September Reins

The summer has been hot and dry, just for a change, here in The Costa Blanca. The second "spring" has sprung.



A quick look back at the main part of the season- what's grown well? Everything. Apart from some brocoli planted too late in the season which quickly bolted into flower.



Problems - loss of tomatoes production due to tutta absoluta. It really is a 4x4 pest. The sucess story,if it can be called that, is the newly constructed "net-houses". I built these with complete crop isolation in mind, and it has worked with the late tomatoes, a crop which is particularly vulnerable to tutta attack. Sounds a bit rum "tutta attack"- answers on a postcard. http://picarona.blogspot.com/2008/06/la-tuta-absoluta.html has a good guide to this nasty .



High-notes. Cucumbers, peppers, potatoes, onions, leeks, artichokes.

Super high-notes. The quality of fresh fruit and vegetables that we have eaten throughout the year.



Current agenda: Soil preparation for next year has begun as a crop rotavation system is used. Lots and lots and lots of recycled compost has be dug into the ground to improve the moisture retention and general stucture,along with a little bit of well rotted ckicken manure. My own grapes have been regular this year, but a client's moscatels have been super sweet.

Late peaches will be ready for picking around the week of the full moon of October. Peppers and toms to be picked.



Planting; I have just planted beetroot, leek, lettuce, celery, cabbage, peas and beans in the form of plantlets.