31st March
2015 CENTRAL PORTUGAL
Glorious sunshine,
midday temperature in the mid twenties - just managed to squeeze in the last
bonfire of the spring season. Total ban on garden fires from the 1st
April to 31st October due to Portugal’s propensity for forest fires.
Vast areas of the Beiras are planted with Eucalyptus trees (which really burn
well) which are used to make paper. The BombeIros Volonterios (Volunteer Fire Brigade
in every country town) is a Right of Passage for the majority of young, and not
so young, men with a smattering of young ladies now also joining. It is
amazingly dangerous and unfortunately there are often fatalities amongst the BVs,
so everyone obeys the Ban (encouraged by a 1500 euro fine) and is ever grateful
for their brave and appreciated service to the community.
The last few days of
lovely weather have propelled the growing cycle of many plants which leap forward
with great alacrity. Everything in the cold
frame is chaffing at the bit to be moved forward to its final growing, cropping
or flowering position. Runner Beans are about to be introduced to their growing
pyramids, whilst the Haricot Vert (seeded
directly into the ground two weeks ago) are at the sixth leaf. Aubergines will
be planted out by the weekend, half in tubs and the balance in raised beds. (This
provides insurance if there are any cool wet periods in April or May as the tubs are easy to move for protection).
Raised beds are being
prepared for the first of the sweet Peppers, ‘California Wonder’ for the green,
‘Summer Sunshine’ for the yellow and ‘Corno Rosso’ for the long reds. And again
will plant a tub of each, just in case of prolonged wet weather.
The Petunias are
planted - F1Hybrids in troughs and Surfinias in planters, as they tend to
expand in every direction in their profundity. Have found the secret of
longevity with all the varieties of Petunias is to prune them back severely in
late June and again September, feed well before and after the trimming and they will be back in profuse bloom within
ten days and will continue to flower until the cold of November.
The first tentative
shoots are appearing in the Dahlia tubs (find planting in the 90 litre grape
baskets (black plastic and 2.30€ each at the Co-Operativa) with a mix of spent
potting compost from last year with 30% addition of estrume gets the best results (with continual feeding
throughout the growing and flowering season of course).
Nothing beats Dahlias, in all their guises,
for colour and flowering profusion - such a shame they are cheap and easy to
grow as otherwise they would be the darling of the gardening CognIcenti and not
consider vulgar in Chelsea and the Home Counties.
The first rose buds should
open next week, the first always open immediately after the Wisteria makes its
gracious appearance in regal purple . (This is imminent as the flower buds on
the Wisteria are just showing colour). The yellow ‘Banksii’rose will take the
honours, closely followed by the magnificent ‘Golden Magic’(prolific rambler
with small intensely golden double flowers and a hint of claret at the heart of
the flower).
Really getting quite
excited with some much beauty appearing
from every corner and talking of beauty.
there goes the Head Gardener’s Bell,
must dash,
See you soon,
Stuart.
NB Pictures to follow - Head Gardener
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