A Creative Spirit in Portugal
The temperatures this week have dropped dramatically as the autumn breeze brings an icy chill. Although our weather station still records temperatures in the low twenties during the day, step away from the shelter of the terrace then shorts and sleeveless tops are quicky replaced for warmer clothes. Night temperatures have also plummeted as low... Continue Reading →
This week has brought further gardening challenges as my lack of mobility still hinders progress working in the garden. Last week I made a 'muscle' job list of work that we would probably need to employ some help with lifting and heavy digging. But as I wandered around the garden I realized that was just... Continue Reading →
Thanks to time out due to replacement knee surgery this is my first Six on Saturday post for several weeks. My 'Gnome', aka OH, has made an excellent job keeping most things alive during my stay in hospital and subsequent recovery. Unfortunately, for Gnome, I now have a long job list to see us through... Continue Reading →
My Six on Saturday this week is another mixed bag of the joys of growing vegetables. We still have not had rain (apart from mizzle and sea mist) and I confess this is a cause for concern as I read unless we have rain soon there will not be enough water to see the Algarve... Continue Reading →
Over the last few months I have been meaning to undertake some general maintenance aka TLC to my expanding collection of succulents and cacti. Many have either outgrown their pots, are infested with woolly aphids and mealybugs, or have dead leaves and debris which is rotting between their fleshy leaves or at the base of... Continue Reading →
My six on Saturday this week focuses on some of my vegetable success stories which makes a change from my usual woes regarding blight, grey/white mold, and the rogue blackbird. While growing fruit and vegetables in containers are more challenging than growing in raised beds or directly in the ground it does have some advantages... Continue Reading →
I am curious. While removing and disposing of some tomato plants that had contracted the dreaded blight I wondered if I should dispose of the remaining soil in the pots or would the UV rays from the sun kill any blight bacteria? Apparently, high UV kills COVID-19 virus on surfaces so why not blight, especially... Continue Reading →
It was difficult to select six highlights for my garden diary 'six on Saturday' this week. There is so much going on in the garden, including projects, I am spoiled for choice. My Gnome has been busy working his fingers to the bone, cutting our huge Melaleuca privacy hedge, moving the contents from the old... Continue Reading →
The temperatures this week have almost made gardening unbearable but as they say: the 'early bird catches the worm' so the Gnome and I started work before 8am. We've not only been working in the vegetable area but have started a new project - more on this next week! Last week, a fellow six... Continue Reading →
While I aspire to achieve a certain level of vegetable self-suffiency, I am a realist and accept my limited mobility and available growing space dictates how much I can grow. The secret is probably to keep a constant supply of new seedlings in production and, unlike other years, the moment a plant becomes stressed or... Continue Reading →
