. Usually they have solar in their name, Solar Fire, Solar Set etc. Roma tomatoes do better than the big ones, which are prone to cracking.

[Wellington]

Did you forget to make a comment wellington?

Thanks; I'll let it run rampant for a bit.But it should be flowering over the last two months shouldn't it?

(see above)

[Wellington]

growing mint,cucumber,basil at present doing ok.also planted sunflower seeds and they too are coming up, just waiting on chili seeds to germinate having fun trying out different seeds.planted some marigolds but was an abject failure.

Mint can be found growing in ditches, personally I don't like the local Thai mint, Generally mint that has cross pollinated from two varies loses its taste.. I suspect the northern areas of Thailand the good mints can be grown...

I tried Cucumbers & Zucchini last year, the bugs always beat me to eating them.

Basil, (Italian type,) did really well for me last year, lasted from April through to October... Key is not to allow them to bloom. Local shops have the seed... but don't buy seed of anything, if the racks are sitting in full sun! They never seem to germinate.

I had great success with what I call Melons, & Pumpkins, although you need to watch for boring worms. I used Neem tree oil which seemed to help on some plants, in general... You can buy it at some of the local nurseries in small bottles, BS 2 if memory serves me correctly.

Never touch the young melons just as they start to develop from the flower stage...the little hairs bruise very easily & they melons won't develop!!

Chili, seem to take for ever to develop, but I think from what I have observed, once they have grown, they just seem to keep producing, at various times of the year. I've Had no luck with Bell peppers.

Tomatoes I have tried several times with no success... giving up on them! ... anyone have any luck with them here?

I did two batches of Corn, (Peaches & Cream type) the early crop planted last April, did not produce as well as the second crop planted in July or maybe August, they turned out really well.

Okra, or what the Burmese call "Lady Fingers", produced well for months. Very pretty flower on them, too. (The Thai's don't seem to like them, so if you need seed you may need to be friends with a Burmese worker! who seem to bring them in from Burma).

Peanuts seem to do OK, they just creep along & produce their shells underground, from what I understand, there two types, one that produces in a few months & another that takes over a year to mature.

Long green beans seem to do OK, but a bit tedious making the supports!

There are a number of other vegetable leafy crops the local use too, but I am not sure of the names.. you see them in the morning markets.

As for Marigolds, one of the few "annuals" that can do well here, I could never get them to germinate, in the seed trays, then the neighbour kid came over & just scattered the seed on the ground & that worked!

Mealy Bugs seem to attack a few things at certain times, the only thing to do is spray, or if you have tons of patience go around with some pure alcohol (rubbing alcohol) & a Q tip, and dab them with that...

Mealy Bugs seem to attack a few things at certain times, the only thing to do is spray, or if you have tons of patience go around with some pure alcohol (rubbing alcohol) & a Q tip, and dab them with that...and I find a little patience is helpful; they regularly attack my Hibiscus, I simply go round and squeeze them all off between finger and thumb, very satisfying!

[Wellington]

growing mint,cucumber,basil at present doing ok.also planted sunflower seeds and they too are coming up, just waiting on chili seeds to germinate having fun trying out different seeds.planted some marigolds but was an abject failure.

Mint can be found growing in ditches, personally I don't like the local Thai mint, Generally mint that has cross pollinated from two varies loses its taste.. I suspect the northern areas of Thailand the good mints can be grown...

I tried Cucumbers & Zucchini last year, the bugs always beat me to eating them.

Basil, (Italian type,) did really well for me last year, lasted from April through to October... Key is not to allow them to bloom. Local shops have the seed... but don't buy seed of anything, if the racks are sitting in full sun! They never seem to germinate.

I had great success with what I call Melons, & Pumpkins, although you need to watch for boring worms. I used Neem tree oil which seemed to help on some plants, in general... You can buy it at some of the local nurseries in small bottles, BS 2 if memory serves me correctly.

Never touch the young melons just as they start to develop from the flower stage...the little hairs bruise very easily & they melons won't develop!!

Chili, seem to take for ever to develop, but I think from what I have observed, once they have grown, they just seem to keep producing, at various times of the year. I've Had no luck with Bell peppers.

Tomatoes I have tried several times with no success... giving up on them! ... anyone have any luck with them here?

I did two batches of Corn, (Peaches & Cream type) the early crop planted last April, did not produce as well as the second crop planted in July or maybe August, they turned out really well.

Okra, or what the Burmese call "Lady Fingers", produced well for months. Very pretty flower on them, too. (The Thai's don't seem to like them, so if you need seed you may need to be friends with a Burmese worker! who seem to bring them in from Burma).

Peanuts seem to do OK, they just creep along & produce their shells underground, from what I understand, there two types, one that produces in a few months & another that takes over a year to mature.

Long green beans seem to do OK, but a bit tedious making the supports!

There are a number of other vegetable leafy crops the local use too, but I am not sure of the names.. you see them in the morning markets.

As for Marigolds, one of the few "annuals" that can do well here, I could never get them to germinate, in the seed trays, then the neighbour kid came over & just scattered the seed on the ground & that worked!

Mealy Bugs seem to attack a few things at certain times, the only thing to do is spray, or if you have tons of patience go around with some pure alcohol (rubbing alcohol) & a Q tip, and dab them with that...

Mealy Bugs seem to attack a few things at certain times, the only thing to do is spray, or if you have tons of patience go around with some pure alcohol (rubbing alcohol) & a Q tip, and dab them with that...and I find a little patience is helpful; they regularly attack my Hibiscus, I simply go round and squeeze them all off between finger and thumb, very satisfying!

Another puzzle; I've been trying to grow" Nasturtiums" from seed

They show about 40% ,grow an inch, and then wilt; any ideas?

[samuibeachcomber]

ok will try marigolds in ground rather than a seed tray,thanks.

[sbk]

Did you forget to make a comment wellington?

Thanks; I'll let it run rampant for a bit.But it should be flowering over the last two months shouldn't it?

(see above)

Not if you've been cutting it back hard, you pruned off all the new growth and thats where it flowers. It won't flower immediately after pruning as it has to send out new branches (?- vines?)

[samuijimmy]

Another puzzle; I've been trying to grow" Nasturtiums" from seed

They show about 40% ,grow an inch, and then wilt; any ideas?

I tried Nasturtiums too, even got them to bloom for a while... hoping long enough to get some new seed...

(I think I planting them in August the first year I was here, alas they drowned during the rainy season!)

I am convinced that some of these plants require the cooler night temperatures, & that why some of what we'd like to grow here, just won't... hard as we may try...

It's trial & error!

[samuijimmy]

As for the Bougainvillea and your quote:

"Thanks; I'll let it run rampant for a bit. But it should be flowering over the last two months shouldn't it?"

You are correct, they have been blooming for a couple of months... I sheared & pruned mine back, around January or early February & soon the new growth started to produce buds & have been blooming for a while now.

They do like dry conditions too, (well drained soil) interestingly the one I planted that gets little water, is doing much better than the ones that are in reach of the daily watering.

I just love the multicolored grafted Bougainvillea, I must try doing that one day!

[samuijimmy]

Anyone had much luck with Roses...?

Out of about a dozen or so I have purchased only two are hanging in, both in large pots...

Last November, I added some MOOA POO (Buffalo Manure) which lucky for me my landlord brings in by the truck load, dried in bags... from the mainland, mostly to use on his fruit trees.

This helped the two roses I have, & all my other plants, but the benefits long gone now. I guess time to head down the road after a Buffalo!

I saw one pretty fantastic red rose in private garden Lamai, last year, well established, but that's the only good one I seen...

[itishothere]

Can a total ignoramus join in and seek some advice please?

I have a west facing balcony that is in need of some low maintenance colour. Orchids work a treat (tho' I don't see many at the garden shops at the moment ) as they seem to survive without much attention. A big plus is that you can usually go out and buy another for a reasonable price and start all over again.

But is there anything else that would work in these conditions that you can suggest? And please remember my Thai is limited, and my Latin is worse. I need to be able to recognise whatever it is in the shop!

Many thanks for any comments.

(I promise to look after them as best I can )

[samuijimmy]

Can a total ignoramus join in and seek some advice please?

Yes, of course! Believe me, sometimes with all my experience, I can feel like an ignoramus, there is something new to learn all the time in dealing with plants all the time!

I have a west facing balcony that is in need of some low maintenance colour. Orchids work a treat (tho' I don't see many at the garden shops at the moment ) as they seem to survive without much attention. A big plus is that you can usually go out and buy another for a reasonable price and start all over again.

I have to say orchids are not my forte, (yet!!) One of the species of plants I have to learn more about... I find them very tedious!

But is there anything else that would work in these conditions that you can suggest? And please remember my Thai is limited, and my Latin is worse. I need to be able to recognise whatever it is in the shop!

What I would suggest doing, is observe what the Thai's plant & grow in pots.... there is a huge variety of stuff you could grow, without anyone getting into names, factors are going to be how much room you have on your patio

I'd suggest investing in some large pots & soil, so the plants don't dry out too much or quickly. Give any plants you find, a good watering either in the morning or early evening.

Most if not all of the nurseries here will do the potting for you & even deliver the plants and set them in place (generally a small tip, will do it!) Pick the plants, soil & pots you want & they will do the rest. There are some good nurseries on Samui & KP, and I found most of the owners speak & understand English quite well.... but not Latin! Most have books you can look at too.

I would also suggest buying some Osmocote, which is a slow release fertilizer... ,(about 200 baht for I am guessing a 1 kg box.) use about a table spoon to a large pot.... that should last several months, or some soluble fertilizer, (usually Blue powder, & I believe the numbers are 15 - 15 -15) which you will need to do every two weeks or so, to keep the plants in good health! Use about a table spoon to 2 gallons of water... wet the soil first!

(The Thai name for fertilizer is something like POOA, whether it's Organic or Chemical)

Many thanks for any comments.

(I promise to look after them as best I can ) Yes, we'll expect monthly updates! :D

Just a few suggestions... Crotons which have colourful, either yellow & green leaves are always showy... some have red flecks in the leaves too, (no flowers though) & don't mind drying out a bit, occasionally, once established, but avoid the curly leaf type as they are very slow growing, from my experience.

A plant that has a nice scent in the evening, but not grow very high (about 2 feet) is called "Yesterday, today & tomorrow" it starts off with white flowers, next day changes to light purple, then done! But continue to bloom on & off for a few months. Sometimes hard to find.

If you have more room, & want something to bloom over a long period, there are many varieties of Hibiscus, the common red one I find the most prolific.

If you look at my Picasa link in my second post, you'll see pictures.... I'm still trying to figure out how to post single pictures! they never seem to appear!!! I am working on that!

[samuijimmy]

Here I hope is the picture of Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow, plant.

[itishothere]

Many thanks. Will make a start after Songkran. It is only a tiny balcony to be honest, so a few pots should suffice.

[samuijimmy]

Testing here! To see if I get a picture loaded....

Portulaca, easy to grow! Great in pots or as an edging plant in the ground...

Blooms only in the morning, then they close in the afternoon...

Ah Finally got it! Duh! Except seem to have double up on one!