Hi, are any other forumers growing orchids out here? Either indoor or outside. I have 6 Phals and a Vanda at present, all indoors, and have faced a few challenges! It would be good to discuss their culture in this environment with another chid enthusiast.
Thanks in hope.

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Pineapples have cropped up (excuse the pun) a few times recently: A beauty I bought at Tetir market and the ones in pots at FEAGA. It got me wondering about trying to grow them myself. I tried it as a kid, placing a sliced off top in a saucer of water, but just ended up with a rotten slushy mess. I had a look around on line and found a 'grow' site that I really like:

[url=https://www.tropicalpermaculture.com/pineapple-growing.html]https://www.tropicalpermaculture.com/pineapple-growing.html[/u

A friend has a pool that is lined with small mosaic tiles. Over the years the grout has become damaged, including several bouts of black algae, and some of the tiles have lifted off the walls and bottom. She knows it needs a complete revamp but is trying to keep it going for the time being. 
When I went to clean it for her today I found these strange strands appearing to grow in areas of the damaged grout. They brushed out really easily, along with some normal green algae that was coating the

I buy mangoes from Fran and Chemi from time to time when the price is reasonable, less than 3€ a kilo, one to eat fresh and the rest for making chutney. I refuse to pay the 5/6/7€ that Mercadona charge. When i was in our local bar a week ago a Majorero came in offering his home grown mangoes for 2€ a kilo, well I couldn't resist! And they were the best mangoes I'd ever tasted, maybe because they hadn't been chilled? So a few batches of chutney later I was left with a pile of stones/seeds

I know we have touched on this before in several threads, including the Gardening one, but I found 2 other sources of fruit trees today so I thought it might be useful to have a dedicated thread. Not everywhere has all varieties, all the time, you have to be prepared to visit several places, several times, to get what you're after.

The Experimental Centre at Pozo Negro (same site as FEAGA) . Current opening not known. (Good quality, tough plants, hardened to FV conditions, som

I know Palm trees are everywhere here and provided they have some water, seem to do very well. I'm not really interested in the bog standard ones, they are 10 a penny and given away by the Cabildo most years. I don't even really want any palm trees in my garden but I can't resist a 'grow challenge'. 

When I was in El Matorral a few weeks ago (9th Nov) I walked my dog along the grass area opposite Mercadona/Lidl etc and came across some seed under one of the Bismarckia Nobilis:

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