Gardening in Fuerteventura

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

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[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

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phew!

[GMT]

Thank you for the pictures Tamara  

Regarding the compost, could you tell me how much does it cost per litre at Happy Plants please? I would like to compare prices with other outlets. At Ideal in PDL they sell an 80L bag of Compo Pro-Line Green 2 Substrato at 12,99€ (it was 11,95€ last year). I am aware that the quality of the Happy Plants' one is better but my budget is very tight. Also, would you say that in your experience Happy Plants is better/cheaper than Garden Center in PDS?

Mind the suspensions of the car with all those bags of compost

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Thank you for the pictures Tamara  

Regarding the compost, could you tell me how much does it cost per litre at Happy Plants please? I would like to compare prices with other outlets. At Ideal in PDL they sell an 80L bag of Compo Pro-Line Green 2 Substrato at 12,99€ (it was 11,95€ last year). I am aware that the quality of the Happy Plants' one is better but my budget is very tight. Also, would you say that in your experience Happy Plants is better/cheaper than Garden Center in PDS?

Mind the suspensions of the car with all those bags of compost

Hi GMT

Firstly I can't compare with the prices at Oasis Garden Center or Ideal or Chinese or .... as I've never bought there - they don't have the stuff I like. When Happy Plants had a temp shortage during lockdown I searched everywhere and in the end delayed planting until HP received their new supply.

Happy Plants own mix, ideal for pots: soil/sand/coco fibre is 10€ for 50L
Terra Nova, Soil Improver substrate (to mix with your own 'soil' and sand), imported from The Netherlands: mainly coco fibre is 14.50€ for 70L
Seed substrate is 13.50€ for 70L
Cactus substrate is 13.50€ for 70L

(all prices correct as at Nov 20. HP own mix price correct this week   )

They will deliver large quantities (if you're parting with enough cash   ), during Lockdown it was minimum order 100€, not sure if it has reverted to a higher figure again

I understand what you say about a budget but for me some things are false economies. If you want your plants to thrive you have to invest in their environment. That's not to say that some of the tougher stuff (palms, local cacti and local succulents etc) can't make do with lower quality, but beware peat content as this quickly degrades and leaves air pockets around the roots. I left peat products behind a long time ago as coco fibre is more environmentally friendly, works better and lasts longer.

Good luck! and we want pics of progress please!

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Thank goodness the wind had abated somewhat this morning! I took a wander around my garden with some trepidation but although there where a lot of leaves torn off and a few smaller branches and twigs off the false pepper trees everything else was surprisingly intact if a bit bruised. Even my banana tree survived thank goodness. For an update on that please se the banana thread!

So a pictorial update on what is in bloom after those gales:

  

  

  

  

  

  

 

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

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[GMT]

Hi Tamara,

Thank you for your reply, you provided me with the thorough feedback I needed (as usual), which was prices at HP. I can then compare prices; the Garden Centre is round the corner from where I live, I didn't expect you to give me the comparisons.

I've been to HP only once. I found a very good stock of plants (I saw a little Baobab in a pot, tempting ), I will go back over there but I wasn't very keen on the track leading to them. However, I realise that they have things and plants that you couldn't find at other outlets, especially in terms of quality, and I agree with your point about false economies. Besides, I tend to purchase peat free products. At present I'm buying the 20L bags sold at Lidl, which contain coco fibre and perlite, at 2.29€ each. I'm not planting trees or expensive plants at present anyway, just transplanting or changing pots to plants grown from seeds or cuttings when I was in Spain and also sowing some seeds. I'm still getting familiar with the Weather here. I'm using plastic containers as makeshift greenhouses.

        Of the seeds I sowed the borage ones have already sprouted     

I'm trying to save what I found here. I think the garden was neglected for long time, especially in the summer. I'm waiting to see what this fig tree does (I know, some junk in the background I need to get rid of)     It's still alive, as I scratched the bark lightly and it was green. I found it with lots of snails. I applied some vaseline at the bottom     and removed some small rocks around the tree where they were finding shelter and shade; it seems to be working, no snails around the tree anymore. Before the summer I'll apply some good compost. In case it doesn't respond I'll have the substitute    

Some other picture (with little colours, I know), as requested Some rosemary and other succulents, they'll receive some TLC soon.

                           

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

That's great GMT! There's great satisfaction to be had from rescuing plants that have been neglected - good luck with them. Some regular water will probably do wonders, and a bit of feed. Do you have a depuradora system? The plants seem to love it! Having the pics on here will give you a base to compare progress with   . I love the improvised greenhouses as well   , water bottles have so many uses!

The figs here often loose all leaves and look just about dead before suddenly sending out loads of new leaves, they should start soon. 

My highlight today was seeing my honeysuckle has started to bloom:

[GMT]

That's great GMT! There's great satisfaction to be had from rescuing plants that have been neglected - good luck with them. Some regular water will probably do wonders, and a bit of feed.
Exactly, water was the main issue, and luckily it's been raining. I have a depuradora but it hadn't been used for some months, right in the summer... I think. The depuradora is useful but gets on my nerves a bit because the tank of the water going to the garden is a receptacle of mosquitoes.

Do you have a depuradora system? The plants seem to love it! Having the pics on here will give you a base to compare progress with   . I love the improvised greenhouses as well   , water bottles have so many uses!
I have a depuradora system but it hadn't been used for some months before we came, right in the summer... I think. The depuradora is useful but gets on my nerves a bit because the tank of the water going to the garden is a receptacle of mosquitoes. / I try to recycle everything. One of the plastic containers was left by the rubbish bins, I didn't hesitate a second to pick it up.

The figs here often loose all leaves and look just about dead before suddenly sending out loads of new leaves, they should start soon. 
In Spain as well, they shed all the leaves.

My highlight today was seeing my honeysuckle has started to bloom:
Your beautiful pictures are source of inspiration, thanks. I hope soon I'll have the colours of your garden in mine too.

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

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   )