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Justin GARDENING with Justin Wride

The Portugal News 7 Jan 2012

Preparation, preparation, preparation

Hello readers, welcome to my fortnightly column for all gardening enthusiasts in the Algarve. Over the coming months I am going to share with you my knowledge of gardening and landscaping that I have built up from over 20 years working here in the Algarve. I will cover top-soils, weed prevention, irrigation, plants that will thrive in the Algarve, companion planting, organic gardening, vegetable growing plus a whole host of tips on pruning, seeding and fertilising that I have picked up (some from trial and error), that will enhance your gardening experience and give you an easier and more understandable approach to the specific problems you face when gardening here on the Algarve. Each edition, I will focus on a plant of the week not just the pretty, scented flowers but also on shrubs with beautiful foliage that will stand out in your garden or create vibrancy in your borders or rockeries.

TOP ALGARVE TIPS

1. General Insecticide: Blend together 2-3 cloves of garlic, 6-8 piri-piris and 2 tablespoons of a mild, bleach free soap solution with hot water. Sieve to remove the larger bits and pour into a spray bottle. Leave to stand for 2-3 days. Use against ants, caterpillars and aphids. 2. Dont throw away your banana skins. Tuck them in the soil especially around roses as the skins are full of nutrients for the garden. 3. Never use mulched oleanders on your soil or use as kindling for the BBQ. This plant is highly toxic and poisonous. - More about toxic plants in later editions.

hen you buy your dream home here, pretty much everything is included within your property, but little thought is given to the area which everyone sees before they reach the front door. When creating the perfect garden you can never put too much stress on preparation, preparation, preparation and that must start literally from the ground up. The soil here in the Algarve apart from some higher plateaued areas is made up of heavy clay and rocky soil with little or no organic matter. So before you think of venturing into the beautifully laid out garden centre to buy some plants, you must improve the quality of the soil you will be putting them in to. To do this you should invest in some top soil to give the perfect balance of water holding capacity which will give your new plants a much needed boost and allow the new roots to spread and flourish. There are many top-soil providers in the Algarve but the consistency of what they provide always changes so be sure to ask for a sample before you buy. To check the quality of the soil, take a handful in two hands and squeeze together to form a rough ball it should bind easily

in your hands but then crumble away when disturbed. Expect to pay between 16-30 euros per cubic metre excluding delivery. Most of it will be a sand base mixed with sieved local soil while others will have a manure or compost added. Stretch your budget and bring in as much as you can afford, as this will be the best investment you can make in the preparation of any future gardening projects. If you live near stables or a farm, then ask if you can have some manure. As a rule of thumb, horse or cow manure is best for all parts of the garden. Make sure its well rotted before adding it to the soil as green manure i.e. still fresh, can be too strong for new plants and cause them more harm than good. Apply it early spring or autumn on existing gardens to benefit from the rainy season washing it through the soil. You can also buy bird manure here in the Algarve called Super Dragao or Guano sold in large blue sacks of approx.. 30kg. It smells pretty awful but your plants will love it once it has been mixed with your existing soil and broken down as its filled with phosphorous and nitrogen. Next time I will talk about irrigation and ways to save on your gardening water bills.

For any questions or more information on any item discussed you can contact me on jmwride@hotmail.com

PLANT OF THE WEEK

GARDENERS TO DO LIST JANUARY

1. January is great time for planting hedges, trees and bushes as the rainy season eliminates the need for the extra irrigation needed for the large roots to bed into the soil. 2. Prune the bougainvillea, wisteria, oleander and hibiscus ready for new growth in the early spring. 3. For vegetables plant cabbage, cauliflower and broad beans.

Alternanthera Parrot Leaf

These genus of perennials are often called Parrot Leaf due to their striking foliage. It can be green and mottled in summer but watch it change through the seasons to almost scarlet and orange in winter. It looks quite stunning in your garden and even better when planted in gravel beds. Try planting in Monchique grey gravel for stunning contrasts. Forms a carpet of colour if you plant many together. Easy to find here in garden centres, you can buy it quite cheaply in small pots for less than 5 euros. Although tropical in nature it loves the Algarve. Plant in full sun or part shade - and dont forget the top soil!!

Justin Wride