A Creative Spirit
As September drifts into October in a blaze of sunshine, albeit accompanied by a chilly breeze, I now curse my tardiness for not going to the local monthly market last Sunday to buy broccoli, lettuce and maybe some cucumber plugs. Why didn't I go? It rained. A poor excuse, especially since I'll miss the next... Continue Reading →
Yep, it's time to take stock of what's growing, or not. Water is scarce, and this week I've had to make some tough decisions. The water butts are empty and mains water is expensive. If you are on a water meter, you will understand. Last year, I saved every drop of grey water from the... Continue Reading →
Yesterday, some German friends who are keen gardeners came for dinner. Needless to say, the subject of my ailing vegetables was raised, and said guests were asked to inspect and pass judgment as to the cause. I gave them the list of suggestions already offered. The guy checked the pot drainage, watering, sunlight, leaves, etc.... Continue Reading →
Any veg experts out there? I planted six Zucchini plants in large pots with quality soil, so it is not unreasonable to expect a bumper harvest. I had grand plans to make Zucchini and Tomato chutney, pickled Zucchini, etc. I rubbed my hands together in glee as every plant produced flowers and baby zucchini. I... Continue Reading →
Despite the unseasonable weather, our vegetables are putting their best foot forward, and the seed plugs I bought at the end of March continue to thrive. This week's six is an update on fruit and vegetable progress. https://pigletinportugal.com/2025/03/29/march-garden-diary-chores-and-challenges-seeds-or-vegetable-plugs/ Zucchini Growing in Containers The Zucchini plugs I bought at the monthly market at the end of... Continue Reading →
Last week, I shared an overview of the South garden and pool area in my post April Garden Diary – A Tour of My Garden (part 1). This week, I focus on the east, west and north gardens, which include a small terrace and vegetable area. We try to keep it tidy, but it is always... Continue Reading →
Today, as I walked around my vegetable garden during the lull between heavy showers and gale-force winds to inspect the damage inflicted by Storm Martinho, I wondered how many of us--if push came to shove--could grow our own fruit and vegetables. A random question. Maybe not. With the world teetering on the brink of war... Continue Reading →
Nothing much at the moment because I've not got my butt into gear. No, seriously. There are plenty of brassicas, onions, carrots, etc, for sale at the local monthly market, but after the drought last summer, I've decided to restrict what I grow. The caterpillar, slug and snail population only munch their way through any... Continue Reading →
Olá, fellow gardeners, let's raise a glass to a productive 2025. I'm ashamed to say Ineglected my vegetable area and garden during November and December, and now I am paying the price with an abundance of weeds. I also discovered a few surprises, such as a yellow pepper that we used in the Christmas Day... Continue Reading →
For my Six on Saturday gardening update this week, I've put the job list on hold for a week to give poor Mr. Piglet time to recover. Today, I focus on Piglet's Plot and what's happening (or not) in the vegetable area. I am pleased to report we've had a lot of heavy showers this... Continue Reading →
As we move into September, reviewing pictures of my vegetable garden diary from previous years has highlighted that growing certain crops is a waste of time, energy, and expense, and that's before I factor in the stress factor. https://pigletinportugal.com/2012/10/08/portugal-growing-fruit-and-vegetables-september/ I know I am stubborn, and apparently, God loves a trier, but sometimes you just have... Continue Reading →
It doesn't seem possible that September is only a week away. Our vegetables grow weary from the continued sea mist which shrouds us in a cloud, and the sun plays peek-a-boo as the mist retreats only to return later. 1. Courgettes (Zuchinni) This is the last offering of courgettes. The leaves have white mould and... Continue Reading →
Welcome to the Foodie Friday Challenge. Let's talk about food. Whether it's sharing your favourite recipes, growing fruit and vegetables, your harvest ups and downs, hints and tips, or pictures of plates of food - even diets. If it's food-related, why not post it on your blog and add it to the Foodie Friday Blog... Continue Reading →
We returned home from France to damp and humid weather. When I woke up the following day, this is the view I was greeted with. I initially cheered because I thought it was raining. Nope, we were enveloped in a cloud! Sea mist. We often experience this in July and August as we live so... Continue Reading →
For this week's Gardening Six on Saturday (SoS), I have chosen the fruits of my labour. A shout out to Mr. Piglet, who is now the main grafter while I supervise. A nod to our gardening host, Jim, over at Garden Ruminations. 1. Red Onions - June Harvest Finally, the red onions I planted in... Continue Reading →
This morning, I wandered around our garden looking for plants to feature in this week's Six on Saturday and with so many surprises, good and bad, I struggled to make a selection. I shamefully neglected my garden last week while we entertained family over on a week's holiday, and now I am playing catchup. It's... Continue Reading →
For this week's Six on Saturday, I focus on some of the fruit and vegetables we grow in pots with varying degrees of success. Growing fruit and vegetables or indeed any plants in containers, creates various challenges, which include: Too much water or not enough: I use a moisture meter because often the top couple... Continue Reading →
I like to keep a monthly diary of the fruit and veg I'm growing in my urban garden - successes and failures. It's worth noting the temperature in the Western Algarve is cooler than East and Central. While we do not experience ground frosts, many inland areas do. We seem to have our own microclimate.... Continue Reading →
The weather here continues to be warm and dry. Daytime temperatures range from 16C to 26C. We've had some rain but not enough to impact the drought situation so I continue to recycle as much grey water as possible. It's tough. I spent today feeding and watering all the plants using a watering can, writing... Continue Reading →
The weather over the last week continues to be reasonably hot, achieving temperatures of around 25C but still no rain. I am recycling water and reusing as much as I physically can. aka storing all the pool backwash, water from shower, dehumidifiers, collecting water in bowls etc. etc. Rant warning: While out for a walk... Continue Reading →
Piglet in Portugal 