521 replies to this topic
Posted 2012-02-02 21:18:36
 Nirvana, on 2012-02-01 15:21:15, said:
samuijimmy, on 2012-01-18 19:48:39, said:
Nirvana, on 2012-01-18 11:20:30, said:
Hello All
I have quite a few square meters of Malay Grass , that looked wonderful when it was laid as turf but on the recent pictures i have it was looking very sparse and can see gaps of up to a few cm between some patches. From what i can gather the grass has not been cut frequently enough and in order to maintain some thickness and to promote growth it should be cut frequently and given fertilizer. Pls can anyone give some suggestions as i do not want to have to go back to patches and have to re turf. Just general suggestions and type of fertilizer and how frequent would be a great help.
thanks
Nirvana
Hi Nirvana,
Good question....
I think you have realized part of the problem, in it not being cut, as that would help. Frequency of cutting can depend on weather, (amount of rain etc) .... I would say I cut mine about five times a year... closer together when rainy season here...
Part of the problem could also depend on the soil below, if very sandy, it's not going to be as strong if the soil has a but of "fibre" to it... If it is sandy it could help to top dress with some bags of the soil they sell here and rake it over evenly and then water it in.... perhaps 1/2" thick... more if very sandy...
If your bare patches are large and you want to fill in quickly, you could do two ways....
1. Dig out some plugs from the better areas .... and water in, fill in those holes with some soil!!!! and then keep moist for a week or two... (just sprinkle enough to damp down, a few times a day.... especially if it hot and dry...or windy ....)
2. Buy a piece or two of new grass (same type) from nursery, and then make the plugs... or just use a few pieces of turf if gaps large enough... but do as above and keep moist (not soaking wet!!!)
When I did my lawn I made about 5-6" plugs and planted about 9" apart in a staggered pattern. It filled in with a month or so... 
You could add some 8 24 24 fertilizer (yellow colour prills) ...as a boost to start.... but quite honestly I don't think necessary to fertilize grass here.... just means you will have to cut it more often!  ....
It seems to stay green enough usually, it might brown out in the really hot season, a little.... but seems to come back.. only watering when it's hot a dry until it is established .... I think depends on whether you have a good water supply....
This would apply to both types of grass they use here....
Hope that helps!
Thanks Jimmy
But am i right in understand correctly 5 times a year you cut ? My grass will grow pretty long within 3 weeks. As i understood it if you do not cut it , it grows taller and weaker and thinner and this creates more gaps as it does not knit together. Is this wrong understanding?. Noted on the patches but that would leave me ordering a lot as you knw what its like once you start. A bit like painting a dirty wall white.
Nirvana
HI Nirvana,,,
Well it depends on your soil and how often you water it... mine is in reasonable "soil", for the area..... and I don't water it ... so it' tends to "brown out" a little, during long dry spells.... If your soil is sandy then it won't do quite so well.... and will get sparse looking....
I would leave the clippings after being cut... I know that can look a little messy, for a few days, but it will help add some organic matter to soil... Ideally a mulching blade would be better but not seen them here....
I admit mine can look a little ragged some times.... but it is pretty full after two years or is it three??? Since I planted. it..... perhaps I should do more often!  Always other things to do....!
Posted 2012-02-03 08:22:38
i have to cut my lawn once each week. i do make sure it gets watered at least every two or three days though because there isn't any topsoil to speak of. follow the general guidelines, raise the mower blade to its highest location, don't cut more than a third of the blade of grass etc.
if i was in the states i would give my lawn a real soaking very early in the morning but with no topsoil here, all that would do is exacerbate the problem. ten or fifteen minutes with a hose in the evening is enough. once each month i leave the bag off of the mower and cut very slowly so that the mower blade has a few extra chances to chop up leaves and grass which are then left on the lawn for improving the soil, since as jimmy mentioned ^^ there aren't any mulching blades around. if possible, i will do this "mulching" cut when i know it is going to rain soon.
i've got an awesome lawn to show for it, if i do say so myself haha. feels great to walk around my lawn barefoot, and it also makes for a great place for all of my kids to play soccer/badminton and just chase each other around.
Posted 2012-02-03 10:55:44
joe84330, on 2012-02-03 08:22:38, said:
i have to cut my lawn once each week. i do make sure it gets watered at least every two or three days though because there isn't any topsoil to speak of. follow the general guidelines, raise the mower blade to its highest location, don't cut more than a third of the blade of grass etc.
if i was in the states i would give my lawn a real soaking very early in the morning but with no topsoil here, all that would do is exacerbate the problem. ten or fifteen minutes with a hose in the evening is enough. once each month i leave the bag off of the mower and cut very slowly so that the mower blade has a few extra chances to chop up leaves and grass which are then left on the lawn for improving the soil, since as jimmy mentioned ^^ there aren't any mulching blades around. if possible, i will do this "mulching" cut when i know it is going to rain soon.
i've got an awesome lawn to show for it, if i do say so myself haha. feels great to walk around my lawn barefoot, and it also makes for a great place for all of my kids to play soccer/badminton and just chase each other around.
Thanks . I will combine this advise and hopefully have some success, but its a large area indeed to get right..
Nirvana
Posted 2012-02-03 11:13:24
tell me about it. i've got roughly 3,000sq ft of lawn, so that "10 or 15 minutes" from each place i stand and water with the hose, added up equates to the time it takes me to drink two large bottles of beer. it's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it.
Posted 2012-02-03 12:28:49
joe84330, on 2012-02-03 11:13:24, said:
tell me about it. i've got roughly 3,000sq ft of lawn, so that "10 or 15 minutes" from each place i stand and water with the hose, added up equates to the time it takes me to drink two large bottles of beer. it's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it.
That is the most relaxing thing for me in the afternoons, pure heaven.
Dukgae
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Posted 2012-02-05 08:25:38
Hi all, I'm new to this having only moved to Samui a few months ago. I've read this whole thread, very useful advice, thanks to everyone. I have a question - when I lived in Bangkok 15 years ago, I had a small tree (about 3 metres) which flowered about three times a year, lots of small white flowers with an incredibly strong jasmine-like scent. I'd love to find it again to plant here - anyone have any idea what it could be?
Posted 2012-02-05 09:19:40
Dukgae, on 2012-02-05 08:25:38, said:
Hi all, I'm new to this having only moved to Samui a few months ago. I've read this whole thread, very useful advice, thanks to everyone. I have a question - when I lived in Bangkok 15 years ago, I had a small tree (about 3 metres) which flowered about three times a year, lots of small white flowers with an incredibly strong jasmine-like scent. I'd love to find it again to plant here - anyone have any idea what it could be?
very likely it's the wrightia religiosa that jimmy id'd for me. does the tree itself look pretty thin and ragged, not much to look at but very fragrant tightly grouped white flowers in the evening? or is it more tree like, with a bit more sturdy trunk and the large green leaves turn red/gold each year and the flower clusters are probably nearly one foot long and fragrant all day? that's a fiddlewood, i have some of each in my yard.
Dukgae
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Posted 2012-02-05 11:43:10
sounds like the wrightia religiosa - many thanks!
Posted 2012-02-05 11:52:56
Dukgae, on 2012-02-05 11:43:10, said:
sounds like the wrightia religiosa - many thanks!
If you find it, and price it, could you post again please? Been thinking about them for a while. Best place I can think of that might have them is the Maenam place, on the left, just after the traffic lights heading towards Nathon. Cheers.
Edited by itishothere, 2012-02-05 11:53:19.
Posted 2012-02-05 12:36:44
itishothere, on 2012-02-05 11:52:56, said:
Dukgae, on 2012-02-05 11:43:10, said:
sounds like the wrightia religiosa - many thanks!
If you find it, and price it, could you post again please? Been thinking about them for a while. Best place I can think of that might have them is the Maenam place, on the left, just after the traffic lights heading towards Nathon. Cheers.
you can find them at just about any nursery because they use them at every temple, around most schools and public buildngs etc. they have some for sale at the nathon market going on right now on the beach road. i didn't get a price last night though. might go back tonight though because they had some nice trees in there for sale.
Posted 2012-02-07 19:29:12
Well its all over for the while Jimmy ! put yer bloody hat back on lololol
I had 3 tomato plants between 3 and 4 ft high, a few small green toms about size of those in JOE's thumbnail.
They had to be kept watered constantly due to the rubbish soil at soi Buddha Beach mostly sand. I did a minimum of prep hence the moisture struggle. used orchid fertilizer ( potassium etc) but failed to use plenty of Elephant manure or Dolomite. So when i restart i will take much more care with soil prep as i am sure that climate is not the problem. However i had to go away for week and when i came back the plants were just drooping, my watering landlord thought every couple of days would do, if that ?........mai pen lai........they were too far gone to recover. I am going over to Surat in next couple of days so will call in at the Thai Dolomite Co and get some of that also. Only problem now , is when to sow more seeds.
Edited by oldsailor35, 2012-02-07 19:35:37.
Posted 2012-02-07 19:38:37
joe84330, on 2012-02-03 11:13:24, said:
tell me about it. i've got roughly 3,000sq ft of lawn, so that "10 or 15 minutes" from each place i stand and water with the hose, added up equates to the time it takes me to drink two large bottles of beer. it's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it.
errrr well mate for 2 large beers every 15 mins , i could spare you an hour or two
Posted 2012-02-09 09:07:54
well it should be getting hotter and hotter for a while so i'm not planting any more tomatoes for a few months. corn, pumpkins, cukes etc would do well though.
and if you can drink 2 large beers every 15 minutes for an hour or two, well then you are a machine. i'd be passed out in the grass somewhere...
Posted 2012-02-09 10:37:23
joe84330, on 2012-02-09 09:07:54, said:
i'd be passed out in the grass somewhere...
Not the first time  
Posted 2012-02-09 11:28:09
Rooo, on 2012-02-09 10:37:23, said:
joe84330, on 2012-02-09 09:07:54, said:
i'd be passed out in the grass somewhere...
Not the first time
nor the last!
Posted 2012-02-09 12:46:48
joe84330, on 2012-02-09 09:07:54, said:
well it should be getting hotter and hotter for a while so i'm not planting any more tomatoes for a few months. corn, pumpkins, cukes etc would do well though.
and if you can drink 2 large beers every 15 minutes for an hour or two, well then you are a machine. i'd be passed out in the grass somewhere...
Gotta be honest mate..............just bragging !
Posted 2012-02-09 21:34:30
oldsailor35, on 2012-02-09 12:46:48, said:
joe84330, on 2012-02-09 09:07:54, said:
well it should be getting hotter and hotter for a while so i'm not planting any more tomatoes for a few months. corn, pumpkins, cukes etc would do well though.
and if you can drink 2 large beers every 15 minutes for an hour or two, well then you are a machine. i'd be passed out in the grass somewhere...
Gotta be honest mate..............just bragging !
it's not bragging if it's true
Posted 2012-02-11 08:58:59
samuijimmy, on 2010-04-11 20:35:43, said:
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!
Actually - I'm pretty sure that bougainvillea don't bloom or have "buds" or flowers - take a closer look! The coloured "flowers" are actually the end group of leaves known as "bracts". These are what have the many and various colours. There is a flower - but it's tiny and white and hidden in the middle of the colourful bracts.
And the other point to note is that these won't come into colour unless the plant has at least 6 hours direct sun every day. (I have a gigantic bush that's higher than my house - the only parts of it with colour are the areas that catch max sunlight . . .)
R
Edited by robsamui, 2012-02-11 09:14:48.
Posted 2012-02-22 23:08:24
I'mmmmm Back!
I've walked miles around a couple of Botanical gardens around Borneo and also seen the flowers common to many from cooler climates in higher elevations... and about froze to death doing so!
I did see a Rafflesia after driving 750 kms before seeing a sign ...! paid me money and there it was... not as large as I thought, about 30 cm (12") but gather they can reach 90 cm... I also saw the world's largest lily pad ....
The lowers areas of Sabah Borneo, and Brunei are very similar climate to ours here on Samui, KP & KT the higher areas same as parts of northern Thailand... So I've seen Agapanthus (one of my favorite plants from the cold white north!) Roses, Begonias, Fuchsias, Hydrangeas...etc etc... all stuff that just not do that well here on the islands...
I learned a lot, it's never ending learning about plants and gardening... so hope to pass on info as and when needed... along with some photos... once I sort them! 
Good to see a few people holding up the shovel and not just leaning on it!... or falling on their faces drinking beer while watering their Toms or Lawn!  
Rob is correct about the Bougainvillea, the flowers inside the bracts, as with Poinsettias...
Mine are blooming lovely right now... but oh my has everything grown... out with the chopper soon! ... had to cut the lawn today too... second time this year! 
Posted 2012-03-04 21:52:16
Chuckle. just done a quick search to see if the topic has been touched on before and got lots of results about computers . . .
Found myself yesterday missing the glorious colours of flaming red acer trees.
But they only get their colours when the seasons (what seasons!) change and autumn comes. This being a tropical clime the quessie is - will maples grow on Samui.
(One of my big boy tomato plants has struggled up to about 14 inches so far . . .)
My feeling is (after an hour on Google that didn't really help) that maples need a temperate climate.
So can anybody hazard an knowledgeable answer - or should I move to Chiang Mai (which I was wondering about doing anyway . . .)(But I''d need to have socks n pullies n things . . .)
Rob
Posted 2012-03-04 22:33:32
That's about it!
Where can I buy spagnum moss on Samui, if anywhere.
(And, please, admin,before you move this to "gardening on the islands", where it will disappear in a list 419 end-to-end unbroken comments going back to 2009, can you give it a week so I can see if there are any responses?)
Many thanks to Roo and SBK in anticipation,
Rob
Posted 2012-03-04 22:35:42
you are probably best to order online and get delivered here - http://ukgardensuppl...agnum_Moss.html
Posted 2012-03-04 23:08:34
Boater, on 2012-03-04 22:35:42, said: Boater, on 2012-03-04 22:35:42, said:
Hi Boaty.
Right. You don't know then?
This is much better
http://www.ebay.co.u...984.m1423.l2649
Cheers
R
Edited by robsamui, 2012-03-04 23:09:52.
Posted 2012-03-05 04:48:27
The gardening forum is a discussion & reference forum. You do not need to read every post, there is a search function you can use. If you are unsure on how to use it, contact forum support.
Posted 2012-03-05 08:18:39
robsamui, on 2012-03-04 21:52:16, said:
Chuckle. just done a quick search to see if the topic has been touched on before and got lots of results about computers . . .
Found myself yesterday missing the glorious colours of flaming red acer trees.
But they only get their colours when the seasons (what seasons!) change and autumn comes. This being a tropical clime the quessie is - will maples grow on Samui.
(One of my big boy tomato plants has struggled up to about 14 inches so far . . .)
My feeling is (after an hour on Google that didn't really help) that maples need a temperate climate.
So can anybody hazard an knowledgeable answer - or should I move to Chiang Mai (which I was wondering about doing anyway . . .)(But I''d need to have socks n pullies n things . . .)
Rob
hey Rob,
Not even sure that moving to CM would help finding maples!  It's been a few years since I was up that way, but Maples I don't remember seeing!
Oddly enough there is a plant with dark red Maple (Acer) like leaves, I've seen lately at a resort called New Sunrise Villa in Maenam, off Soi Maenam resort road, on the beach front... same road as India Hot Restaurant and around the corner)... it's a small tree form about 8 to 10 feet high... I know the plant but cannot remember it's name (usually has green leaves, and you see all over Hawaii Islands) ... It's name is something like "Racenna"... I just did a google search, but came up empty, if i remember it's poisonous too! . .... so not quite the right name!  ... of course this would not produce the lovely red foliage of Autumn that some maples would produce! But certainly maple like leaves.
So, hold off the wooly jumper and socks for a while!
BTW I believe in C.M right now, that the Garden Festival, is on, I have never been, but understand it is a worth while event to attend... could be worth a trip!
Edited by samuijimmy, 2012-03-05 08:22:31.
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