FESTIVE THOUGHTS

8^TH DECEMBER 2016 – CENTRAL PORTUGAL  

  

Sharp morning on the Belvedere, not quite freezing but feels cold in the light easterly wind, sky azure blue and the atmosphere ‘Gin’ clear with just a touch of dampness. These sparkling December mornings are one of the many bonuses of living in the Beiras of Portugal. The weeks prior to and during Christmas are usually bright, clear and dry, significantly different from the grey, wet, foggy and cold days frequently experienced in the North of England as a precursor of the miserable  weather that settles on the whole of northern Europe in January and February.

Thoughts of the Festive Season invariably preclude the enthusiasm for manual labour in the garden. It has always been a good time to hang up the strimmer and give the tools a well earned rest. A gentle brushing of leaves and the application of the power washer is sufficient to spruce up the  terraces, patio and paths for post Christmas Lunch preamble (nothing worse than slipping on wet leaves and ending up with a sprained ankle for the  evening’s entertainment). The Autumnal chill has almost removed most of the wonderfully coloured and vibrant leaves, the Diosperos trees are resplendent with large orange and translucent fruit, their gaunt branches etched onto the sparkling clear sky (pity their fruit never tastes as good as it looks).

  

Autumn colour of the wisteria against the 'gin clear sky'!

The Diosperos (Kaki, Persimon) redeems itlself every autumn with its wonderful colour

Removed all the broken, dead and diseased branches and whips from the orchard fruit trees (not pruning just tidying up as with little or no fruit last year do not wish to discourage any fecund attitude now dormant in the new buds). Most roses, if not in bud and flower, are now cut down by two thirds until the full prune in late February (when the first feed is due). Geraniums and fuchsias  cleared of ‘sticky out’ bits and the rampant flowering vines, Wisteria, Solanum, Rambling Roses, Orange Brazilian Campsis, have all been cut back for their winter rest and recuperation.

Fuchsia and geranium flowering bravely on

Even in Winter the garden still gives of its best, amazing quantities of sweet peppers (California Wonders) and chilli (Jalapeno, Cayenne, Ring of Fire and Piri-Piri) are being picked daily. Now enjoying young tender leeks (planted in September) and a vast selection of green, red and brown leaved lettuce (still planting twenty plugs plants from market every two weeks so they may take over by April).

Sweet peppers ripeining in the December sunshine

Still "hot" food to look forward to from these Cayenne Peppers!

Still lots of colour from the Primulas, Pansies, late Geraniums, Cyclamen and the Tulips have decided to show their ‘tips’ (so continuity guaranteed) and lots of cuttings growing away with ‘gay’ abandon.

Mini Cyclamen just coming into its own

Little pansies/violas gradually filling up the window box

Primulas will keep going until the spring

Other plants surprisinginly also still giving us flowers in December:-

Angel's Trumpets (Brugmansia) Ringing in the Festive Season

Nasturtiums self-seeding everywhere

Clematis Jackmanii giving us it's swansong for 2016

And, of course, there will be oranges for months to come!

Potting Shed stove is performing well today, well stoked and the log basket full, two chairs available so no bell required, coffee served by HG and new seed catalogues being perused in depth (HG has some very good ideas for next year’s planting) will keep a positive attitude to this spectacular thoughts to  ensure liberal coffee supply during next year.

 Happy Christmas and a wonderful horticultural New Year –

 must dash into January,

Stuart

FEELING LAZY BUT LOTS TO DO

21ST NOVEMBER 2016 - CENTRA L PORTUGAL

Cold, Wet and Windy – but then it is the end of November even in Portugal. Little new in the garden due to the adverse weather conditions, apart from super lettuce, chunky leeks and early ripening tangerines, oranges and diosperos. 

Several varieties of lettuce, side by side with young leeks

More lovely lettuce

Oranges nearly ready for eating

Lowest temperature so far is 1degree and this cannot have been for long as nothing, including cacti, dahlias and bananas have been affected. As the forecast for the next week promises further low temperatures, the garden fleece will have to be cast over the more vulnerable varieties. Have often wondered why this thin, porous material works so well; think it must be something to do with keeping the plants free of morning dew just prior to the snap of near frost.

Cacti still surviving outside - not for much longer

The log store is well filled, so roaring fires are the order of the day; lovely to start and finish the day in flickering fire light. With the current adverse conditions, sitting in front of the fire, reading a book and drinking coffee during the day is also worthy of praise. The lovely story of the Sage sitting by the fire for the winter months comes to mind. When asked what he did to pass the time the response was ‘Sometimes I sit and think and when I’m bored of thinking, I just sit’.

Lots of lovely logs in store

But alas, being a Gardener there is always something that needs doing, however chilling the wind may be. About time the Christmas Tree was rescued from the summer quarters, a quick tidy and top up the compost with a little feed, water well in the tub, leave for a couple of weeks and it will be ready for its annual three weeks of glory in the Limelight. Looks as if the Holly Trees will be full of red berries and the Ivy has had very good growth year so no excuse not to have a well traditionally decorated ‘Wassailtide’.

The beauty of pot plants adds much to the special festive atmosphere. Daffodils, tulips, hyacinths and hippeastrums pot planted back in September and kept in that cool dark place should now be brought into the light and heat for late December flowering. Pansies and primulas planted now in window boxes will give great flowering satisfaction until March, irrespective of wind, rain and tempest. Give the cymbidium orchids (now ensconced inside for the winter months) a generous feed and water to encourage the flowering spikes that always impress your seasonal visitors.

Mini pansies ready for winter in the window box

Primulas just planted for the season

The pleasant somnanbulance of fireside relaxation stirs the thoughts of next seasons projected triumphs and necessitates an in depth perusal of the new Seed Catalogues(orders placed now often elicit a rather good price discount). With the price of seeds from the UK Seedsmen increasing annually, plus the provocative exchange rate, a set budget will be required to ensure a degree of stability and common sense. (Are the five new varieties of ‘Bead’ tomatoes really necessary – and they say ‘Black’ but they always seem to be dark brown or a poor Claret). The HG has put limit on the number of Chilli varieties, and quantity of plants, to be grown next year. Having disposed of much this year’s crop to un-suspecting friends, the devastation reaped by the ‘Ring of Fire’ and the ‘Cayenne/Scots Bonnet’ cross has created a group of ‘husky’ voiced people who stand a great deal.

So very many piri piri chillies - where will it all end!

The fire needs stoking and here comes the HG with coffee (no bell required today) –

must dash for more logs,

see you soon

Stuart.

PREPARING FOR THE WORST AND HOPING FOR THE BEST TO COME

5^th NOVEMBER 2016 – CENTRAL PORTUGAL

The cold and wet of November have descended with a vengeance in the last two days. After the halcyon ‘Indian Summer’ of October it was rather a shock when the temperature last night fell to 1 degree C. with the prospect of a maximum of 10 degrees during the day and with continued very low evening temperatures until the end of next week forecast. The panic to protect all those tender semi tropical plants that pretend to enjoy the Beiras, but only really tolerate the summers, now begins.

Beautiful trumpets carrying on until it gets too cold!

What will survive and which will fail after a few days of low temperatures? Most soft stemmed grasses will need to be watched. Bananas, tamarillos, bougainvillaeas, dahlias, geraniums (Ivy Leafed variety are much ‘Hardier’ than the soft leaved Pelargoniums), Tibouchinas, non-hardy fuchsias (large flowered and usually from Australia - small flowered varieties much more resilient to cold) will be the first to suffer in the cold.

Fuchsia and geraniums/pelargoniums still bright and cheerful on a dull day

They all tend to first wilt, then the leaves turn black and then the terminal stage commences when the stem turns  soft and slimy, which marks the end. Some of these tender plants will survive under the soil surface all winter. However, the smallest amount of ground penetrating frost will see their permanent demise. They can be protected  in situ if too large to move. Fold up the leaves and wrap with string, cut off the top third and wrap the resulting tube with sacking, old carpet or with a specialist and expensive garden protective fleece. Fill in the top with straw and cover to prevent ingress of rain and damp (the arch winter enemy of the semi tropical genre). Those smaller plants in tubs and pots should be moved to undercover protection, preferably high up (first floor of a barn is excellent as the low grade frosts of Portugal seldom rise above one metre to become air frosts). Cover lightly with a garden fleece and leave. Water sparingly every six weeks until March or first signs of new life.

Summer flowering bulbs, lilies, gladioli, orchids and tuberous dahlias etc. also need frost free winter quarters. Lift the bulbs and store in dry sand, peat or old newspaper in boxes kept clear of water or damp ingress (if wet they will rot very quickly) and away from mice  - they enjoy a Christmas Feast of plump bulbs. Take out of winter store in late March and place in the spring sunshine to firm up prior to re-planting  Ensure you also plant all the small bulblettes as they will be ready to bloom the following year. 

Last winter’s Amaryllis (hippeastrums) having been kept in the dark on their sides for the last two months, are now ready to re-pot for a splendid festive flowering in late December and early January. Simply place the bulbs upright in new compost buried to a maximum of one third of bulb height, add water sparingly and place inside in a sunny spot away from the window as the night cold slows their flowering cycle dramatically.

Hoping for a similar display of Amarylis and orchids in a couple of months

Leave roses and trailing vine plants to flower till they finish. Many will continue to bloom throughout the winter months as will miniature Cyclamen (their larger summer cousins will not stand low temperatures). Heartsease and the larger pansies will flower profusely throughout the coldest periods. Remember to give a mild feed to all winter flowering varieties to ensure a continued glorious display.

The first signs of life will start to appear during the next weeks in the tulip and daffodil tubs planted at the end of September. Keep the shoots free from damp fallen leaves (these will damage the growing tips of the bulbs), ensure the compost is moist but not wet (this also rots the bulbs), give the tubs a mild feed now and around the first week in December for splendid results. Cuttings taken now from budded hydrangeas, placed in moist compost and brought into the house warmth, will flower at the end of December early January.

Winter lettuce are performing well. The current rain precludes watering (but if very dry for a few days give them a splash). First leeks are ready for the table.  Not much else is happening as not a fan of cabbages, turnips and potatoes and really too early for carrots, broccoli, khol-rabi and spinach, and kale should only be grown for the colour the stems bring to the winter garden!

Decided o build a large cloche for the ever increasing cacti family. Will place on the Belvedere in full light for maximum winter sun and hope the interior temperature is maintained above ‘Cold’. They should survive if kept short of water, only time will tell?

HG seems very pleased with the progress of the holly bushes (which are covered in berries, currently yellow but hopefully will become more ruddy and festive). Cold wind causing cold hands, nose and feet.

 Coffee would certainly be of assistance.

There goes the ‘Bell’ that pleases –

 must dash, see you soon

Stuart.  

LATE SEASON SURPRISES - PREPARATIONS FOR WINTER

26^TH OCTOBER 2016 – CENTRAL PORTUGAL

Autumn really arrived with heavy rain and cold winds but then, just as all the village fires were being lit, out came the sun in a clear blue sky and an ‘Indian Summer’ prevailed amongst the Thunder Storms - most confusing for the Gardener and equally mystifying for the plants. The sudden damp conditions and day time temperature in the upper twenties have persuaded some species that they have already experienced a short sharp winter and are now proposing to perform for another year ( don’t expect it will last with the incoming ‘Easterlies’ of mid November).

The myriad of cuttings taken in late September are revelling in the un-seasonal conditions, growing away with abandon. They look good now, but what will happen when, or if, it becomes a traditional winter? Aubergines, Chillies and Peppers are in full flower and heavy with ripe and semi ripe fruit (well can you think of another word to describe their crops). The Tangerines and Oranges are turning ‘Orange’,(about one month early) and the Limes and Lemons are ripe enough to use. 

Ring of fire Chilli plant - beware, very HOT

Young limes - nearly ready for picking

Plumbago in powder blue; Solanum, in white and dark blue; deep purple Tibouchina in full regal splendour; Brugmansias, all colours from pure white through pale pink to yellow and deep gold. They are giving a further ‘Fanfare’ from their orchestral trumpets (must be the fifth or sixth this year),filling the garden with colour and exotic fragrance. 

Plumbago scrambling through a peach tree together with white Solanum

Purple solanum

Exotic Tibouchina - may need winter shelter

This Brugmansia  is at its most stunning now

Roses in full ‘Fig’, Cyclamen getting going, Fuchsias still performing but the Geraniums are starting to falter. 

Lovely blush rose

Mini cyclamen will be in flower all through the winter, with care

The delicate ‘Heartease’ (Winter miniature pansies) are growing and flowering strongly - have always found if pansies are in flower during the first week of November they will produce a wonderful show all winter.  Seed needs to be sown in June, pricked out in July and potted on in September to ensure a winter extravagance.

Miniature violas (Heartsease) will be tumbling over their troughs by spring

So is it time to wrap up and protect the tender plants? Banana plants should have the leaves removed before’ wrapping’(next year’s leaves grow from the old stem, so if you want a taller tree leave plenty of stem). If left they cause wet rot to destroy the root.  Use sacking or green breathable garden wrap and fill around stem with straw. Keep out of direct rain, off the ground and water sparingly every three weeks throughout the dormant period. New leaves will start to appear in April.

Banana tree ready for its winter preparations

 Geraniums do best in the winter out of the weather but in a light and airy place. Water once a month until March then give them a feed before putting out in a sunny spot. 

Have always taken the Cymbidium Orchids inside during the winter following their summer sojourn on the sunny terrace. Following a full ‘re-potting’ of the stock last year there was little flower evident during the winter and spring.   The Portuguese Lady opposite planted hers twenty years ago in tubs placed on the veranda. They are ignored and left to the elements, rain, wind, sun and cold, throughout the year. These plants always seem to produce the most eloquent display annually. This year half of the plants will remain on the terrace and the balance will reside inside. Will post information on their progress - looking for first Orchid Flowers for Christmas!

Bit late to plant bulbs for the Festive Season in the garden.  However, if Spring flowers are a must over Christmas and New Year. Bulbs planted now (Tulips, Daffodils and Hyacinths) and ‘Forced’ in dark, mild (not hot or they will ‘Bolt’) and moist place should perform in late December early January.

Lettuce beds now full for winter picking, eight varieties, twenty plants each, market bought as plugs (at €1 for twenty cheaper than the seed), at eight a week (HG big lettuce eater) should last till spring.  Of course, you can replant with twenty new plugs every fortnight and never run out of salad.

So if the weather stays ‘mild’ for a further week or two might please the HG by thinking about taking a few more speculative ‘Cuttings’ to generate a uninterrupted Winter supply of coffee.

 The telepathy seems to have worked as there goes the ‘Bell’

 must dash

 see you soon,

Stuart. 

SEASONS END AND ALSO BEGIN

11^TH OCTOBER – CENTRAL PORTUGAL

Cooling down a little bit after the long hot summer, heavy rain expected in the next few days, so can only conclude that Autumn is here. The days are still warm when the sun shines, but the nights are now cool, with temperatures falling to around 8 degrees ( just enough to inhibit growth on the summer flowering plants). The still air is encouraging the spread of powdery mildew on the dahlias, which is disappointing as they have at last started to flower profusely.  The  problem in Portugal with ‘Border’ dahlias is their dislike of very strong sunshine but requirement for abundant light (so not good if kept in the shade as they ‘Bolt’ towards the light and become tall, thin and non-flowering).  Only solution is to move then around a great deal so always plant in pots, unless there is a north facing flower bed with good soil and water available.

This one dahlia still looks pretty

Roses and Geraniums, on the other hand, are having a wonderful time. Masses of new bloom on the Geraniums and splendid display in progress from the Roses.  Fuchsias are soldiering on, with a colourful display which may last through the winter months if they continue to get a little sunshine on a regular basis. (Prolonged periods of rain always ‘spoil’ the flower display).

Geraniums as bright as ever

Roses reviving now the weather is cooler

Fuchsia will hopefully carry on for many more weeks

Aubergines, Sweet peppers and Chillies still flowering and producing a good crop.  Cucumbers finally finished after an epic season and being replaced in their tubs by Leeks ( which should mature throughout the winter if planted progressively).

Sweet peppers and aubergines not quite as impressive as earlier in the season!

Lettuces and leeks growing companionably together

Hot chillies still doing so well

Poor year for Raspberries . The canes are now devoid of any growth and are dry and brittle with little sign of life. However, the Logan Berries did better and are still ‘green’ and producing new shoots (so lots of cuttings and a major production effort next year – could be the end of the Raspberries).

Lots of cuttings being taken before the cooler weather sets in. Taken now, most will put down roots to sustain life throughout the winter. Brugmansia are just about to have their last splash of colour so am expecting to take around twenty cuttings for planting and ‘swaps’ next year. This plant produces the most exotic ‘Trumpet’ flowers in the most glorious combination of colours from deep gold, through creams with pink, yellow and red frills to a wonderful pure white with a touch of green. Flowers profusely from May until October and has a beguiling scent on the evening zephyrs – so highly recommended if not already in your garden.

The lovely white Brugmansia showing the promise of yet more flowers to come

Trying a few ‘Tree’ cuttings again this year, the usual Fig and Catalpa with the addition of Holly, Tamarillo and Cordyline Australis (well nearly a tree as there are two on the spring terrace that are 4metres and 5 metre tall) – same process with these as plant cuttings - two thirds of the ‘Whip’ in the compost (50% spent compost, 25% estrume and 25% garden soil) around the edge of the tub, lots of water and see what happens ( around half will grow so lots of ‘free’ trees next year).

Tulips have been planted for three weeks already. Orchids look ready to bring in. Cyclamen are sprouting and some in flower. Oranges are very green, large and profuse, Limes prolific, Tangerines just on the turn.

Limes preparing for the G & Ts

oranges promising fresh fruit for December

 Diosperos still fruiting despite being cut back and ignored (shame they don’t taste better – Israelies definitely have it with their ‘Sharon’ fruit variety). Lettuces are magnificent. So all’s right with the garden, which is very encouraging when the rest of the world is viewed. 

That must be the HG’s bell,

must dash – 

see you soon,

Stuart. 

SEASON OF MISTS - BUT LITTLE FRUITFULNESS

25^TH SEPTEMBER, CENTRAL PORTUGAL

The autumn equinox has passed so the days now shorten until the arrival of winter. The very high temperatures of summer have passed with night temperatures falling to around 10 degrees, and with day time highs in the region of 22 degrees with, as yet, little rain.

 So, not a lot happening as there is little fruit to harvest this year. the grapes are very poor as there has been so much sun and little water ( yield is around 60% of normal around the village) and the olives just about non-existent. Tomatoes are now finished with plants out yesterday (lots of Green Chutney currently being produced by the HG). 

Head Gardener's chutney production - so far!

Aubergines getting progressively smaller as their season ends but my Indian friends tell me they can do wonders with a ‘Small Aubergine’. 

"Small" Aubergines still prolific

Peppers and Chilli still exuberant – Jalapenos very large with all the sun and constant watering.  The ‘New for this Year’ Chilli ‘Ring of Fire’ is prolific and very very HOT(all grown in tubs this year under controlled feeding and watering – much less water used).

Green and Ripe Chilli "Ring of Fire"

The Sweet Corn (seeded on the 14^th August) has managed to produce its top seed tassels and is forming ‘cobs’(let’s see if they are edible on harvesting). Leeks, a favourite on cold winter nights, which were planted in August, are now substantial. The lettuce (five varieties) patch looks to be becoming productive (twenty plants from market planted every fortnight in September and October keep the supply going until next March).

Hoping for late season sweet corn

Leeks coming on well in the pot

Five varieties of lettuce, accompanied by more leeks

The Banana Trees, pot planted out last April are very ‘Chunky’ (no fruit this year but with a well protected winter just might produce next year) and the Tamarillo tree – also 250 mm dia. pot planted – is now 1.5 metres high with three solid stems (the stems give off a strange smell when handled – bit like Macadamia nuts) have no idea if and when it will flower or fruit but know it must have winter protection in its early years – will observe with interest as is one of the Head Gardener’s ‘Silent Pleasures’. Both these plants were acquired at the Beiras Grass Roots plant swap, last year, so am looking forward to the next event being held at Tabua on the 8^th October.

Banana tree a year on

Tamarillo has made great progress

This was also the venue that a number of discarded Cactus cuttings were found on the floor, rescued, returned home, planted up and have now turned into an overabundance of fast growing and flowering Cactus plants. The Cactus Theatre is now completely overwhelmed with plants that have grown up to a metre in their first year.  These have been cut back, ‘pricked out’ and will be ready to swap in October.

The Cactus Theatre

Cactus cuttings awaiting new homes

The Dahlia seeds sown in mid June have produced very sturdy and free flowering plants. The glorious range of reds and autumn tints in the flowers produced by the ‘Bishop’s Children’ seedlings have been splendid and will hopefully continue in flower until Christmas or first really cold night (under 3 degrees usually puts an end to the Dahlia progress) Will attempt to take seed but as they are F1 hybrids they may not come true next year (however only sowed half the seed packet so can still hope for colourful result next summer)

                                       Two of the Bishop's Children Dahlias

With the start of the ‘Second Spring’ in Portugal (a micro climate of the Western side of the Iberian Peninsula caused by warm southerly or south westerly winds giving ‘balmy’ days in October, but often chilly nights), lots of work is required in the garden after the lazy days of summer. Orchards are usually cleared of the dry, brown weed detritus of the dry summer – this was always done to allow nets to be placed on the ground to collect the Olives (non- existent it would seem this year) before the weeds could germinate with the soft autumn rain. About time all cuttings have been taken, roses given a top prune, over ambitious rambling and climbing plants cut back a little to increase the light on the plants below, and everything is fed to take advantage of the late growing season.

Zinnias and Begonias still giving pleasure in the garden

Good time now to get your bulbs planted. A workable potting compost can be made from combining half of the old compost from your finished tubs, with one sixth new compost, one sixth ‘estrume’(Horse Manure) and one sixth of soil from the ground (without this addition the mix will be sterile, the organisms from the garden soil ensure the bulbs and plants will thrive through the winter months).

This year my favourite bulb supplier, Lidl, are offering a wide range of very well priced Tulip, Daffodil, Crocus, Hyacinth plus a myriad of all those little fiddly bulbs that many ladies seem to like. All for around €1.19 – €1.69 for 10 or 12 bulbs. It certainly beats buying on line or from the usually overpriced catalogues.

The last of the new Brugmansias, potted up last year and not properly labelled (HG not pleased), has bloomed a pure Virgin White with a delicate bouquet.  Always amazed at the bad reputation this plant has in many parts of the world; in South America it is called the ‘Devil’s Breath’, and being full of the drug Scapolamine, it is used as a ‘Truth Drug’ or a tool of the Assassin. Often best not to tell of the extensive array poison available in all our gardens.

So alluring - white Brugmansia (Angels' Trumpets)

There goes the HG’s bell for coffee, 

better dash and remain favour with all these toxic plants about – 

keeping in favour - picked this for the H G this morning!

See you soon

Stuart.