Gardening in Fuerteventura

[GMT]

GMT - our depuradora  was a mossie magnet when we moved in. It hadn't been used for a while and the auto timer was set to pump around the garden once a week. I changed that to pump every night and the mossies disappeared - water was being disturbed regularly so they didn't breed. I also changed the timer on the first tank's stirrer to come on for 5 minutes every hour for the same purpose. If it hasn't been used for a while you may need to have the system pumped out and cleaned professionally to remove settled solids. (Sorry, pretty grotty things to discuss   )

Thanks, I'll look into that.

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Called in to Oasis Garden Centre in the week looking for Cal-Mag plant supplement which I didn't find but I enjoyed a browse amongst their current mass market plants. Petunias were a real bargain at 60c a pot, sturdy multi-stemmed plants just needing a bit of hardening off before being planted out. A good range of Bromeliads in bloom as well. (Do remember that with mass market plants the blooms may well be forced so this is not necessarily their natural bloom time here.)

permanent plantings near the entrance:
  



African Tulip tree - always wanted one of these until I read wiki article! Grows enormous and the flowers kill bees 
  

Ponytail palms:
  

Bromeliads (same family as pineapple) (most Broms need some shade)
  

  

 

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

cont.

Clivia, needs shade/dappled sun
 

general:
  

  

  

 

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

The next phase of my garden starts tomorrow, tractor (JCB) arriving at 8am to dig more holes. I marked out positions for 20 holes today, each approx. 1 cubic metre! The noise tomorrow is going to drive me mad as it's breaking through the rock ...... can't go out though as I want to make sure all goes to my plan. I'll start the planting on Wednesday.

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

In my post about the current selection at Oasis garden centre I mentioned Clivia. This reminded me that I had put the one and only seed that my plant produced last year on to some damp compost in a little plastic pot with a lid, and put it in a warm spot indoors. I had then forgotten about it  - oops.

a reminder of the Clivia plant:


my seed - it's germinated!:


the seed was a pale round ball about 1cm diameter. It has started a pale fuzzy root and two darker leaves - woohoo!

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Well the tractor was here for 6 and half hours today - the noise and vibration of the hammer nearly drove me insane - but he's done a great job. I estimate the guy dug out about 15-18 cubic metres of rock and dirt, I won't give it the title of soil! All ready for the next round of planting .....

 old containers marking the positions.

  

[Can the Man]

Congratulations Tamara, looking great. Look forward to seeing the final product

[GMT]

Tenacity is the virtue of the strong . I suppose all the yellow big stones on the ground were dug by the JCB, weren't they? At least they are handy in the garden.

[Emmi Smith]

I am sure Tamara will find something really creative to do with those rocks!!!

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

The first seed is ready on my Guaciacum oficinale (wiki link)

 

Reading about it I found some interesting info about the wood:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lignum_vitae

A really useful addition to gardens here. Evergreen, pretty flowers, interesting seeds, slowish growing, copes with our conditions well.