HOT WEATHER MAKES FOR HOT PRODUCE!

28th JULY -  CENTRAL PORTUGAL 

Very HOT!

Hungarian Wax

 After a very misty start, the thermometer made 35 degrees yesterday.  Looks as if the same or more for today. Weather not the only thing that’s ‘Hot’ in the garden - Chillis have taken off with a vengeance, now that twelve varieties of seed were planted.  However, am having considerable problem recognising the varieties as  some of the labels have become mixed during early growth.  Recognition becomes easier as they start to mature.  Piri Piri are small (even when they are ripe) and ‘Palivec’ have a certain ‘Je ne c’est quoi’. ‘Bartletts Bonnets’ (similar to the ‘Scotch’ variety but plants grow to 2m high) and ‘Cayenne’ (350mm high at a push) are easy.  However,  ‘Hungarian Wax’ and ‘Jalapeno’ look similar and are green until maturity. ‘Tabasco’ is orange, 25mm long with fruits which grow upwards on the plant.  They are also VERY hot if nibbled). ‘Wenk’s Yellow’ is yellow to orange, 50mm long, lozenge shaped, and is a mix of Peruvian native chilli and the ingenuity of a California plant breeder called ‘Wenk’.  (Yes! definitely spelt with an ‘E’). ‘Cherry Bomb’ (red and round, what did you expect it’s all in the name?) is medium hot.  They  should all be  open to recognition eventually. ‘Paper Lantern’ is tall for a Chinese cultivar and extremely hot (Scoville 450,000 so there).  ‘Serrano’ is  tall for a ‘Mexican’ and also hot when allowed to ripen to ‘Dark Red’.  This may lead to the thought that the taller the Chilli plant the ‘Hotter’ the fruit.  Expect all will be revealed by October. (By the way ‘Full Fat’ Greek Yoghurt is an excellent stand-by to quench burning lips and tongues caused by excessive Chilli imbibing).

Wenk's yellow, turning orange!

Cherry Bomb

Serrano

Palivec

Tabasco

California Wonder

Paper Lantern

Amazed at the growth and flower on the late-seeded tomatoes (those planted 16^th June following the outbreak of ‘Tomato Blight’). They are now at the fourth truss with fruit starting to form.  Is it really worth planting in March hoping for an early crop and then suffering massive disappointment when they go brown and die? Those plants that stayed free of the blight  are Varieties ‘Red Alert’, ‘Principe de Borghese’, ‘Roma’, ‘Garten Pearl’ and ‘Purple Ukraine’; one American, two Italian, one German and one Ukrainian, (no Portuguese cultivar survived). They are now happily producing an abundance of tomatoes, around 2 kg. per day, with lots more to come - should crop until the emergency plants start to produce fruit in a couple of weeks.

After the poor results from the Cucumbers planted in April, re-seeded  last week and up to sixth leaf already, so late September Cucumbers here we come. Also seeded some Beetroot (Sanguina) Winter Radish (Wiener Runder Kohlschwarzer) and ‘Romanesco’ Cauliflower  (that’s the green one with the ‘knobbly’ bits) all up to the eighth leaf already (in eight days from planting).  Obviously all very anxious to please the Head Gardner.

So the ‘blurb’ on the seed packet was correct - Sweet Corn, 60 days from sowing to eating   Ate the first cobs for supper last night. It really is impossible to beat the  flavour of freshly grown, picked  and cooked served with butter.  (Note to self - must write to seed company and apologise for the negative thoughts of last month).

Sweet corn - doing its thing -almost as high as an elephant's eye!

Still ’Strimming’ and ‘sweating profusely’ in the orchard.  Is it ‘false hope’ that, by cutting the weeds back before they flower, the orchard will turn into a ‘Meadow’ next year,  or should the weeds be left to flourish, flower and seed then it can become a ‘Fashionable’ Wild Flower Meadow?  (Having viewed the ‘Show’ Gardens at ‘Chelsea’, ’Hampton Court’ and ‘Tatton Park’ Flower Shows (where hardly a cultivate plant seemed to be used) the latter option may reduce the ‘perspiration’ and induce kudos from those who view the ensuing ‘tangle’.  Don’t expect the Head Gardner would be too pleased with this result.

That sounds like the ‘Bell’ must dash ,

see you soon.

Stuart.

Note from Head Gardener - we grow beautiful flowers too - more next time!

WET WEATHER RAMBLINGS

20^th July 2014  Central Portugal.

Strange summer weather, after a week of plus 30 degree temperatures and brilliant blue skies with golden sunshine a sudden reversal to March weather for two days. Thunderstorms are expected in July but temperature dropping to the mid ‘teens’ with high wind is not acceptable – come on Portugal brighten up your ideas and let us have some proper summer heat.

The main crop tomatoes, ruined by ‘Blight’, are now a distance sad memory, however the emergency ‘back up’ crop is performing well, glorious crop of ‘Red Alert’ just ready for picking with ‘Principe di Borghese’ hot on their heels, the second ‘Ultra Emergency Planting’ , seeded on the 16^th June, now up to second truss with first sign of flowers on both ‘Roma’ and ‘Tigerella’, so should have some pasta sauces this winter.

tomatoes at last!

The ‘Blight’ badly affected the Aubergines ( they will take on any excuse not to perform this year) but judicious spraying with the ‘tomato blight’ spray have caused a renaissance of leaf growth and an exuberance of purple flowers, so ‘may-be’ just ‘may-be’ there will be fruit this time?

aubergines in flower

Now the ‘Runner Beans are 2.5 metres tall they have decided to flower profusely and it does seem as if the beans are setting better than during the first flush in June.  The purple beans growing in tandem with the ‘Runners’ have been prolific so this may have given some encouragement to their ‘Orange Flowered’ relations.

Now is a good time to get your rose cuttings planted, (you have done your summer pruning and feeding for late summer flowers? ) trim the rose prunings down to 300mm, find a shady spot, insert your spade to one spit depth, insert cuttings in space behind the blade to a depth of 200mm, remove spade  and firm in cuttings with foot, water and leave until next spring, plant twenty to ensure you get ten ‘new’ rose trees. Right time to take Fig, Orange, Lemon, Lime, Peach and Apple cuttings (against all the normal advice, they do take better if  taken while the fruit is growing, the ‘Whips’ cut at this time are more vigorous and root quickly), plant the cuttings round the rim of a deep ‘Plastic’ pot (not terracotta as it dries out in the heat of summer) 300mm in dia., two thirds of ‘Whip’ buried and top third with minimal leaf growth (other than growing tip) above growing medium (use something which retains moisture longest), water daily until October and transplant your new trees in March next year.

Datura in full flower, trumpets in white with palest pink edge to the bell or delicate yellow (just like the Butter Flies on ‘Hot’ summer days of fond memory), must have constant watering if in tubs but will grow happily out of cracks in the pavement in every Portuguese village street (this in gardening parlance is known as ‘Sods’ Law). Always wash hands if you are taking cuttings or trimming plant as all parts are very ‘toxic’, ( must remember not to use leaves for making ‘Head Gardeners’ tea, on those troublesome days when ‘Blight’, ‘Green Fly’, ’Black Fly’, ’Red Spider Mite’, ‘Lilly Beatles’ etc. appear by magic due it seems to the ‘Labourers’ incompetence).

I can never have too many pictures of these lovely Angel's Trumpet flowers!

 

Amazingly it seems to have stopped raining!!!!! Is that a patch of blue appearing in the heavens? It is, and the sun has started to shine. Forget the last few days and enjoy the ‘rejuvenating rays’ along with the garden. Isn’t nature wonderful and,  as always, unpredictable. The Head Gardener has just offered ‘coffee’, now that’s not just ‘unpredictable but is ‘amazing’( do keep quiet about the ‘Datura’ infusion).

Must dash, as coffee might get cold, see you soon.

Stuart.

HOPES BOTH BLIGHTED AND ACHIEVED!

8^thJULY - CENTRAL PORTUGAL

A perverse week of rain, wind and dark clouds has finally been replaced by brilliant sunshine, blue sky and temperatures getting back to normal. It is amazing the havoc one week of cold wet weather can cause, especially when it is completely out of season. The ‘Tomato Blight’ that was presumed conquered at the end of June has returned with a vengeance, even three spray applications of the ‘Magic Potion’ have had no effect on one bank of ‘tub grown’ tomato plants (the speed with which the leaves turn brown, the stems turn black and the fruit rots is astounding and ‘very annoying’). The emergency tomato seed plantings when the ‘Blight’ first appeared on the 16^th June have now become the ‘great future hope’ for a tomato crop this year. Nature maybe ‘Wonderful’ but it certainly knows how to keep Gardeners on their toes!

The poor weather has not affected the Chilli and Pepper plants. They seem to gain height by the day and are now covered in flowers - fingers crossed for pollination in the current sunshine and heat (the ‘over wintered’ chilli plants are now heavy with ripening fruit, so it does seem to work). Aubergines having wallowed in deep depression for the last three months have had a change of heart and are now coming into purple flower and are growing 6cm per day. Haricot Beans and Climbing Beans are cropping freely, cool days have kept the ‘Black Fly’ at bay, and there are plenty of bright red and deep purple flowers coming into bloom on the now 2m high vines.(See picture below).

Cucumbers are ‘rubbish’, Courgettes are in full production and the ‘Winter Squashes’ are now 4m long with a selection of green, yellow and beige globes growing larger every day. Great year for lettuce and radish. The ‘Sweet Corn’ has another 24 days to produce ‘table ready’ cobs (according to the story on the most expensive seed packet?).

WINTER SQUASH COMING ALONG NICELY

Peaches are splendid this year, have started picking whilst a  little ‘hard’ to ensure well ripened fruit rather than over ripened fruit on the tree. The three varieties of plums in the orchard are starting to ripen well - the ‘Golden Yellow’ first, the plump ‘Reds’ next (large, sweet and juicy) followed by the ‘Dark Purple’ in around ten days

.

PEACHES,  PLUMS, BEANS AND COURGETTES IN ABUNDANCE

Fuchsia are still in full bloom, Roses getting a little tired(must feed and water well for a late August show), Dahlias big and ‘blousie’ as always, Petunias coming again after the ‘big chop’ ten days ago,Erythrina (Brazilian ‘Tears of Christ) and Campsis (8m high and a mass of yellow flowers rather than the more common orange) are paying their way this year.

 

ONE OF THE PRETTY SMALLER FLOWERED FUCHSIAS

 

BUDS OF THE ERYTHRINA HAVE NOW OPENED - VERY EXOTIC

 

DAHLIA, COLOURFUL AS USUAL

 

FLOWERS OF THE CAMPSIS LESS COMMON YELLOW VARIETY

Well if the new found weather decides to stay the ‘Blight’ may disappear as quickly as it came. Might get some respite from the Head Gardener (can’t hide in the shed much longer!) See you soon

Stuart.