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SilverCoast Holidays - Portugal |
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February 2011 |
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Week Five
This was a good week weather wise, quite warm at times and dry.
Our hunt for bottles with tops continued through a friends neighbour who through someone else knew of an outlet that he was sure could help us, so mid week we took ourselves off to Marinha Grande, which is known to be the glass manufacturing area for Portugal. We had been on several trips here before in our search but this contact was not in the main industrial area so we would never had found him on our own. Bingo! We struck gold, the guy was great and also had a great supply of jars some of which we already use and some that will be perfect for future product lines. Proves the point it’s not what you know but who you know!!
With the ground still recovering from the recent rains we began a project to “fence” around the pool. We don’t want it to be really closed in but to give enough cover for privacy. Wooden posts were purchased from the Co-op, with these we will build open trellis so plants can be grown around and over it, this should be ideal to grow kiwi vines on.
The ground was just about workable by Thursday so the areas where last years chillies were grown got turned over, some of it for the first time, it needs doing so the soil opens up to allow the rain in which in turn will help open it up too.
Heavy frosts for 3 mornings at the start of the week has not helped the seedlings. On Tuesday I was able to scrape frost off the outside of the large poly! A first for us. Lost half the tomatoes, peppers are a no show and the basil was almost all lost - this is the gamble you take with early sowings.
Week Six
Weather still good, it tends to be misty first thing but the sun soon burns it off and we have a glorious day. It is warming up nicely now so much so that on Sunday when we were putting in some posts we had to stop at midday as it was too warm to work in the direct sunshine.
Not a lot of ground work was done this week, the area turned over last week got done again which has done it a world of good. Parsley plants grown last year have been lifted and brought up to be planted next to the oregano and more garlic was planted directly into the soil.
With Valentines day approaching we have spent a lot of time preparing for the promotional event being held at Union Jacs. We will be going with our usual range of products and new lines lime marmalade and spiced plum chutney. For this event we have also made chilli chocolate heart shaped cakes filled with cream and cherries which have been soaked in ‘Ginja’, all covered in a soft dark chocolate coating and decorated with white chocolate silver balls and red icing. See what you missed!!!!
Week Seven
What a nightmare week this has been, for almost the entire week it has rained with thunder and lightening, and when I say rain it has come down in gallons. The majority of our land is on a slope so the water has washed over the road, down through the orchard and made streams where there were no streams before. Our Portuguese neighbour gave us a date of the 22nd of this month to plant our potatoes …. Not a hope! it will be weeks before they can be put in the ground and that’s if the weather behaves!! There were a few seed pots sown last month that needed to be potted on so that got done, at least its dry in the poly! and it was a week to visit friends in the area while we could.
Week Eight
It’s funny, we left the UK where we spoke about the weather daily and what do I do now? Talk about the weather! It’s an important factor in our lives here as we have to plan our growing around the rains and then later in the year we have the hot sun to contend with.
With the ground too wet to work on there were a few low priority jobs we were able to look at. The decked area by the pool had to be treated, it has a lot to put up with being in full sun and getting wet, we tried a special varnish last summer but the protection didn’t last so we are trying linsead oil this time. More trellis work done around the pool, it’s looking good.
Seed poly was cleared and tidied so all this months inside sowings were completed. Towards the end of the week some of the ground was just about workable so 76 cabbage and cauliflowers were planted out then netted to prevent the rabbits having a feast, also 2 more rows of broad beans, peas and 3 rows of garlic were planted.
Still no chance for the potatoes, lets hope the sunny weather stays for a bit and dries up the land.
February Sowings and Plantings
Chives, Coriander, Rosemary, Thyme, Roma Tomatoes, Beetroot, Broad Beans, Carrots, Lettuce, Onions (Ramata Milano, Red Amposta & Salola Tardia), Kiwi Vines, Marigolds & Californian Wonder Peppers |
