A Creative Spirit
With the escalating cost of fruit and vegetables one month ago I decided to experiment and grow Courgettes (Zucchini), tomatoes and cucumbers throughout the winter, or at least until Autumn turns to winter in November. Who knows, maybe the weather will be kind and they will continue to grow into January and February - we... Continue Reading →
For this Week's SoS (Six on Saturday) I 'dug deep' and selected some of my more unusual specimens. I grow most of my plants in pots as they are easier to manage - especially plants that need to be moved to a more sheltered position in the winter. Thankfully, it's been much cooler this week... Continue Reading →
We are only halfway through July in the Western Algarve and already my vegetables have frizzled in the extreme temperatures and hot Southernly winds. With temperatures topping just under 40C and the serious threat of drought it's time to start gradually winding down and covering exposed soil until the autumn. It's been a while since... Continue Reading →
Fortunately, we've had more rain this week. Not much but just enough to keep us on edge when we planned a BBQ or to invite friends round for a coffee on the terrace. A New Member of the Family - Solanum Rantonnetti We can always find room for one more plant, yes? Last week I... Continue Reading →
For my Six on Saturday this week I have focused on our fruit trees which usually normally offer more challenges than fruit. Most people here have an abundance of produce from the popular almond trees, plums, apples, oranges, lemons, advocados, figs, olives etc,, but not us. Nope, we struggle and although I am reliabily informed:... Continue Reading →
My choices for Six on Saturday this week, focus once again on vegetables. I believe the hours spent nurturing all these plants help to keep me sane in the light of the daily challenges we face with COVID. Nature is a great healer and brings peace in these times of stress. Growing Leeks and Garlic... Continue Reading →
My Six on Saturday garden diary this week focuses on vegetables and herbs. This year I've grown the majority of plants from seed with a mixed degree of success and failure. The ants stole most of the seeds I planted directly in the ground and the ones that did survive in the cold frame, the... Continue Reading →
I'm not sure if it's just the garden centres in our area or has it become a more universally accepted practice to allow plants to sit in trays of water so the roots turn brown and start to rot? I bought several plants this week, including the Fuschias where once the pot was removed exposed... Continue Reading →
It's been another busy and challenging week in the garden. We can't go anywhere, do anything or see anyone so the bugs, birds and plants have the pleasure of our undivided attention. 1. Beetroot Blues Only two seeds of the Hullahup beetroot I planted on Feb 22nd have finally germinated Over a month of twice... Continue Reading →
I started writing my gardening post at seven this morning yet here we are nearly seven in the evening and I am only just finished. We have been extremely busy in the garden this week and the three raised veg beds are almost finished. I will create a separate post to review those later in... Continue Reading →
It's been a challenging week. Maybe I should have titled the post: Six Challenges One of the solar Pestbye cat scarers I bought through Amazon Germany and delivered last week has died already! I reported it but as they are having a high volume of traffic it may be some time before I get a... Continue Reading →
It has rained at some point every day this week, apart from Friday when the sky was blue and the sun shone with the heat of an English summer. Removing layers of jumpers I stripped down to a t-shirt. Starving mosquitoes, after weeks of rain, lost no opportunity in feasting on my bare arms as... Continue Reading →
This has not been a good week and to top it off all the photographs I took earlier this morning are still stuck in my gmail send box. Late this afternoon, I finally found a work around by sending the photos via Yahoo and they sent within mintues! So much for getting up early to... Continue Reading →
The temperatures this week are back to 'winter' normal so I can pack away my thermal underwear and stand down from fire duty. Remembering to feed the fire with logs all day to keep us warm, is a time-consuming and a labour of love. 1. Cats %&G&$$, CATS! - How Do You Deter Them? This... Continue Reading →
This week we were greeted with a rare and unexpected ground frost which took us by surprise. While it is common to have minus temperatures down in the valley, where we are upon the cliffs, not so much! We've just gone back into COVID lockdown but as we've become a pair of hermits it does... Continue Reading →
While daytime temperatures during the previous week were warm and sunny this week the sun has been replaced by mostly cloud and an icy wind driving temperatures down to as low as 9C. As well as the cold, we also have to contend with the humidity. Not the type of humidity usually associated with oppressive... Continue Reading →
It's been a while since I participated in Six on Saturday so with my 2020 personal challenges hopefully behind me I have decided to take up gardening with renewed enthusiasm and reconnect with my gardening blogging buddies! Raises spade to a 'Hopeful' New Year. Over the years I have been tempted to abandon my often... Continue Reading →
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 →
Piglet in Portugal 