RAMBLINGS ON A HOT SUNDAY AFTERNOON

19^TH JULY 2015 – CENTRAL PORTUGAL

Still hot and no rain, enjoying a life spent watering! This is the time of year that the thought of the horrendous water bill (no bore hole) against the local market cost of fruit and vegetables always seems to rear its head? However the pleasure of planting and watching the crops grow, not to mention the specific enjoyment of eating home grown produce, soon banishes any financial stigma.

Picked the white peaches (15kg) and the red peaches(12kg) yesterday, just in time as they had started to fall. They were quickly stoned and blanched for immediate freezing (minus a few ‘star’ examples which were rapidly consumed) Peaches go rotten so quickly when picked when just ripe. The flavour of most fruit, with the exception of Medlars and Portuguese ‘Iron’ Pears, when tree or bush ripened is always superior to the bought examples (maybe it’s the salt from the sweat expended during cultivation and picking that gives them that extra ‘Je ne sais quoi’).  Quick freezing can often retain a modicum of their celebrity status.  Of course, the Head Gardener also made spicy peach chutney and friends make lovely peach jam.

Just a small part of the peach crop

Tomato season now in full swing - Cristal F1 are being picked and eaten; first trusses already consumed with many more to go.  They are just as good as it said on the Seed Packet (and no disease – amazing). Expect to get around 8kg each from the eight original plants. Sweet Baby also being picked; flavour is exceptional and the quantity of fruit per truss is spectacular (20 – 30 at least). However, the description ‘Baby’ is correct as they are the size of ‘Maltesers’ (UK produced round chocolate and cinder toffee sweet) and almost as sweet. Reckon around 2kg per plant. Good old ‘Money Maker’ (been growing for it about for years and quietly does the ‘business’ without too much fuss).  Still green but very heavy with ripening fruit (hope to start picking following the main ‘Cristal F1’ crop), should give a late crop for ‘freezing’. The fancy multi coloured cherry tomatoes are all growing well with well formed fruiting trusses, but at least a month away from picking.

Sweet Baby

Crystal

All colours, shapes and sizes of courgettes are giving of their bounty (new recipes now exhausted so freezing in spectacular quantities). Aubergines are so plentiful may consider export to India to supply the Lady chef who does wonderful things in her kitchen with a ‘Small Aubergine’. It always seems such a shame that something that looks so spectacular in its colour and shape should taste so bland.  (The Head Gardener finds slicing, griddling with application of garlic and chilli oil then covering in  cheese sauce improves the culinary experience).

One day's picking of Tomatoes, cucumbers, aubergines, courgettes, patty pans, and a few beans

The salad front has been trying hard for the last few weeks.  Over production of cucumbers has calmed down (only around three per day now). Lettuce, in all its many hues from flame red through autumn brown to vibrant green, is still in full production.  The re-growth, after initial cutting, to the next full size lettuce takes around three weeks with plenty of water in the current heat and the supply of Italian and Thai Basil complements every meal.

The Okra plants are in flower (think they should be grown for the flower rather than the fruit as ‘Ladies Fingers’ can be a bit ‘slimy’ if not cooked correctly, but that’s just me). Growing in a tub this year so water supply (copious) can be easily regulated.  

Okra has such pretty flowers

Flowers are profuse - the pictures speak for themselves. First cuttings being taken from Geraniums as there are signs of Rust (small brown patches on leaves) It’s one of the penalties of scorching hot days and warm nights. Dahlias are being sprayed to minimise Mildew (as are the vines in the local vineyards where their leaves are taking on the familiar purple coating of  home made Portuguese Bordeaux Mixture). 

Lovely perfumed lilies

Lilies and Cosmos - nice combination

Stunning archway of plumbago at the entrance to the patio

Yellow Plums picked, Purple Plums should be ready next week and Green Plums still working hard. Apple and Pear trees are ‘groaning’ with weight of potential crop (at least another six weeks to initial picking). Nectarines are as usual very poor (maybe trees out this winter when the apricots are also erased). 

Just one branch on the purple plum tree

One of the six apple trees - good crop this year

Pear Tree also full of fruit

The view from the ‘recovery’ bench (just completed in the orchard after seven years of consideration) placed under the afternoon shade of the oldest olive tree, is tranquil.  Even the insects have given up in the 38 degree plus heat.

And finally - a new recovery seat for tired workers!

At last - there goes the Head Gardeners resuscitation bell. Now must face the ‘39 Steps’ to the coffee terrace

Must dash (slowly),

See you soon.

Stuart. 

BUTTERFLIES, BUDDLEIAS, BEGONIAS AND THE REST!

6^TH JULY 2015 – CENTRAL PORTUGAL

Hot, very dry and getting hotter.  Portuguese summers getting back to normal at last. (Must be the blessed ‘El Nino’ effect). Maybe the beating of the wings of the hundreds of butterflies enjoying the glorious Buddleias will combine to create a cacophony of thunderstorms in Peru! Or is it just nature balancing out the numerous wet months of the last few years. The ‘Baragem’(Reservoir) is full, so little chance of drought for the next few weeks – hopefully. However, daily watering of productive plants, all planted in water conservation raised beds and tubs(reduces water consumption by at least 60%) has reduced the well to trickle, so tapping into the mains supply.

Swallow Tail butterfly

Broad-bordered bee Hawk-moth

Rare Swallow Tail

Glut of cucumbers; picking around fifteen per day (every day) and all the neighbours getting similar results, so little interest in a free supply. So living on a menu of ‘Cucumbers with everything’, getting ready to export sandwiches (free of charge) in bulk to the less well endowed ‘Euro’ members.

Tomatoes in similar production mode. Situation here made worse by the absence of my Amazingly Talented Neighbour, and the daily watering and cropping of  his extensive growing facility, in a Poly Tunnel and Au Naturel. Picking around 10 kilos of Tomatoes and five large aubergines per day, plus enough courgettes to keep a football team happy.

Selection of a day's pickings (Ratatouille?)

Geraniums are amazing this year. They love the blazing sun and heat, plus plenty of  feed and water when the temperature is in the high 30’s. Not the same position with the Fuchsias.  They enjoy hiding in the dappled shade and tend to flower less as the temperature rises to hot desert levels. Dahlias, being the true work horse of the garden, just soldier on with lots of water and ‘estrume’ liberally applied morning and evening.

Heat-loving geraniums

Pretty pink dahlias

Shady fuchsias

The Surfinia Petunias planted in shallow terracotta pans on the Belvedere making a wonderful display and enjoying the constant sunshine, seem to attract multitudes of bees, so watering has become a dangerous game as the bees are averse to a bracing shower during their working day. (Seems it makes the collected pollen soggy, which cause aggression in the Honeycomb world).

cascading surfinia petunias

Begonias are doing what they do best - flowering  with gay abandon. The Begonia world is split into many segments, from small flowered border and bedding plants to the glory of single flower giants and profuse  trailing varieties. This year’s introduction of a new waterfall trailing variety has been very successful and these have been well supported by the constantly flowering giants (seventh year growing undisturbed in the same tub, corm now 350 mm in diameter) which bloom from June to October.

Giant begonia - now in its seventh year

Tumbling large begonia - also in its seventh year

begonias together

Stunning Waterfall begonia

Picked up two pieces of  broken off and discarded cactus whilst at the Beiras Garden Festival in May, planted them in small pots and behold  -Cacti with shoots!  Will await flowers with anticipation.

Sounds of life on the Coffee Terrace.  Head Gardener rising from her relaxation and rest and recuperation  - must dash, ready for liquid refreshment to replace the glow of perspiration evident on all exposed surfaces.

See you soon,

Stuart.