WHAT'S HAPPENED TO WINTER?

27^th JANUARY 2016 - CENTRAL PORTUGAL

Cold, misty mornings and mild sunny days, interrupted by the odd heavy shower, are easing winter January into an early February spring. The cold nights are keeping the ‘bud’ and plant growth back. However,  quite a few of the supposedly deciduous varieties are still in full leaf, Brugmansia and Plumbago in particular, and the first flowers are appearing on the strawberries and the clematis armandii.

Brugmansia still in full leaf

Clematis Armandii coming into flower very early

Winter Pansies are now enjoying their preferred growing conditions, damp, cold and sunny, and have been joined by a trough of Iris Katherine Hodgkin  (always find these bulbs hold so much promise when the first appear with expectations of tall spectacular leaves, stems and flowers which are dashed by the rather unspectacular short stemmed washed out flowers – HG likes them so will continue to plant, grow and put-up with annual disappointment to ensure ‘Coffee’ supplies).

Happy smiling pansies

Iris Katherine Hodgkin (thank you Lidl)

The orchard is currently saturated, having been under 100mm of water for two weeks following the emergence of the annual ‘Two-weekly’ appearance of the stream after the torrential rains in the first weeks of January. (This initially fills the ‘Next Door Neighbours’ deep well to capacity before creating the ‘Winter Water Garden’ on the orchard floor). The top soil in the valley bottom, where the orchard grows, is at least 2 metres deep, this having been washed down from the now semi-fertile terraces on the adjacent slopes. The overburden of residual earth just manages to keep the fruit trees reasonably watered until the autumnal rains commence next November. Last year’s drought conditions are amazingly quickly superseded by nature’s winter bounty and balance once again restored (such is the way of long term gardening, a ‘Philosophical Attitude’ should always prevail for horticultural serenity to triumph).

The ‘Settling in’ of our ‘Christmas Foundling’ is ensuring that the theory of ‘Survival of the Fittest’ prevails amongst the numerous tubs and pots of cuttings in the ‘Nursery Yard’. Fortunately ‘Rudi’ (the Foundling) has a most loving nature and beautiful ‘Face’ so most indiscretions are quickly forgiven by the HG and the detritus of over-enthusiastic ‘romping’ quickly dispensed with a water hose. 

Rudi is progressing well - looking much healthier now

Due to the vagaries of the new incumbent, this year’s horticultural efforts are being relocated to the ‘Belvedere Terrace’. The small (Lidl) greenhouse being erected in this the sunniest position in the garden augers well for the early promotion of seedlings for both the vegetable and flower sectors. The Cacti collection is also being moved to this new place in the sun (these plants are yet not been eaten due to their natural protection, but seemed easier than continually removing ‘Spines’ from a curious young dog’s nose.(Never know, the enhanced sunlight might be the catalyst for profuse flowering  succulents this summer).

As the ground is still ‘heavy’ to work attention is being given to early season pruning and winter wind damage tidying-up. Cutting back the Fig trees (even though this greatly reduces the crop of Figs) as they have grown five to six metres since the last cut back in March ’15. The diosperos  are also for the chop - never understand why they are tolerated as the fruit tastes awful (the Israelis have it right with their ‘Sharon’ fruit) and the mess and alcoholic smell when it ‘falls’ is awful), so could be ‘Farewell’ this year.

Disperos in need of a very severe prune

 The jasmine  is just about ready to fill the air with its wonderful fragrance long before it should.

Lots of buds on the Jasmine - another one flowering far too early

The quandary of the last week in January - what to do first? Must say the warm draw of the potting shed stove has much to recommend. A little more external heat and sunshine may be required to stir the ‘Winter Stiffened’ sinews into manual exertion. Liberal supplies of hot coffee from the HG’s pot just might help.  Fortunately there goes the summoning ‘Bell’ –

must dash, 

See you soon

Stuart

BRIGHT SKIES AND COLD NIGHTS

16TH JANUARY - CENTRAL PORTUGAL

Gin clear air, brilliant azure blue skies, radiant golden sunshine (but temperatures in low single figures overnight), the torrential rain has departed (600 mm in 10 days), this is the way to enjoy a Portuguese January. Winter passes very quickly when the sun shines.

These meteorological conditions not only suit the gardener, they are titillating the burgeoning buds on the fruit trees in the orchard to greater effort to be the first blossom of spring (all bets are on the Damascus Apricot, always early to flower but usually short of fruit; could do better this year as my Amazingly Talented next door neighbour’s bees are also enjoying the sun’s stimulating rays.

The small almond tree is budding up nicely

Picking wonderfully flavoured, and well ripened, oranges, tangerines and lemons (grapefruit are all well formed but need a few more months to maturity), in great quantities. There are only so many that can be eaten fresh, so searching out the ‘forgotten’ recipes for all forms of preservation. Jam, Marmalade and Curd are all too easy, bottling is an awful fuss and freezing usually fails - there must be another route to follow for efficient storage?.

Juicy and huge - ornages

Picked and consumed some excellent  sprouting broccoli and a number of very tasty baby leeks from the ‘Veg’ terrace.

Baby leeks well on the way

 Looks as if the beetroot may be ready in next couple of weeks and the piri piri plants are still covered in ripe and ripening ‘Birdseye’ Chillis. The chilli plants being over wintered this year, ‘Paper Lantern’, ’Hotscotch’ and ‘Celia’ are all surviving the night chill and remaining sturdy and in leaf (always an earlier and larger crop in the second and third year). Now debating whether to re-seed or keep fingers crossed that these existing plants will suffice (HG says freezer now overflowing with the fruits of the chilli bed).

Piri piri - in January?

Small portable green house about to be erected on the Belvedere (highest terrace and maximum sunshine) to accommodate the first seed trays of the season. End of January is a good time to start tomatoes. This gives the sturdiest plants for potting out in late April and early cropping at the end of June ( blink and the gardening year is nearly over). The beginning of February is a good time to get Aubergine, Cucumber, Chilli and Sweet Pepper seeds ‘in’ as they all like a slow lazy start for maximum production in the summer.

Good time to give a winter feed to apple, peach, nectarine, plum and cherry trees and all flowering shrubs and plants (particularly roses). A nutritional boost just now maximises the bud and flower production for the coming season. Raspberry plants can be transplanted with ease just now. Any good looking prunings can be planted to a depth of one spade ‘spit’ and ignored until April, by which time they will be rooted and ready to flower and crop this summer.

                                                                                                                                                                       

The pure white of the Arum Lily trumpets is reminiscent of the ‘Snow Fields’ of the North Yorkshire Moors in the grip of the ‘ever freezing’ mid-winter. Such a relief to be enjoying mid day temperatures in the high ‘teens’, even if there is a morning chill. Just the boost needed for an ‘Ageing Ex-Pat’.

The always beautiful Arum Lily

Is that the tintinnabulation of the Head Gardener’s bell that skips over the glittering orange tree leaves?  Coffee would be most welcome – 

must dash – 

see you soon.

Stuart.

For those of you who are wondering - Rudi is making excellent progress

WELCOME TO 2016

7^TH JANUARY -  CENTRAL PORTUGAL.

Rain, rain, and even more rain, accompanied by strong winds, means the ‘drought’ is over in Portugal. Last December has been the driest month since records began (wonderful journalistic ‘cliche’ meaning ‘ Since the ‘Journo’ could remember and as he/she is possibly still in late ‘teens’ around the turn of the century). So during the deluge, currently of ‘Biblical’ proportions, the potting shed stove is being well stoked and the majority of the garden left to its own devices (amazing how it usually survives a wet winter without a great deal of horticultural interference).

Whilst in the process of tabulating the various remedial seeds plus the newly acquired varieties for next season, a list was produced entitled ‘2016 Seeds Available’, the HG happened to drop in on the Potting Shed (suitably armed with mug of coffee) looked at the list in wonderment and asked the question ‘You haven’t counted them all individually have you’ (response – wry smile from the tabulator – causing swift exit with pink cheeks by the HG).

So what is in the running for cultivation in 2016? Must concentrate in the ‘Veg Patch’ on Blight resistant strains where possible. With hindsight, the tomato that triumphed was ‘Cristal F1’. Good crop, started early and continued until late October, and remarkably free from ‘Blight’ and other problems. ‘Sweet Baby’ was very prolific but fruit too small, ‘Principe Borghese’ cropped well with few problems, and good old ‘Money Maker’ plodded on with heavy production but undistinguished flavour. ‘California Wonder’ is still the best all round sweet pepper, early starter, long season, constant supply of large firm peppers. Having promised to reduce the Hot Chilli production last season , the five varieties planted (down from fourteen the previous year) all had fun producing bumper crops from Piri Piri, Hotschotch, Paper Lantern, Jalapeno and Celia (own cross between Cayenne and Scotch Bonnet).

Courgettes were moderate, season seemed very short this year with the heat of June and July forcing the growing season and the inevitable ‘Mildew’ on many varieties arriving early. Patty Pans, all colours, were poor, however, the ‘F1 Hybrid’ Soleil (Short Golden Yellow) was outstanding and profuse. Cucumbers were slow in starting to fruit but made up for this deficiency in late June and July with their fecundity. Aubergines (all grown in tubs last summer) were splendid in their quantity, size and magnificent rich colour.

Beans, climbing and ‘French’, were very miserable, lots of flower then little fruit (still asking ‘Why’ must investigate, maybe shortage of insects?). Sweet Corn, planted forty seeds got sixty deliciously sweet large cobs, enough said. Of the other assorted vegetables and ‘Salads’ planted nothing stood out except the various Lettuces (around six different colours and shapes) which seemed to avoid ‘Bolting’ for longer than usual, still picking now.

The flower garden soldiers on through the miasma of winter weather. The stoic Cyclamen carry on regardless, Roses still budding, bulbs (both Tulip and Iris) showing on all their pots, Knifophia and Fuchsias still flowering completely out of season. Inside the Orchids are in full splendour to accompany the blatant ‘blousiness’ of the Amarylis trumpets.

Lovely indoor show of exotic looking blooms

Phaleonopsis orchid

and another

Amarylis (Hippeastrum) boldly scarlet

Oranges and Tangerines taste terrific, Lemons on the perpetual tree are ripening to a beautiful ‘Lemon’ yellow (what else could they do) and the Diosperos (not quite the ‘Sharon Fruit of Israel’, these are basically inedible!!!!) are about to split the tree in half with the over laden branches.

Diosperos tree groaning under the weight of fruit

Plentiful supply of tangerines

The military precision of percussive rain hammering the potting Shed window has so far dissuaded further hot coffee supply from the HG’s warm and cosy lair,

 must dash -  still might be a chance between the claps of thunder.

See you soon,

Stuart.  

Rudi feeling "at home" with his old slipper

PS. Our little ‘Christmas Miracle’, Rudi, is settling in to regular diet of four meals a day (little and often after the weeks of starvation)) which has had an astonishing effect, as can be seen from the picture. Feeding, together with a little love and companionship from ‘Ferdy’, are making for a much improved life for our ‘Christmas Eve Foundling’.