28th SEPTEMBER
– CENTRAL PORTUGAL
Ten days of torrential
rain in central Portugal is about to give way to weeks of glorious autumn
sunshine (well it’s what the four forecast sites I watch claim anyway). Just
back from the north, North Yorkshire ,England where the weather was strictly
‘Autumnal’ (change to ‘Wintery’ if in Portugal or California), magnificent grey
skies, sneaky cold winds and the UK speciality ‘drizzle’, all adds up in
Yorkshire to a ‘Right Good Bracing Day’. There was some sunshine too! Had an
interesting visit to RHS Harlow Carr Gardens in Harrogate. The Head Gardener and I disagreed about some
of the things going on there. She liked
the wild flower bedding – I didn’t. I
preferred the rose gardens which seem sadly to have disappeared. (Note from Head Gardener – I missed the roses
too!)
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| Wild flowers at Harlow Carr Gardens |
So for the last
fourteen days of absence from the garden it has mainly rained, thunderstorms
most days which hopefully have mitigated the watering load on my Talented
Neighbour (always sounds simple to offer to water another garden but it can
become a bit of a grind after a week). The wet and humid weather has wiped out
the 16th June tomatoes with ‘Ebola-esque’ strength BLIGHT, so shall happily forget any late
tomatoes. The various chillis are beacons of fire on each plant. I picked ten
varieties yesterday evening. With ninety five percent still to ripen, the
freezer will be bursting with bags full of latent heat and the neighbours will
benefit too. The mass of ripening figs are keeping the ‘system’ to a clockwork
time table.
 |
| Latest Chilli and pepper crop |
The late apples are
bountiful. The locally grown ‘Golden Delicious’ strain are magnificent, and are
full of flavour; crisp golden flesh, fragrant bouquet and a
superb matt skin the colour of pale grey/ green mountain grass - the truly
perfect apple to ‘crunch’
.
Looks like a good year
for citrus fruits. Oranges are still
green but very big. Lemons are abundant and the ‘perpetual’ varieties are flowering
well while being very heavily fruited. Grapefruits are large and green (wait another
six months to have anything near edible). Tangerines are prolific and should be
ready for Christmas. Limes are trying
hard and the Mandarin orange tree is covered in small fruit. No olives again (think
it will have to be the ‘Saw’ this year). Pomegranates, marmelos (quince), figs (profuse)
and diosperos (sharon fruit) either ready to pick or getting close to ripening.
 |
| Lemons |
 |
| Oranges |
 |
| Grapefruit |
Flowers are still
trying and succeeding, ready for another feed after the heavy rains. Roses,
cosmos, geraniums, fuchsias and
flowering vines such as plumbago and Solanum all in full flower. It’s about the
right time to plant new tulip bulbs for early spring display.
Most of the cuttings
taken at the start of September have ‘struck’ and are already showing signs of
growth. Still lots of time to take
cuttings from fuchsia, geranium, roses, clematis, plumbago, campsis, Pandorea
Jasminoides (sorry just being posh) solanum, jasmine and lavender. Just took
the strawberry cuttings from the prolific number of runners sprouting from each
tub. New plants should fruit well next year if planted out now.
It’s time to think
about taking in the orchids ‘over summered’ on the terrace. Early cold nights below 12 degrees will stop
the flowering shoots. Place in a sunny spot by the window, keep almost damp (never
wet) and enjoy Cymbidiums (and the others, can never spell their names) by late
December and through the winter a spring, (we have a ‘Moth’ Orchid that has
bloomed non-stop for two years).
Low the dulcet tones of
the Head Gardener can be heard from above (must have finished the holiday
washing) Coffee is served (still
enjoying preferential treatment after the ‘Northern’ break),
must dash,
See you soon,
Stuart.
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