THE SUN CAME OUT

22^nd February 2014 Central Portugal

Blossom bursting out all over; Apricot in glorious peach, Peach in heavenly pink, Almond in ethereal mauve and Orange in spectacular white  - and then there is the exotic scent, each individual but intoxicating when endued by nature’s subtle blending.

 

Orange blossom

Excuse the purple prose but the Hardenbergia is covered in the deepest purple flowers and mingles through the bright orange tangerines that are just about ready to pick.

 

Hardenbergia

 They are terrific ‘juiced’ for breakfast but remember not to keep the juice as it splits and becomes very bitter in a couple of hours after ‘squeezing’. The ‘freesia’ bulbs are well budded;  a few more glimpses of the elusive sun will have them in full bloom accompanied by the first of the ‘Arum Lilies’. It’s such a pity they are associated with ‘funerals’ in many countries as their magnificent white trumpets announce the coming of spring with such grandeur.

 

Arum lilies - in memory of our dear friend Annette

The ‘plumptiousness’ of the buds on all the up-coming arrivals bodes well for the coming season. There has always to be an advantage in excessive rain and mild winter temperatures. Good time to spray for ‘leaf curl’ on peaches, plums, apricots and cherries, followed by liberal ‘feed’ for abundant early summer fruit. 

 

Plum blossom

The olive trees are about ready for a good ‘scolding’ (Anglo Saxon for ‘severe reprimand’) if they did not perform well last year. They seem to react well to threats of total removal if crop not ‘enormous’ this year. Threaten the wrath of ‘Her Indoors’ (Anglo Saxon for ‘Wife’ or ‘female partner’, note ‘male partners’ are no threat in the matter of olive tree harassment), whilst walking in a clockwise direction around the tree. (Anti-clockwise doesn't work!)

‘Power Washers’ are remarkably good at the removal of the build up of ‘Winter ‘Green’ on both trees and patios. Now is the time to use them before the elusive sun ‘bakes’ the fungi into a black shell.  Give everything a light spraying of a general insecticide as this reduces the incident of summer infestations (particularly of ‘green fly’ on roses after the mild winter).

Got any big logs left (the ones that are too large for the stove)?  Rather than pile them in the corner till next winter, take them into the garden and make a ‘Stumpery’ in a damp or shady corner - excellent base for miniature ‘Cyclamen’, blue ‘Muscari’ and ‘Primroses’ plus, it acts as a ‘home’ for all sorts of insects during the long hot summer, which is just around the gardening corner.

Delighted to see the first signs of life in the ‘Sunflower’ seeds in the propagator. Look forward to their growth in the coming months when they can enjoy their place in the abundant "free" sunshine of summer and have their glorious blooms ever turning towards the warm and welcoming light.

Big beautiful sunflower

There goes the ‘Head Gardeners’ bell again, must dash -  see  you soon.

Stuart.

STILL PLANNING FOR SPRING

9th   FEBRUARY – CENTRAL PORTUGAL

The light at the end of the tunnel, much anticipated at the beginning of February, has become exceedingly damp and faint in the last few days - 350mm of rain in the last seven days must be a record! Not only wet but very cold with it, temperatures around 5 degrees C. and snow forecast for tomorrow morning, (but that’s on the US forecast site so maybe only trying to get their own back after their ‘Arctic Plunge’).  With that and the ‘Guardian’ readers at the BBC cutting off the Astra satellite, so no BBC programmes now in Southern Europe, I am reduced to cleaning last year’s name tags for this year’s pots and sorting chilli seeds for early planting in the propagator. Such fun! At least the stove is warm.
 

No snow, but still cosy by the fire

Chilli seeds need an early start to ensure you are picking by early August, and onwards, this summer. Remember most chillis go red when fully ripe, so if you want ‘Flavour’ and ‘Heat’ give some a chance to fully mature, which may mean late October or early November picking.  If you want to dry your own Chillis always allow them to ripen fully as immature fruits go rotten.

The anticipated Apricot blossom has been held back by the cold weather and its place superseded by a Nectarine tree growing in a tub. 

Not looking quite like this yet, but showing signs of blossom to come

Almond trees look just about ready to burst forth in glorious pink while the wild Mimosa flowers, as usual, come ‘rain or shine’. In Portugal Mimosa is a weed, which is such a pity, as,  when it’s so lovely, it plays the role that Daffodils and Snowdrops have in UK as the ‘Heralds of Spring’

Mimosa overwhelming the roadsides again this year

The upside of a cold wet winter is the splendidly sweet and large Oranges on the trees.  As they don’t get picked early for ‘juicing’ on wet, cold and misty mornings, they will be ready and ripe to harvest on the first sunny dry day.   

 

All ready for  juice for breakfast

Another ‘plus’ is the opportunity to get the ‘Chain Saw’ sharpened, the ‘Strimmer’ serviced  You could also check that your ‘Dahlia’ tubers, hanging in the back of the shed where you left them last December, are dry and clear of bugs, ready to re-plant in April.   If you want to increase your stock of Dahlia plants pot-up a couple of tubers now and put in a warm sunny spot. When the green shoots come through cut them off and pot-up.  Each will produce a new plant for the summer.

Hoping to see these again in the summer

There are probably another two to three weeks to get your vines pruned. Remember, the first two days of sunshine will start the sap rising and they will ‘bleed’ badly if pruned after this time.  You could wait until the rain stops but then you should take the first dry opportunity to plant your early, now late, seed potatoes and second crop onions (should have planted first crop in November?). While you are in the ‘veg’ patch why not pick one of those enormous cabbages, - cold and wet does wonders for their metabolism, which you planted in September.  You didn’t plant them? Never mind there is always this year!

Must dash the fire needs another log.  Must get my Wife to bring in another basket full from the shed.  Division of labour very important in garden planning.*

My wife is a strong woman!

See you soon – Stuart.

*Note from Wife – already done!  Your turn next.