FROM GARDEN TO TABLE!

25th June - CENTRAL PORTUGAL

‘Thunderstorms’, isn’t nature wonderful? - two weeks of sunshine causing one hour of watering every evening (which does have a tendency to become very tedious) and along comes the bounteous rain in copious amounts (but like certain guests and fish, three days is really enough at one time).

So everything, including weeds, is enjoying ‘growth’. Courgettes seem to grow at a meteoric rate, if left for two days they resemble ‘Dirigibles’ - strange to see an ‘Art Deco’ ‘Zeppelin’ establishing itself on the vegetable terrace. Had an excellently flavoured overgrown ‘Romanescu’ baked in the oven and stuffed with a ‘hot’ chilli con Carne for dinner this evening.  Tomorrow it could be a round green ‘Eight Ball’ thinly sliced and fried with garlic until crispy on both sides – now this is part of the ‘joy’ of gardening. (He hopes! - HG)

courgettes and their flowers hiding amongst their leaves

           

Just along past the courgettes there are four varieties of ‘Winter-Squash’ doing their ‘thing’. The green ‘Burgess’ grow large without any conscience and the ‘Gourd’ like ‘Harriers’ grow with ‘gay’ abandon (splendid for squash soup).

Two varieties of winter squash

 Cucumbers are doing so well that they are already being used to make and excellent ‘Chilled’ summer dinner party soup - just add a little garlic, mint, lemon juice, yoghurt and season to taste – utterly delicious on a hot evening.

young cucumber

 (Note from Head Gardener - have you noticed how he's publishing all my best recipes?)

 Seem to have eradicated the fearful ‘Brown Blight’ on the tomatoes, fruit now forming on at least ten of the fifteen varieties under cultivation (planted some emergency seeds on the 10^th June when the ‘Blight’ appeared, just in case, and  ‘Red Alert’, ‘Roma’ and ‘Tigerella’ are now in individual pots and are showing the first signs of embryo flowers, so looks like Tomatoes well into November (probably have to buy another freezer to accommodate the crop).

Nice trusses of green tomatoes

"Just in case" young plants

The ‘Erythrina’ (Brazilian Dragon Flower) is bursting into incredible flower with long sprays of vermillion buds, hence the native Brazilian name ‘Crista Galli’(Tears of Christ), easy to grow but very difficult to propagate cuttings.

can't wait for these buds on the Erythrina to open!

Fuchsias and Geraniums just get better by the day. Keep frugally watering the Geraniums and feeding and watering the Fuchsias to keep the ‘Show’ on the road.

The seriously hot small, yellow, Peruvian Chilli plant that was ‘over wintered’ has come up trumps with the first chillis formed and ripening with a mass of flowers just about to be fertilized into a very heavy crop of mouth ‘burning’ fruit.

Not the best angle on the yellow chillis, half hidden by fuchsia flowers!

Pot grown Strawberries are now producing sweet perfectly formed crimson fruit and look set to continue for quite some time if the ‘flowers’ are any indication, just the wonder of ‘Miracle Grow’ yet again.

Spot the ripe strawberry!

Whoops, that sounds like the Head Gardeners bell, must dash as the umbrella is probably required on the upper terrace.

See you soon,

Stuart

FLAMING JUNE

14^th JUNE CENTRAL PORTUGAL

(pictures to follow later - when the head gardener has time!) Done it - see below

‘Flaming’ June has arrived with a vengeance. Afternoon temperatures are pushing 40 degrees and the nights in the high ‘20s’. After six months of  unpredictable  cold and wet weather, with the occasional burst of NOP (normal for Portugal) temperatures, it always comes as a delightful surprise when the traditional  weather pattern returns. So it’s ‘Water  Water  Water’ and ‘Spray Spray Spray’.

Startling burst of growth from everything in the ‘Vegetable’ department, sudden demise of Rose blooms (until next buds mature), Geraniums in their element (covered in flower rosettes), Fuchsias enjoying the warm shade a blooming profusely, Petunias flowering with abandon, Lilies majestic, Climbers of all varieties are rampageous, Lavender in full bloom with scent and Buddleias a mass of  ‘spire like’ blooms. Difficult to be any better really!!!!

 

Fuchsia with petunia alongside

 

Lots and lots of lovely lilies

and again!

wonderful show of Pink Delight Buddleia

Tomatoes in full swing but having to spray for ‘Blight’ after the recent damp  and unseasonally cold weather (if the first spray does not eradicate the brown patches on the leaves it is often best to remove and destroy the plant before the contagion spreads, high temperatures and lots of dry sunshine often beat ‘chemical’ to the cure).

Tomatoes of various varieties, so far holding out over the blight

 Courgettes are doing what they always do, producing a large daily supply of Courgettes. Cucumbers are on the move with the local ‘Pepino’ variety in the lead. Chilli and Peppers have finally decided to grow.  The plants that were ‘over-wintered’ are well in flower with the first embryo chillis forming. Climbing bean, both purple and green, nearly 3 metres tall and full of flower and small beans, the low growing ‘Haricot’ beans,  are also now in full flower so maybe still possibility of a good crop. Aubergines are still not happy but at least they are starting to grow after two months in the ground (maybe started too early with this   With a bad start some plants never recover during the growing season).  

our first round courgette of the season

very healthy courgette plants enjoying the sunshine

 

climbing beans galloping up the poles!

 ‘Sweet Corn’ not quite at the ‘Elephant Eye’ stage but progressing ( packet said 60days from planting to maturity, still 30 days to go). Winter Squashes are rampageous with the odd female flower forming (never feed as this produces ‘Male’ flowers only). Gooseberries about ready. Raspberries in production. Strawberries moderate but not abundant Lettuce and Radishes magnificent.

Just took 1.4 metre cuttings off the Yucca Plants as they had blocked the path. Not the best time to replant but have put them on a high water ration so we will see what happens (will be next spring before any sign of growth or totally deterioration). Had to reduce height of the  Catalpa (Indian Bean Tree) trees as they have become top- heavy, mainly due to being the ‘shade’ on the vegetable terrace and receiving daily water and weekly feed. Their flowers are beautiful and abundant but the trunks have not caught up with the tops.

 

Catalpa laden with blooms

The ‘Damascus’ Apricot tree that started to die –off has recovered after major surgery - top cut off at 2metres, new leaves and shoots forming so ‘may-be’ the correct action?? Peaches looking very good, Plums bit thin on the branches, apples similar, Olives, lot of flower just have to wait to see if it sets.

Just planting a few Tomato seeds in case the ‘Blight’ gets worse. Don’t want to upset the Head Gardener. Whoops there’s the ‘Bell’ must dash, see you soon.

Stuart.

 Addendum from Head Gardener:

Angels' Trumpets and Hydrangea (Hortensia) also compete for admiration now.

The first of many trumpets which will continue all summer - gorgeous

Shy Hortensia enjoying the shade of the orange tree

 More soon folks!