NEW YEAR GARDENING RESOLUTIONS

By Clodagh and Dick Handscombe*

As we approach the end of another gardening year and the start of the next
it’s appropriate to consider some New Year resolutions to ensure that maximum benefit is achieved from ones Spanish patch however small or large. Our regular discussions with fellow gardeners, the comments at our various talks from Valencia to Andalusia and questions and comments sent into our various newspaper and magazine columns suggest a number of resolutions that are likely to be considered for 2008 by an increasing number of households. We consider thirteen of the most frequently heard or read.

1. Make the garden into a chemical free zone to the benefit to the family, visitors, pets and wildlife without increasing the exposure to the possibility of major insect and fungal attacks. Luckily the growth of the organic vegetable and fruit industries had led to the availability of products for the amateur gardener as well as the major growers. If you have trouble finding them in your local garden centres, horticultural shops and agricultural cooperatrives contact Trabe situated near St. Javier airport in Murcia and buy by mail order. <www.trabe.net>, < trabe@trabe.net> or tel 968-572-004 asking for Fransisco Ibanez who speaks excellent English.
2. Since most of the unusually heavy and long lasting autumn rains were not gathered and stored invest in guttering and storage tanks. Why not do so next year and also make more use of the TerraCottem soil enhancer that can reduce watering requirements by 50 to 75% to make your collected water go further.
3. Start or extend the home growing of ecological or organic vegetables in order to be able to harvest seasonal varieties 365 days a year.

Our book Growing Heathy Vegetables in Spain published this time last year was written to help you do this whether you have a garden or merely a small town house patio or apartment terrace. Much can be grown in an area as small as one square metre. For instance we have purchased a box for growing healthy wild mushrooms this week.

1. With the abandonment of orchards ion many areas and the practice of harvesting and selling unripe fruits more and more readers are planning to grow a wider variety of fruit and to do so organically as already mentioned. Our book Growing Healthy Fruit in Spain is in the bookshops and on our website www.gardeninginspain.com to help you.
2. Reduce the cost of plants by only planting those appropriate for the microclimate of your garden at this stage of it’s development. Recognise that the microclimates of neighbouring gardens can even vary depending on the height of hedges and fences, the extent of natural shade and the orientation of the house and the exposure of the garden to hot summer winds and cold winter winds. The plant tables included in Your Garden in Spain will help in this respect.
3. Reduce maintenance needs by decreasing the size of lawns, increasing the area covered by terraces and paths and planting non obtrusive plants.
4. Eat outdoors more frequently by establishing a variety of ways of cooking al fresco and cosy colourful perfumed  situations for al fresco sundowners, breakfast ,lunch and dinners.
5. Reducing pool cleaning times by only planting clean plants around the pool terrace. See section 3.3 of Your Garden in Spain for practical ideas.
6. Stimulate the presence of more wildlife by installing nesting boxes , thick shrubberies as well as changing over from manufactured chemical insecticides, fungicides, weed killers and fertilizers to natural alternatives.

10.Improve the facilities in the garden for keeping youngsters active and interested. This may include a children’s garden as well as Wendy houses and sand pits. Ideas are included in each of our books.
11.To shred and compost as much as possible from the January/February major winter cutback and cleanup.
12. Plant more evergreen and deciduous trees  to provide for summer shade and sheltered winter sun.
13. Recognise that plants can be harmed by too much water as well as well as allowing their root balls to dry out.
Such new year resolutions can help you enjoy your garden and life in Spain to the full and improve the local environment at the same time.

  
© Clodagh and Dick Handscombe December 2007.