So - Has this January been the wettest on record down here ?

[oliveview01]

We decided as it had not rained for 2 whole days (YIPEE ) we would go and clear up the oranges that were everywhere. The neighbours cousin had dug up 2 of the orange trees last weekend (we did have 14 trees, far too many for 2 folk) so there were the branches to sort out. We picked off loads of oranges and we must have buried, well not buried, put in the holes the roots had left, at least 1,000 oranges We have 3 crates, 1 wheelbarrow, 2 sacks, 1 washing basket full of oranges in the garage. Tomorrow friends are coming across for some, thank goodness. We will take some into a local bar on Monday- I´d rather give them away then have to bury them
While we were tidying up the soil was a bit on the soggy side, not too bad we thought, but all the walking about made the ground very boggy, hubby lost his favourite gardening shoe when he sank well past his ankles in mud- it was so funny to watch I changed to my welly boots after that
Hopefully the weather is improving. We have a tiny crack in some cement on the roof- where the old wall and new wall join- so naturally water has come through the ceiling Hopefully it will be dry so it can be repaired this week.

[karandjon]

oliveview-we have over 90 orange trees and hubby has been out each week rain or thunderstorm, to collect! He fills the trailor with them and take them to the bins! Trouble here is, that everyone has loads of oranges so there is no call for them anywhere.
We have freshly squeezed juice daily, but that doesnt even make a dent in the amount of oranges we have!

[Wicksey]

What a shame all that fruit goes to waste. Isn't there a co-operative you can sell them to, Olive and Karen, and make some money?

The weather forecast for the next ten days looks much improved - I hope they are right for a change. The wind is bitterly cold here but it's nice to see the sun again. I noticed a lot of the soil on the edge of our plot that is planted with palm trees has suddenly sagged and dropped about half a metre. On closer inspection there are huge cracks opening up in the soil, so if there's much more of that heavy rain I think the whole lot will slide off down the hill, trees and all!

[oliveview01]

I hope your palm trees stay in their right place and don´t end up at the bottom of the hill Wicksey!
Our neighbour sold some oranges to a local shop, I don´t think he got more that 5€ for 2 big crates full. I was out walking this morning and noticed someone had dumped a load of oranges along the track. The next door neighbour said they had picked up 2 wheelbarrows of oranges and dumped them in their olive grove. On the tv last week there was an orange farmer pulling up his trees as it was so expensive to water them and not get the return back. At least we got rid of 2 crates full today, friends took them. Tomorrow we have other friends coming over- guess what they will be taking back with them?
But the good news is:........ we sold 33 eggs today so 5.50€ in the hen food money box Hope the hens lay well tomorrow- we are completely out of eggs And I dropped an egg as I picked it out of the nesting box too:( The hens have all but paid for their next sacks of food

[karandjon]

Hi Wicksey - hope your land holds up!! With regars co-ops for oranges, like i say..everyone has orange trees around here, lodem, so really is no call for any more. i think the people with 50,000m2 planted with them will be selling to them as opposed to us with just a small 5,000m2 !!
I wouldnt dig them up though. I love all our fruit trees. Makes a great garden!

[oliveview01]

We have 9 orange trees, 4 (or 5) plum trees, 2 pear, 1 lemon 1 walnut and 1 olive (big fat olives) We are going to get some more plum trees, at least we can stew/bottle/freeze/make jam out of the fruit. I´d like to get some nice crispy english type apple trees, but have only seen trees described as ´apple´ no label saying what type, only apple. I hate the soft mushy apples.

[karandjon]

We have a couple of apple, but not like you mean. I was told the english apple ones dont grow over where we are. These arent soft and mushy apples tho...the opposite...rather hard!

We had 3 different types of plum trees. first year the burgundy plum tree that usually heaves with pñums...died.....then a pine tree sprung up in its place and grew huge very very quickly. Last year our yellow plum tree died. we have a damson type one left...hope that doesnt die too!

others we have that grow well are (as well as the walnut, lemon, ornage & olive) are nisperros, asofaifa (sp), mandarin, pomegranate, grapefruit (brill), mulberry, fig, apricot, & nectarine.
I fancy a pear one. Does it grow well?

Karen x

[oliveview01]

Karen, The pears are only young so I can´t tell you on that one! We did have 2 nispero trees (tiny) but neither of us are that keen to a neighbour took them (they died, the trees not the neighbours) and we had a Khaki (sharon fruit) but neither of us are that keen on that so that was dug up and taken to another neighbours house We have 2 golden plum, 1 victoria type and the other is a red plum. The victoria was covered in bugs last year and the year before so it was severely chopped back last autumn,it is growing back now and looking much better. The yellow plum made wonderful jam.

[silver]

This web has weather history for Andalucia..by town..in English..
http://www.tutiempo.net/en/Climate/Spain/ES.html