10th AUGUST 2014 –
CENTRAL PORTUGAL
Grey Skies, high humidity,
no sunshine, yes you’ve guessed its August 2014 in Portugal. Newspapers
announced yesterday (so it must correct) that July here has been the wettest
‘July’ on record. The friendly ‘Tomato Blight’ is back with a vengeance. The
Vine ‘Cultivators’ seem to have given up and abandoned the ’14 vintage already
to the vaults of Viniculture History. So great ‘doom and gloom’ prevails? Well -
not really. The warm damp nights have encouraged massive growth on the ‘Pepper’
plants and ‘Chillis’ are having to be
supported with sticks as the crop is so heavy. With the demise of the tomatoes
it’s obviously going to be a ‘Curry’ and ‘Taco’ eating programme this winter.
The local ‘mantra’ of ‘Pick
everything in July’ and ‘Go away in August’ is being adhered to with great
enthusiasm this season. However, the unexpected rain in July, together with cloudy
skies in August, has produced an unusual effect on the local vegetable
gardens. Everything is still very green
(except the tomatoes plants which are brown with ‘Blight). The bright orange
patches of colour from the ‘bean flowers’ and the majestic heads of ‘bolted’
lettuces in their varying purples, magenta and ‘Spring’ yellow, add a truly
‘expressionist’ look to the countryside.
The many ‘Tree Huggers’ and
‘Rope-Sandaled -Environmentalists’ insist that it is all due to that wonderful
‘fall back’ position of most Governments and ‘Doom
Merchants’, Global warming???? Does it really happen - or is it just the
increased ‘Methane’ production from the millions of extra Cows whose milk is
required to pander to the vanity of the emerging world in putting ‘cream’ in
their tea?
With the exceptional way that ‘Nature’ always
seems to balance it’s ‘Terrestrial Weather’ schedule (think ‘drought’ in the
west equals ‘Tsunami’ in the east) Christmas in Portugal should enjoy the usual
‘Blue Sky’, and ‘Glorious Sunshine’, with a midday temperature around 20C. (So
don’t give much chance of ‘clement’ conditions in Scotland over the ‘Festive’
season if they vote ‘yes’ next month). PS The Arctic sea ice only melts every
few years because it becomes dirty from the increased ‘Foot Flow’ of so many
people ‘Trudging’ to the mythical ‘North Pole’(Not a place designed for ‘humans’
only Polar Bears) a good ‘Melt’ and subsequent ‘Re-freeze’ simply renews to pristine
white conditions. As always, ‘Nature’ will always find a way to restore the
‘Balance’
So what is the expected
result of all this in the garden? The long warm Autumn ( possibly well into
early January) will keep most of the flowers going strong. Fuchsias and Roses
will need lots of ‘feed’ to remain full of blossom. Another ‘sowing’ of
Courgettes may work to produce ‘December’ squashes ( as opposed to ‘Winter
Squashes’ which will now fruit until next April). The very ‘mild’ winter will
allow many ‘annual’ plants to survive and become ‘Hardy’ Annuals, (particularly
many of the Chilli varieties). Plant the ‘runners’ from your strawberry plants
and you just might have ‘home grown’ strawberries on New Year’s day! Just think
of the flavour of ‘New’ potatoes with the same meal. Simply plant a few ‘tubers’
in a tube now and they will be ready as required. (Of course there will be
masses of lettuce for the ‘Prawn Cocktail).
Would you believe it!!!
There’s a chink of sunshine forcing its way through the ‘High Pressure Grey’
mantle. Must dash before the Head Gardener realises the time wasted by idle
ruminations on dull days.
See you soon,
Stuart
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