THE DAY THAT THE RAINS CAME DOWN!

26TH OCTOBER 2015 CENTRAL PORTUGAL

The hammering of raindrops on the potting shed roof heralds the arrival of autumn in the ‘Beiras’. The south westerly approaching low pressure storms, historically known as the ‘Trade Winds’ to long gone imperial mariners, pound the coast from the Algarve to Vigo and deliver the long awaited rain to the land desiccated by months of drought. (The local ‘Barragem’, quite large with a perimeter of 195 kilometres, has dropped to a new low level for late October of 17metres below normal).

Brugmansia trumpets swinging in the rain

Needless to say, the garden is enjoying every single drop of replenishment. The orchard has been transformed from a ‘Mid Western’ dust bowl into a lush green meadow almost over-night  - weeds now 400mm high in a week, so it’s Strimmer to the fore. The mass fertilisation of seeds discarded over the past summers on the growing beds has progressed like a green tide causing lots of knee bending and finger tip removal (between the heavy down pours of course, very difficult to weed holding up an umbrella in one hand).

Digging up the over-grown plants from this summer is now much easier with the wet ground; have decided to ‘split’ the vigorous varieties into quarters with a spade, planting three and saving fourth to swap. (Fellow Gardeners are always  keen to diversify their own stock at minimum cost). The Beiras Grass Roots Garden Group had an excellently organised and attended ‘Seed and Plant Swop’ last weekend; managed to acquire a number of new specimens in exchange for the garden’s ‘particulars’.

Now is just the time to take over-wintering cuttings from almost anything that grows with vigour on the plot. Cut the long majestic growth from the rambling and climbing roses, cut into 400mm long pieces and plant around the edges of a deep plastic plant tub,  (not terracotta – loses moisture very quickly in the winter winds), leave a quarter above growing medium,(heavier the better for roses) water and place in moderately sheltered place, then forget until late March. For every ten cuttings taken there should be at least five new plants to grow on next year. This also works with most fruit trees Take this year’s pruned ‘whips’, reduce length to around 400mm, plant in the ground or in a tub and ensure bud end is above ground. Wisteria cuttings can now be taken for the best results, remember these will flower in the third year after planting (from seed the wait can be eight to ten years).

Roses grown from cuttings three years ago

Olive harvest in full swing, against the ‘odds’ would seem to be reasonable with considerable quantities of fruit for oil extraction. So following the excellent grape harvest (20% up in many areas) and the splendid results from the Cork Oak bark cutting season this ‘decade’ (usually bark is removed every eight to ten years) it has been a good year for the ‘traditional’ Portuguese ‘Cash’ crops. The Portuguese country ethos is based on the planting of vines for yourself, olive trees for your children and cork oaks for your grand children to enjoy and benefit from.

Geranium pots are all in the barn, sheltered from too much rain and protected from cold winds and low temperatures until next March (with no further watering till the warm sun in early March). Fuchsias are ‘winter hardy’ so stay out with the pot saucers removed (suddenly too much water, no need now for ‘drought’ containment). The late autumn and winter terraces furnished with Phormiums, Yuccas, various grasses (large and small) and brightened by miniature cyclamens (fully hardy), Heartsease, Violas and Pansies, with the first flowering bulbs in bloom by late January.

Phormium giving winter structure and colour

Fuchsia Beacon Rosa will give colour all through the winter months

Amazing how early the darkness falls as soon as the ‘Clocks’ change. At last, just heard the HG’s bell so off for a ‘Cup that Cheers’, (still drinking ‘Yorkshire Tea’ from Harrogate – certainly more substantial than ‘Earl Grey’).

Must dash, tea cools quickly in late October,

 see you soon,

Stuart.

WET AT LAST - BUT LOTS TO DO

12TH OCTOBER 2015 - CENTRAL PORTUGAL

It would seem the long hot summer and drought  are over. For ten of the last fourteen days it has rained, sometimes with great gusto (65 mm in the day) but more often in a desultory mode of light rain or drizzle with very moist morning mist (no floods and nobody drowning - in fact nothing to laugh at at all!).

The sighs of relief can be heard from many of the dry tolerant plants just waiting for rain to once again shine. Brugmansia, both the pink and the cream flowering varieties are having another magnificent display of trumpets  - in the case of the cream, the fifth major incarnation this summer.

   

Very pretty pink Angels' Trumpets

Stunning Creamy yellow Burmansia - from below

The purple Solanum is also looking most regal.

Royal purple Solanum

 Roses are again gracing the garden and miniature cyclamen are blooming profusely.

Roses blooming beside fuchsia Beacon Rosa

Mini cyclamen tucked around the base of an orange tree together with black ophiopogons

Sweet Peppers are still going strong.  As usual, California Wonder is producing a terrific crop which is now turning a vermillion red, whilst still in flower at the top of the bush, so maybe ‘Peppers’ until late November? Chillis are going for a record year. Piri Piri, Hotscotch, Cayenne, Tabasco, Jalapeno, Paper Lantern are  all heavy with ripe or near ripe fruit, and the new home-grown ‘cross’(now named ‘Celia’ as it has a good shape and is very hot) is covered in glorious bright red fruits.

An abundance of Piri piri ripening nicely

Impatiens are still in flower and growing larger by the day. They should manage another few weeks until the night temperature starts to get below 7 degrees C. 

Violently stunning red Impatiens (Busy Lizzies)

The Strawberries in this year's experimental troughs are back in full production, covered in flower and giving around ten large fruit per day ( this is the perfect plant for the Portuguese ‘Second’ spring as it enjoys the rain and reduced temperature, but still needs a bit of sunshine).

Strawberry plants still in action

Tomatoes are now finished and the plants on compost with the early Courgettes The re-seeded Courgettes planted in August are in full flower (mainly male flowers) but there is little chance of further Courgette production. Aubergines still fruiting although now small. However, their determination to continue flowering still seems to be still paramount.

Still taking cuttings for over-wintering (and Beira Grass Roots Plant Swop on 24^th October). Initial Geranium and Fuchsia cuttings taken in late August now fully rooted and in flower, potting on to individual plant pots for dry storage over winter.  Slowly reduce watering now until end of November when watering can cease until next February.  Store over winter in a light, cool, dry, frost and wind free environment for best results. Cuttings also taken from hydrangeas, solanum, roses, oleander, lavender,  blueberries, gooseberries and fig, pomegranate, catalpa, yucca trees.(for every ten cuttings taken usually at least five new plants will appear).

Dahlia tubers and Lily bulbs now drying out and ‘ resting’. Keep dry and frost free until replanting in March. Amaryllis (Hippeastrums) which have been resting over the summer, planted now, should  flower for Christmas. 

Cymbidium Orchids are back inside after their summer vacation on the terrace.

Water and feed gently each week and await the profusion of multi flowered spikes by late December or early January.

Now the temperature is lower the Spring Terrace is about to be remodelled after eight year in service. Lots of pruning and cutting back  are in process, accompanied by copious amounts of perspiration. It’s amazing how little shrubs become vast trees in such a short period.(These are the ‘sage’ words of the Head Gardner).

Sun just dipped below the lip of the valley, chilly wind starting to blow. 

There goes the coffee bell (Thank goodness for the HG).

 Must dash

 see you soon,

Stuart.