Hello from....Spain!

[Alec]

Hi everyone

Just a brief word of introduction from a newbie. 30 years ago I set up the East Hampshire Self-Sufficiency Group, which is still going strong with 100-plus active families involved. Over the years while we lived in Liss Forest, we've cultivated a big veg-and-fruit plot, and at various times we kept pigs, goats, chickens, geese, sheep and a house cow. Three years ago my wife and I moved to mid-France, to restore an old farmhouse. The land was really fertile, everything just grew and grew, but the winters were just too terrible with a constant bitter wind from the east. So we carried on south to Spain, and now live overlooking the mediterranean (and we can even see the north African coast on a clear day). We're restoring/establishing a steeply sloping tropical fruit garden of 5,000 square metres with bananas, mangoes, pomegranates, oranges, lemons, almonds, olives, peaches, apricots, lychees, grapefruit, nispero. The climate's great here (we still swim each day!) but it's too much of a good thing in mid-summer, when it's too hot to work which gets boring, so we're looking to do a home-swap with like-minded people back in what we still call home! We're interested in the environment, wildlife, seed-swaps and general gardening chat!

[Green Aura]

Ola Alec

Sounds fantastic!

Welcome

[ina]

bananas, mangoes, pomegranates, oranges, lemons, almonds, olives, peaches, apricots, lychees, grapefruit, nispero

drool... (What's nispero?)

Anyway, welcome to the world of Ish. Much as I envy you all that fruit - even if you can buy it here, it just has no taste, having been picked unripe - the heat would be far too much for me, too...

[Alec]

drool... : (What's nispero?)

Ah... it's also called loquat, if that is of any help. It's a tree that is easy to grow (but susceptible to frost, of course) and has masses of small sweet yellow fruits.

I so agree about the tasteless fruit so often sold in the UK. Here we can buy lots of things at the market, straight from the grower, which are genuinely sun-ripened. Mangoes in particular, my absolute favourite!

Many of our fruit trees were only planted this spring and so haven't produced any fruit yet, but they're looking very promising. Fingers crossed for next year!

[ina]

Thanks - I've heard of loquat, don't think I've eaten them. Have almost given up buying fruit - nothing has any taste. Even the English apples I've been buying recently are useless; Cox Orange hard, green, and sour...

[Clara]

Bienvenidos....given what you're growing you're obviously a lot lower down than us (though I have very skilled neighbours who have a fruiting banana plant, very small bananas!). Hola from the sierra nevada!

Loquats are yum, but our tree has failed the last two years any ideas? Probably late frosts I guess.

[hedgewitch]

Hola y bienvenidos!
Your fruit garden sounds amazing!!

[Millymollymandy]

Hello and welcome!

[Alec]

Thanks to all for your warm welcome - and it's good to hear, Clara, that I'm not the only member living in Spain!

We are about 350 metres up, but only ten minutes drive from the Algarrobo coast, so the climate is definitely milder than in the Sierra Nevada. We also have an ancient weekend cottage in the mountains near Colmenar (which we bought as a ruin seven years ago); that's at 750 metres and in a much colder area, where our choice of crops is much restricted.

As for your nispero problem, Clara, that's difficult to say as we only planted our one tree early last autumn and we're still learning. According to a book I have, it has medium fgrost resistance and should grow at up to 1200 metres, so it sounds pretty tough. Maybe it just needs more time to settle in. Our has masses of buds at the moment, but if they are flower buds I hope they survive the winter, or wait until a suitable time before they open. The seasons are all up the creek here at the moment after this crazy weather.

Incidentally our one apple tree is in full bloom at the moment. I wonder if it's six months early, or six months late?

[Rosendula]

Hi

[benjyevans]

Hola
We are in Frigiliana and are expanding our growing by preparing to take over a small veg plot thats been left , so a lot of work to come. Although not as much as you I think. I have a spare copy of Growing Healthy Vegetables in Spain by Clodagh and Dick Handscombe if you dont have it and would like it? Had 2 for gifts. We love the Autumns here with everything coming back to life after the summer heat. Were still swimming to. (Sorry uk 'ers' ). Off back to the UK next week for a visit and not looking forward to the chill.

[carolinej]

My son and his partner have moved to Mijas Costa, near Malaga. I was hoping to get to find out about the veg growing in the gardens around there, but he says it is mainly fruit trees where he is.

I will be looking out for your news on what grows well and how much earlier than us you get it.

I'll try not to get too jealous

cj

[gardengirl]

Hi there and welcome I live in s w france. are you glad you moves to the south of spain ? sounds lovly if a bit hot in summer. You must have a good winter growing season ?

[Biscombe]

Small world! I'm in Orgiva!