anyone's garden struggling with drought?!

[Lavanda]

Our avocado tree at four years old and quite strong died in the frosts last year so I'll keep my fingers crossed.

To be honest, what is happening around you sounds like bad agricultural management. Who makes the plans?

[olive]

No one. Farming is king.

It would be a brave man or woman that stood in the way. of agricultural progress. One irritating thing that is happening is the use of surface concrete. Farmers put down concrete gulleys to stop further erosion of their land during torrential rain. This of course just transfers the problem to the neighbours land. There are dozens of examples near us. The worst was a fifty foot deep gulley by 100 foot wide that appeared and washed away numerous olive trees. To stop further erosion it is concreted over. The council aid and abet this by surfacing access tracks with metal grid and six inches of concrete. Yet if you want to make a small change to your rural property…….

[gavilan]

the problem in this area (Axarquia) is that agro businesses like Trops and Sigfrido have taken over and 'encouraged' local farmers to plant those sub-tropical trees and said farmers then have to direct all harvests to those companies to sell at their price ...so individual farmers then become slaves to those companies ... in my view that's not 'agricultural progress' ... add into the mix, that the planting of said trees takes no account of water availability in this area ... ... ... 'who makes the plans?' ... instead of there being respect and consideration for the land and water (as in times gone past) greed/profit/money becomes the sole aim ...

[Wicksey]

The young trees here are wrapped in fleece, so there are white pompoms all over the hills. I don't think anyone is worrying about the future, they are just hoping to make a fortune in the near future I think. They grow incredibly quickly and we've seen the trees planted just a few years back covered in masses of huge mangoes this year. We planted two trees 11 years ago when we moved here and we've barely had a handful of fruit off them and they are no bigger than when we planted them. They are irrigated but we do not water every day, so that's obviously what they are lacking, tons of water all the time and no doubt chemicals against any bugs. As we only have access to agricultural water I hope for our sake we don't run short, but it is a worry to us for the future here.

[Lavanda]

The watering thing is interesting. We, luckily, have a small seasonal stream on our finca but have two 'veins' of water running underground from the hills down to the stream area. We had a water diviner test the finca before we bought it. We have a 150m borehole for house water. (Total rip-off as they were paid per metre but, on the other hand, we have masses of water plus the necessary permissions and licences). We then have a well near the stream at the end of one of the water veins. The well is 6m deep and always has water but goes low in the summer and high when it rains — but always has some water, anyway.

I water all the flowers and pots around the house in the summer, prune my roses and rest them and don't water them at all and things survive all right. However, when the rains come everything flourishes and looks magnificent and, every year, I remind myself that although I think I am watering enough it is simply never, ever, really enough. It's not like rain, anyway.

[Wicksey]

We always say that, Lavanda, about the rain really deep watering everything. The irrigation never is the same, but we need more than a few days of rain each winter though. I've been to Extremadura in the spring and the wild flowers were just glorious.

[Lavanda]

We have had rain in the Autumn and big lots of rain throughout the Winter, so far. The almond blossoms are out and we have lavender on our hill. The flowers will be amazing this Spring — again.

[olive]

Here is a good illustration of my assertion that agriculture is king.

https://www.surinenglish.com/andalucia/ ... 13-nt.html

[Wicksey]

So being a National Park doesn't really mean that there's any protection? That's an awful plan.

[Wicksey]

https://www.surinenglish.com/malaga/eno ... 54-nt.html

Another article today about the drought in Malaga. Viñuela is only 16% full, or more to the point 84% empty!

[gavilan]

the question is ... ?what does one do with the anger, frustration and grief at what one sees so clearly and obviously going on all around us and yet we are powerless to make anyone stop and reconsider ...

[Lavanda]

You could start by forming a group. Get some Spanish people involved, including some climate change activists.

Invite biologists and agriculturalists to assess what is going on for a local university report (you won't need to pay for that).

Send out some denuncias (general ones and not specifics but include co-operativas).

Stage some protests. Get the local, and then national, press involved.

In other words — usual stuff, Gavilan.

[gavilan]

sorry Lavanda but I dont think any attempt at forming a protest group and making a noise about it all is going to make any difference ... in recent years there have been research projects and studies about the sustainability of sub tropicals in this dry area ... had no impact whatsoever ... it will be like the building boom of early 2000s ... everyone knew it was all too much but they went on selling land for development ... until the crash came in 2008 ... it will be like that with the subtropicals ie they will go on planting til the crash comes ie no more water for irrigation ... then we will see a landscape of dead and dying trees everywhere like we now see derelict half built blocks of flats and urbanisations all over the place ...

[gavilan]

ps maybe all one can do is vent one's frustration on A.com and know that there are some like-minded people who are experiencing similar if different issues around where they are living?!

[El Cid]

I’d rather you didn’t vent your frustration on the other forum members. Protest through the normal channels but I fear you won’t get very far.

Official protests about the Rules dam have been going on for years with no effect whatsoever.

Sid

[gavilan]

Sid wrote:' I’d rather you didn’t vent your frustration on the other forum members" ... sorry but I dont understand ... as far as I am aware I have not upset or offended anyone ... I havent been rude or used unacceptable words ... and I have found it helpful to know that other members have similar frustrations ... I thought A.com was a forum to share experiences of living in Andalucia. good and not so good ...

[El Cid]

I didn’t say that you had. I just suggested that you didn’t in future. Discuss is fine, yes, but venting your frustrations is not the same.

Also please remember that the subject of this thread is about members gardens, not the agricultural infrastructure. As far as I am aware no members have run out of water for their gardens yet.

Sid

[gavilan]

Sid wrote: ' ... I just suggested that you didn’t in future. ...' ... I didnt realise that i had acquired such a reputation for venting my frustrations on A.com to the extent that I can be judged/censored before I write anything! ... I would add that the 'agricultural infrastructure' is affecting my garden ...hence my original post ...

As a result of this 'converstion' with El Cid, I wish to withdraw my name and membership from Andalucia.com Forum ...please delete such as soon as possible.

ps do you have shares in Sigfrido and/or Trops?

[Lavanda]

Gosh! That's a shame all round.

[El Cid]

... I didnt realise that i had acquired such a reputation for venting my frustrations on A.com to the extent that I can be judged/censored before I write anything! ...

You do not have such a reputation. I was trying to make sure you didn’t gain one.

Your original post complained that it had not been raining. You cannot blame that on the farmers. As always, it will rain in due course. Even Lake Vinuela has about a years supply.

Sid