What's your garden veg like?

[oliveview01]

Despite watering every evening we have given up on our veg plot. Our cherry tomatoes are the only good crop we have had this year. The excessive heat has bleached the tomatoes on the other plants, peppers are small and just not thriving, aubergine the same . We have had 2 courgettes. Decided to buy what we need from the people who sell veg at the chiringuito bar on Sundays. A couple of years ago I bottled over 100 bottles of tomatoes from our crop and made fritta too . This year have bottled 2 jars! Will keep what well water we have left for the flower garden!

[gavilan]

similar here ... have given up watering the tomatoes etc ... bleached like yours ... and with so little rain last winter, even the fig tree is wilting and losing its leaves!

[Flexo]

Growing vegetables here is not like in the UK. You have to:

1. Sterilize the soil before you plant anything, tomatoes in particular (kill nematodes)
2. Intercrop tomato and peppers (repel nematodes)
3. Use shade cloth for the vegetables in the summer months, use 30% ish grade white cloth

OTW, get planting bags and keep the bags away from the ground (like on a bench or similar) or get a hydroponic set.

[BENIDORM]

We gave up trying to grow veg a few years ago, apart from the 'fun of it' the produce is so cheap to buy in locally and we do get most of our veg from the local gardeners.
Now stick to trying to keep a few flowers growing..

Regards,
Gordon ( former 'Green Fingers )

[Wicksey]

Ditto .... any attempts to grow veg here have been a disaster

[Martin Page]

STOP thinking of the British growing seasons ...

A typical British Spring in Spain is at the first rains in October. Harvest in December/January

You get another 'Spring' at the end of January harvest in June/July for Summer produce ...things like salads , tomatoes, squash and melon.

Find a nursery or Co-op to buy plants from ..... NOT garden Centres ( they will sell plants at any time) !!!

Watch local co-op growers to know when to plant what ...

Once I stopped thinking British gardening everything slotted into place.

The garden Is Barren now - 'cept Toms growing in the shade and butternut squash under a plan tree both with Irrigation, having had a belting Crop of everything this year = except Ginger

[country boy]

STOP thinking of the British growing seasons ...

A typical British Spring in Spain is at the first rains in October. Harvest in December/January

You get another 'Spring' at the end of January harvest in June/July for Summer produce ...things like salads , tomatoes, squash and melon.

You are soooo right Martin! Two crops a year, it's a doddle and saves on water!!

[oliveview01]

We have grown veg winter /spring/summer without too many problems , apart from fruit rats one year and excessive rain another. This is the first time our veg has failed us due to the heat . We were speaking to some Spanish gardeners this morning, they are both experienced gardeners and have had a really bad time growing this year due to the heat.

[Campo Steve]

Our veggies all died, despite regular watering, at an early stage. Not everyones's has failed. Our Spanish neighbour keeps bringing us cucumber snd marrows he has grown.

[Campo Steve]

Growing vegetables here is not like in the UK. You have to:

1. Sterilize the soil before you plant anything, tomatoes in particular (kill nematodes)
2. Intercrop tomato and peppers (repel nematodes)
3. Use shade cloth for the vegetables in the summer months, use 30% ish grade white cloth

OTW, get planting bags and keep the bags away from the ground (like on a bench or similar) or get a hydroponic set.

How do you sterilizethe soil?

[Flexo]

How do you sterilizethe soil?

You can use black plastic. Just flush the soil with water and put plastic over, let it boil in the sun for a week. It is only a temporary solution but it is essential anywhere where the soil doesn't freeze in the winter.

[Martin Page]

I have never had to sterilize the soil yet .... and its full of life from the home made compost.

[gavilan]

and I see El Cid (in Seville thread) telling us that this is the hottest July for 15 years ...

[Wicksey]

Our plants just seem to cook in the heat. Our grapes have been eaten this year which is a first, and our lemons all dropped off one day last week and were soft .... I think they just boiled on the tree.

[Flexo]

I have never had to sterilize the soil yet .... and its full of life from the home made compost.

So how is your tomatoes?

[gavilan]

?Does anyone know when this current heatwave is forecast to finish or diminish? I can cope with the heat (just) but the lack of wind, breeze or even the slightest breath is defeating me ...

[oliveview01]

Our temperatures have been downgraded from a predicted 45-46 to just 41 degrees for 2 more days, then down to mid 30's so hopefully it is over very soon Gavilan!

[gavilan]

thanks for that positive information oliveview01 ... I so look forward to some more reasonable temperatures!
apart from this being the hottest July for 15 years, the other difference I note is the increase in those horrible tiny flies which get in thro the fly screens and cluster around light bulbs and then bite you when you are asleep! I used to enjoy reading in bed at night but those creatures make it impossible to do so comfortably! ?has anyone any remedies/solutions for deterring such things?!

[swerve]

STOP thinking of the British growing seasons ...

A typical British Spring in Spain is at the first rains in October. Harvest in December/January

You get another 'Spring' at the end of January harvest in June/July for Summer produce ...things like salads , tomatoes, squash and melon.

You are soooo right Martin! Two crops a year, it's a doddle and saves on water!!

Any tips on what you are growing country boy also when are you planting the different crops.

Just for future reference. Thanks.

[country boy]

On the two crop rota: French Beans, Carrots,Potatoes, Beetroot and all the salad stuff.
Brassicas once a year only, first sowings of early Sprouts end June, main sowing end July including Caulis, Spring Cabbage and Broccoli, we love Romanesco..do try it!!.
Onions/ Leeks I buy seedlings and plant in January along with main crop potatoes.
I try to have the beds empty by the end on June, sooner if possible. I never plant out/sow anything until the end of September. Early potatoes I plant in the dust in early September and wait for the rains to start them.

My veg plot is manured annually with well rotted horse manure ( obtained from an English friend up the road) Over the years I have added tonnes of sharp sand to the clay we are blessed with here in Pizarra and the soil is now not bad at all, even have a few worms!!
Generally I find veg gardening really is just because I like doing it rather than for economic or even quality reasons. Stuff down here is just so good and cheap you can't fault it.
I do pull the carrots very young that really is a treat, nothing like young fresh tender carrots, you can't buy those!