Gardening in Fuerteventura

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

I've pushed on with the pruning today, working mainly on the outside of the fence/wall. I filled 3 giant bags today (the industrial ones that sand etc gets delivered in, cubic metre?) with bougainvillea and 3 of the largest IKEA bags with pitahaya pieces. I've also kept 3 gorilla buckets of pitahaya pieces to grow on. Luckily one of our local goat farmers that passes my place each day takes all my stuff like this for his animals - I just leave the bags by the road and he pops them on his truck and returns the empties over the gate when he goes home (he doesn't live on the finca, he's also a Puerto taxi driver!). 

Still loads to do ……………. they are/were meant to start work on the wall this coming Wednesday but I'm not sure now in view of the latest update to the lockdown.

  

The pitahaya is a nightmare, it has a very thick tough core running right through it - about half an inch thick - but apparently the local goats adore the fleshy bit, it's very juicy, a bit like aloe.

After my 'over the garden wall' chat with the goat farmer today I suddenly realised how far my Spanish has come along. I lived in Corralejo for 4 years and hardly spoke any Spanish but since moving to Tindaya 4 year's ago it's come on in leaps and bounds, driven partly through necessity and partly by the fact that out here they reply in Spanish rather than the tourist town habit of replying in English to your attempts! I've recently had the 'Have you lost an iguana because I've found one on the road' and 'do your goats eat bougainvillea and pitahaya because I need to cut it all down for my wall to be repaired' conversations - a bit like learning French at school where it was 'the pen of my aunt' stuff! I struggle with my tenses, and thank goodness for Google, but I've come a long way. For anyone that is reading this and contemplating moving to Fuerte at some point in the future, start learning Spanish ASAP! Like right now during lockdowns!

[Emmi Smith]

In the last week I have noticed masses of Gekkos in the garden.  Everywhere I look, I see them.  Much more than normal. I am wondering why? Is the breeding season? Is there indeed a breeding season? Or just they know I am a soft touch as far as wildlife goes.

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Yes, yes and yes!   
I've seen them all over as well. Just looked up their breeding season stuff and it appears they can mate and lay eggs multiple times in the season!

This is a fairly tame one that spends as much time indoors as out - it's the one that dropped it's tail on me a year or two ago! (The tail went down inside my Tshirt and I didn't know what is was until I managed to shake it out, it kept wriggling and wriggling ………….) shudder!

spent all day today above the door waiting to drop on me 

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Spotted an amaryllis putting up a flower spike today! I bought half a dozen for next to nothing at the garden centre after they had finished blooming last season so I've no idea of the colours, just popped them in the ground and forgot all about them! Can't remember where else I put them …..

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Took a break from the bougainvillea pruning today as shoulders were aching, spent the day putting together IKEA stuff instead, so still aching! 1 bougainvillea to go and then I need to start pruning the honeysuckle - such a shame as everything is just coming into bloom    but I've got to be ready for the builder to start repairing the garden walls as soon as lockdown is over. The goat farmer came by twice today with his trailer and collected up the stuff I'd cut on Monday and Tuesday.

then the passion flower which is going to be a mega job with the way it twines little tendrils - 1 plant covers the whole 2m height of wall/fence and stretches for about 15-20m. I've left that side until last as that's next to where the birds are nesting.

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

this Datura is going great guns. They're great to use in a new bed for a year or two, as quick growing and flowering, while longer term shrubs get going. This one is companion to an evergreen shrub/tree that gets covered with purple/blue flowers.

this one is a companion to a shrub/tree I'm really looking forward to. I can't remember it's name (I'm getting worse every day with remembering them!) but it's best described as a Wisteria Tree! (Blue/purple flowers in wisteria like bracts apparently!)

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Bit disconcerting today to find a toadstool had popped up in my indoor Swiss Cheese Plant pot:

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Warning!
Check your Milkweed plants and Oleanders - the oleander bug is back   



This was the sight that greeted me on one of my milkweeds today, 2 days ago it was completely clear!

Remember the only safe way to clear off the milkweed and keep the plant safe for butterflies is to squash the little blighters with your fingers and rinse off with a mild, soapy spray - good luck!

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Spotted in other people's gardens today:

  

[windermeregolfer]

A Rose in a neighbours garden - PEACE I believe