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| what kind of thymus is good ground cover? I am in Atlanta, Georgia. Krnja |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by gardengal48 PNW zone 8 (My Page) on Tue, Feb 19, 13 at 14:34
| Any of the varieties of creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum ctvs.) make very good groundcovers. They like very good drainage and a lot of sun. Since you live in a pretty humid area, I might avoid woolly thyme (Thymus pseudolanuginosis - also a great groundcover) since the fuzzy foliage is less tolerant of high humidity |
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| Mmmm, agree with gardengal, with another question mark - lovely though they are, the various variegated and citrus thymes do well in pots but are not that brilliant as ground cover. I grow them in gravel - very forgiving as mine have a tendency to get a bit woody and patchy, but the gravel allows the clumps to grow together with bare bits still looking OK. |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Tue, Feb 19, 13 at 15:33
| i never had much luck with them ... as a groundcover ... been a very long time.. i have no clue why ... some level of foo involved .. as in foo foo ... and i wonder about GA clay.. and intense southern heat .... gal is PNW and camp is UK .. and neither of those is anything like GA in summer .... ken |
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| Not foo foo for me. I use them extensively on paths. The most successful ones are the very flat ones that I got from High Country gardens. When they're in bloom they are magnificent and the whole thing hums with bees. |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Wed, Feb 20, 13 at 8:02
| so whats the trick.. at the old house.. where i failed.. i had very nice.. amended... high organic peat ... and they were just blah ... here.. in sand.. supreme high drainage.. and little or no water.. but in shade... i have a few plants ... but they dont perform to what i call 'groundcover' standards ... not that they were chosen for such.. they were gift ... PNW.. and UK.. high rain.. cool temps.. very similar.. lacey. WV ... well.. its huge.. are you closer to thier climate.. or MI????? WHY CANT I WIN ... lol ken |
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- Posted by gardengal48 PNW zone 8 (My Page) on Fri, Feb 22, 13 at 16:51
| Ken, sounds like your drainage is ideal but light conditions maybe not so much :-) Full sun is best for thymes. They are afterall Mediterranean plants that grow in open, scrubby locations. Pure sand may be a little stark for them to really thrive although if you've got other stuff doing well in this medium, you should be OK. btw, much of the PNW doesn't get any more rain than you do in MI. In fact, I'd venture I get somewhat less. It just falls at a much lighter rate but over a longer period of time :-) |
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| I use red creeping thyme that I started from seed that I received in a trade and I winter sowed many years ago. It stays fairly low and blooms profusely and gets cut back after the first bloom for a later bloom. I mow it back in areas where I can mow. In other areas I use a large clipper. It spreads well for me without being a problem and has been easily transplanted to new areas. Some is growing in part shade but all gets at least half day sun. Some is used in paths between stepping stones. Some is used as a ground cover along the curb. Some as edging for a bed. In another area there is a very flat mini-thyme which is slower growing and has very tiny leaves and flowers. It is in a more shaded area so maybe would grow faster if in more sun. This one does not transplant as readily. I have grown many varieties over the years with only Englis thyme, wooly thyme, the mini-thyme and lemon thyme surviving. The wooly thyme has grown into a nice patch in a mostly shaded area but had to be moved this fall. I planted part in a sunny area and part in a part shade area. The lemon thyme has not really thrived but hangs on. Some are growing in regular unamended MN clay soil. Some in sandy soil and some in amended garden bed soil. |
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| As I said, the very flat ones that i originally got from High Country Gardens have performed very well--one may be named "Van Ohme", but I've forgotten the other. |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Sat, Feb 23, 13 at 9:03
| hey Gal .... discussing ambient moisture.. as you know is very hard ... in my mind.. the greatest difference between the PNW.. and MI ... is that after rain.. in july/august.. i go back near 90 degrees ... whereas.. IN MY HEAD ... i picture the PNW.. staying cloudy and much cooler ... i sear i have had rain counted in inches.. and a day or two later.. the and is bone dry ... its not always about volume or water dropped ..... but how long the moisture .. lets say.. hangs around ... there is nothing like a nice rain.. followed by many hours of bright clouds but no water sucking direct sun.. IF that makes any sense .... it give plants the time to access what was provided .... then the polar opposite would be .. the cold of winter.. but arent talking about that ... i would hazard a guess.. our spring/fall are pretty close ... its just that you are much more temperate.. and within that definition.. is the fact.. that the extremes of your seasons.. are NOTHING like the extremes of my seasons .. i mean really ... isnt much of the PNW actually north of me [near toledo OH ]... yet you are zones higher than us.. whats that all about.. darn heat sink of a puddle.. lol.. the ocean ...... so many questions.. so little thyme.. lol.. see what i did there. ... ken
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Here is a link that might be useful: or is it all of the PNW ...
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