Cucumbers

cucumbers

Last year was the first time I ever grew cucumbers. Somewhere in the back of my mind I thought that they were a difficult crop to grow and not worth the effort. True, if you live in England where they need a barmy summer or protection from a greenhouse. It was only a chance conversation with a neighbour who told me how easily they had grown them that I decided to give them a go. I bought a few plants and within weeks we had more cucumbers than we knew what to do with and that continued right through the summer.

Sowing or planting

When I recommend  whether to sow seeds or buy plants I am looking at it from the perspective of someone who is a novice. Cucumbers are not a staple part of our diet but are more versatile than many people think. If you just want them for salads then two or three should be enough but if you want to experiment with them then you might want a few more. Either way you won’t need loads of plants, and for the novice it is easier to buy the plants ready for planting out. If you are successful with them this year and want to grow more next year from seed they are quite easy. They are a member of the curcubit family that includes courgettes, sow the seed edge on in three inch pots about an inch deep. Keep moist but not overwatered as they are prone to rot. If it’s early in the year and the weather is cold, sow them in a cold frame/greenhouse or sunny windowsill. It’s worth sowing one or two early on but they wont necessarily give you an early crop unless the weather is particularly warm.

Varieties

If you choose to buy plants from the garden centre you will be buying the small knobbly varieties as opposed to the long smooth type that are more common in supermarkets. I was a little wary at first as I had never bought or eaten this variety before. I needn’t have worried they taste better than the shop varieties and there is no wastage as they are just the right size for a family salad. 

Soil

When I bought my first plants I bought a few too many and ended up with an excess, not wanting to throw them away I planted them into a patch of unused soil without any compost or fertilizer added. It was a little experiment that I carry out every now and again to see what will grow in my rather poor soil. To my surprise they did quite well, not as well as those that I planted in the raised beds but nevertheless they gave me a pretty good crop. I would still recommend incorporating compost and digging the soil if you want good crops but it is not quite as important as with some other crops.

Watering

Cucumbers are pretty thirsty plants and keeping them moist is more important than the soil type. Mulching is essential to conserve as much water as possible and it will protect the fruits from touching the ground. If your growing in pots you will probably need to water twice a day during summer.

Aftercare

You can grow cucumbers two ways, you can either grow them up some type of support (it will need to be sturdy) or you can let them trail along the ground. If it’s the latter you will need to put straw or something similar under the fruits to stop them touching the soil. Mice might also be a problem if you leave the fruits on the ground. Cucumbers will benefit from a good feed with an organic fertilizer once the fruits have started to form. Some experts will tell you that you need to pinch out growing tips etc but it isn’t really that necessary if you don’t have the time. Harvest the fruits when they are about five or six inches long. If you have any small shriveled fruits that have withered don’t worry too much. The most probable cause is incorrect watering, possibly waterlogged soil where the plant has been grown in heavy soil.

Fresh Yeast for Baking Bread

Today the bread machine has been well used making one Olive Bread, a chocolate fudge cake and Hot Cross Bun dough. I have always bought my yeast at Iceland in Fuengirola but have been searching for the traditional Spanish ingredient.

The Spanish for yeast appears to be LEVADURA , but the packets found next to the flour are packets of baking powder which are not suitable for bread making. I have now found the fresh Levadura which in Mercadona is found next to the margarine's in the fridge section. Two packets of 25grams cost 34 cents and according to the instructions 25grams is suitable for 500grams of flour.

I have found that using some of the liquid quantity from the recipe and warming a small amount of water and dissolving the yeast and leaving it for 10 mins has had the best results.

Do Not use the delay function when using fresh yeast

Watch the use by date and keep in the fridge.

This is the recipe for olive bread

250ml  water  ( remember some of this is used for the yeast)

30 ml Olive Oil

450g Strong flour

1 1/2 tablespoon Dried milk powder

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2       teaspoons sugar

2. 1/2 ml yeast  ( or 1/2 teaspoon dried yeast)

50g Drained pitted and chopped black olives

Add the water, oil, flour, milk powder, salt, sugar and yeast to the bread pan and place on the setting for bread. After 10 mins add the olives. ( my machine bleeps when items need to be added)

Cooking from scratch- cheaper and no additives

When my son was 2 years old I popped back to the UK for a quick visit. I was astounded as I watched  young mothers filling up thier trollies with jars of baby food. It was evident that the meals for the week had been sorted with one quick shop. Jars of baby food in Spain were fairly expensive and I used them as a back up if I was out for the day. It was considered the norm to prepare and freeze baby food in the home and I found the Spanish health service were fairly good at providing information on what foods baby could eat at which age group.

There are now a number of books and web pages that have wonderful simple recipes that you can cook for and with your children. I am not a good cook by any means but I love cooking with my children and together we learn and have quite a few laughs. My daughter loves her Barbie cook book which again encourages her to follow basic instructions, while her dolls are arranged along the kitchen table all ready to help.

My sister in law is a wonderful cook and in true tradition she has passed on her recipes to her siblings and their wives and now their children. This is one of my favourites- Puchero. Obviously there are many variation to this recepie but this one works for me.

In Mercadona, we can find pre-prepared pack of bones or bones plus meat called "preparado para cocido", however, most butchers or meat counters will have these ingredients in some form or another. I think Supersol have them in trays behind the butcher and they are usualy very helpful. Mercadona and Lidls do a "preparado para cocido" mixed vegetable pack as well.

Ingredients
Chickpeas ( Gabanzos)
Bones and fats
Meats - various but usually include a leg of chicken and a small piece of  pork.A special treat would be jamon
Vegetables - ie 3/4 carrots, a turnip, pasnip, celery.
Fresh mint - (Hierba buena)
Rice or noodles ( Fideos)

Instructions
The night before soak three handfuls of chickpeas in plain water. Try and change this water every so often.
Heating a large saucepan ( pressure cooker size).
Wash the bones and fats to get rid of some of the salt and pop them in the heated water.
Take the skin and any fatty bits off the meat and put them in the pan.
As the water comes to boil skim off the fats ( brown/beige foam that forms at the top of the pan).
Peel and add the vegetables. You can add more vegetables if you wish but it is hard to freeze with potatoes in and I have never used onions or potatoes in mine
Add the spearmint and leave to simmer for at least an hour. It is a gorgeous smell and I I often leave mine on a slow heat throughout the morning.

Before serving take a separate pan of the "stock" liquid and use to boil rice or fine noodles.

The Spanish usually serve the rice or noodles with a couple of spoons of liquid and after cut pieces of meat along with the fat which they call Pringà as a separate course. I find the fats too much for me and cut the meat rice and stock in one plate, but then I am British.

Without the Rice or noodles this can be frozen and the liquid used for stock. Meats can also be used in croquetas

Aubergines

The aubergine plant would not look out of place in the flower border, with its large unusual leaves and small pretty flowers it is worth growing just for its aesthetic value alone. It forms a tidy, uniform, small to medium sized bush that gives us beautiful shiny looking fruits throughout the summer. Unfortunately those fruits do not lavish us with huge amounts flavour. I’m a huge fan of greek food of which the aubergine is a staple part of but they are not a very versatile vegetable. For me, the longer its cooked for the better.

Sowing seeds or planting

Unless you’re a huge fan of aubergines or vegetarian then don’t bother growing from seed, you will only need a couple of plants anyway. As I have mentioned before most of the inland garden centres sell vegetable plants throughout the year according to season. If you are growing from seed, moisten the compost in a three inch pot and sow on the surface, cover with a fine layer of compost and keep well watered and warm.

Soil

Although it’s a plant that grows well in the Mediterranean it still needs good rich soil. Incorporate compost into your soil for really good crops but I’ve grown it in our own shallow stony soil with reasonable success.

Aftercare

Many books will tell you that you have to pinch out the growing tips when the plant is a foot high and leave only five fruits on the plant by removing any remaining flowers but if you forget don’t worry it’s not the end of the world. Aubergines are not usually considered a staple food and you’re looking for quality not quantity so I would recommend regular picking instead. Feeding is also recommended once the fruits have formed. Some support might be necessary if they are planted in exposed areas.

Watering

Keep the soil or compost moist but not over overwatered. Apply a mulch in summer and water frequently, especially if they are grown in pots.

Growing in pots

I only grow to or three plants at a time so I don’t bother planting aubergines in the ground where they would take up valuable space. Instead I find the biggest pots that I have, fill with a compost/ soil mix (about two thirds compost) and plant out the seedlings when they are big enough to handle. During summer you will need to conserve moisture as much as possible if you are to harvest nice shiny firm fruits. Cover with straw (my preferred mulch of the moment), leaf mould or weed fabric and place the pot on top of a saucer to catch any water that seeps through the bottom.

Harvesting

I don’t always include a section on harvesting your veggies but aubergines are different. You don’t want huge fruits with tough skins and bitter flesh, you should be harvesting when they are smaller than supermarket varieties, about the size of your fist. The skin should also be bright and shiny and the flesh firm.     

Peppers

Peppers

You can treat peppers in the same way as tomatoes, so if you’ve decided to grow a few tomatoes this year then why not grow some peppers too.

Sowing seeds or planting

You can sow some seeds if you want, in the same way as you do tomatoes but personally I don’t bother. I find I never need as many pepper plants as tomatoes and it doesn’t seem to be worth the effort when I can buy a handful of plants for the same price as a packet of seeds.                            

  

Soil

As with tomatoes good rich soil is required so dig before you plant and incorporate some compost. You will often see it written that peppers and many other vegetables need free draining soil, not a problem with our climate. Apply a mulch around the base of the plants once the temperatures start to soar.

                                                                                                                  

Aftercare

Fortunately peppers do not require the same amount of attention as tomatoes, there is no need to pinch out the growing tip or remove unwanted foliage but some support will be necessary especially if you’re growing in pots. You can simply place canes a few inches from each plant and tie up the plants loosely or follow the Spanish method of erecting a hurricane proof structure. Sometimes I think they take more pride in these skeletal structures than they do in the plants themselves. Oh yes and it goes without saying that you’ll need to feed them once a week once the first fruits starts to form. Regular picking will ensure a regular supply through summer and early autumn. I’m not a great fan of raw green peppers but they are excellent roasted whole on the barbeque so the skins just start to blacken. Leave a couple of fruits to ripen, red peppers are great in salads or stuffed and roasted which is my favourite.

Watering

I’m getting a bit bored with saying this but water as for tomatoes, that is keep the compost or soil moist but not waterlogged and never let the soil dry out. Peppers do not suffer many problems but you will definitely get blossom end rot if you don’t follow this rule. If you’re growing in pots then watering little and often twice a day during July and August will be essential.                

Varieties

There aren’t as many varieties to choose from as tomatoes but that is not really a problem. I don’t grow yellow or orange varieties as I think they are slightly gimmicky and the flavour is not that much different or better. It’s a personal choice and entirely up to the grower. The two types I like to grow are the standard bell pepper and what the Spanish call the “italiano”, a long thin pepper with the shape of a large chilli but mild in flavour. Talking of chillis, if you want to grow them follow all the above rules and you won’t go far wrong.

                                                                                                                    

Peas

peas

Peas are not a particularly difficult plant to grow but often the size of crop does not warrant the effort put in to growing it. That does not stop us from growing them every year and every year we grow more and more. It’s like having an organic sweetshop in your garden, and that’s why we grow them. Not many make it to the kitchen, they’re eaten straight from the pod along with the strawberries and the occasional cherry tomato.

Soil

If you want to grow a bumper crop for the kitchen and maybe have some left over for freezing you will need a good deep soil. If you fancy just a few to nibble on while you’re working or just wandering in the garden then any old ordinary soil that has been dug over will be ok. My son has a little patch of his own with a couple of peas growing in it. He hasn’t done anything special to the soil, just a little digging and the occasional watering and he picks the odd pod to eat himself.

Sowing and planting

Peas are easily grown and can be started off in pots and kept in a sheltered spot early in the season. When the seedlings are large enough to handle and have a good rootball they can be planted out and when the temperature starts to warm up sow some seeds directly into the soil. When these seeds start to emerge sow a few more, that way you should have a regular supply of peas throughout the season. Plant the seeds about a centimeter deep and keep moist. If the temperature is cold and the compost/soil too wet the seeds have a tendency to rot so keep pot grown seeds warm and sheltered.

Time to plant

Sow outdoors from March onwards or start them off in pots from February. You can keep on sowing until June. For a second crop sow in September when the temperature drops and hope for some autumn sun and a little rain.

Aftercare

Once the seeds have germinated and have started to grow you will need to give them some support. A wigwam of bamboo or canes can be constructed or place “twiggy pea sticks” next to each plant. We have used olive tree prunings pushed into the soil for the peas to climb up. Doing it this way is easier than a wigwam frame and gives the peas plenty of small branches and twigs to climb up. It’s not the prettiest way of doing it but it works. Peas are fairly easy to look after, just let them do their thing. There is no need to pinch out growing tips or tie up the stems, you don’t need to earth up soil or any thing special. Like I said just let them do their thing.

Watering

Theirs not much too say other than keep the soil moist. Normally I would say put a mulch down to conserve moisture but with peas it isn’t as necessary as some other vegetables that need more attention. Likewise I don’t give my peas any fertilizer.

Harvesting

The time to harvest your peas is when the pods are rounded and the peas have swollen inside the pods. Hold the pods and snap off at the knuckle. To get the peas from inside the pods, snap off the top of the pod and peel down at the same time.

General advice

The great advantage of growing peas is even if you don’t get a bumper crop the plant will put nutrients back into the soil. Leave the plants to die back even if the crop is poor then either cut off the dead foliage or dig it into the soil. The soil will then be enriched with nutrients for different crop.

If you have had the space to grow plenty of peas and you have had a bumper crop you might have more than you can eat. Fortunately peas are the best of all the vegetables for freezing. The sooner you can freeze them the better. Blanch them for thirty seconds in boiling water, rinse in cold water or plunge in a bowl of iced water then pack them into zip lock bags and put in the freezer.

Bees like Red and Stripey- The decline of the Honey Bee

The decline in the Honey Bee population is a serious global problem, which has me seriously concerned. Many crops depend on bee pollination and farmers often hire bee hives to place along side their crops to help pollination. Suddenly the bee keepers were loosing whole hives on a daily basis and now this is a world wide phenomenon often referred to as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) or Honey Bee Depopulation Syndrome (HBDS).

I was amazed when I read in the March 2011 issue of the independent that

"The fact is that of the 100 crop species that provide 90 per cent of the world's food, over 70 are pollinated by bees."

and in  later in March the UN issued a warning stating that

"Bee declines range up to 85 percent in some areas "

Although the exact cause is not yet known experts from The United Nations say that several factors maybe involved. ie..

• Decline in flowering plants
• Use of harmful insecticides
• Worldwide pollution
• Increase in pests such as the varroa destructor which attacks Honey Bees.

When I first decided to change to a more eco friendly lifestyle one of the first three rules I made was to only by vegetable and fruit plants instead of flowers. I have now changed this idea and take pleasure in my flowering plants as they have their purpose in the garden. I have just planted some big sun flowers to plant along the back of the vegetable patch to hopefully encourage our Andalusian bees, but actually bees like red and stripy flowers.

Not many of us can rush out and start a bee colony but here in Andalusia we are lucky in that running bee hives is popular and there are groups who hire fields in the campo for such activity. Also many of you may have seen on the trip up to Sierra Nevada that honey is sold along the roadside of in local shops.If you can't get to local products you could try http://www.elcortijodelasabejas.es which appears have a nice online service.

You Might also Like to Read Andy's article on Pest Control.

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Lettuce and Salad Leaves

There are many varieties of lettuce to choose from nowadays so there is no excuse for growing just boring old “iceberg”. My personal favourites are the red tinged varieties like lollo rosso and other loose leaved varieties. Rocket is also always top of the list of things to grow when I’m planning the plot. It has a nice peppery taste and gives salads a good kick up the bum. There are also some nice oriental leaves that have appeared in seed catalogues over the past few years although they are less common here in Spain. If you want to try these then the internet is the best place to start.  

Sowing seeds

In each packet you are likely to get hundreds of seeds and its unlikely you will be able to use all of them even though they will last for a couple of years. Some seed merchants sell mixed seed packets which allows you to grow three or four varieties from one pack. This is good news in one way but the varieties are not always listed and in some packets the seeds are mixed together, meaning that you are not sure of exactly what you’re growing. However, if you’re not fussy about what lettuce you eat or are a novice and don’t know the different varieties it is a very economical way of growing several types. Lettuce seeds are small so should be grown on top of moist compost and covered with a fine layer of compost or vermiculite. There is nothing to stop you from sowing straight into the soil if your soil is nice and fine. I personally don’t and always start off my plants in pots if I can because I have too many stones that prevent the fragile seedlings from growing.

Soil

Any soil type will give reasonable results but if you can incorporate compost. It will give you bigger lettuce and they will grow much quicker. Having said that, home grown lettuce does not keep in the fridge for as long as shop bought ones, so you might have a certain amount of wastage. Not a major problem if you have a compost heap or chickens and rabbits that you can supplement their diet with.

Aftercare

You must keep the soil moist if you are to stop the lettuce from setting seed (bolting). Apply fertilizer if your soil is poor but it shouldn’t be necessary if you incorporated some compost before planting (a good reason for making the effort with your soil early on). Slugs and snails can be a problem earlier in the year when it’s wet and grasshoppers/ locust are the biggest problem in summer. To combat slugs and snails, sink empty tuna tins into the soil so the top is flush with the soil and fill with beer or sugared water. The slugs find them irresistible and slither their way into the tins/traps where they die from drowning or alcohol poisoning!! Grasshoppers are almost impossible to catch and if you find you have a major problem then your only option is to cover the lettuces with netting. This is easy if your lettuces are grown in nice symmetrical rows, not so easy if like me you grow them in between other plants. A good tip is to buy food protectors from a general houseware shop. They are made of rigid wire mesh and dome shaped and are designed to stop flies from landing on your food. An expensive way of doing it if you grow lots of lettuces, I know. Your alternative is to grow more than you need and be prepared to lose a few along the way.

Harvesting

It is tempting to pull up the lettuce once it has reached a reasonable size but I prefer to harvest in two ways. First is to pick the young outside leaves as the lettuce grows discarding any that have been nibbled or wilted (give them to the chickens instead). Secondly; lettuces are what you call “cut and come again” which means you can cut the lettuce just above the soil leaving the roots in the ground. With a bit of luck those roots will grow a new head of lettuce giving you a second crop.

General tips

The most annoying thing about growing and harvesting lettuces is splashing soil all over the leaves. The best way to prevent this is to lay weed membrane or plastic sheeting with holes punched into it on the soil prior to planting. Make some slits in the membrane and plant your lettuces through the slits, this will stop the soil from splashing on the leaves and conserve moisture too.

Bokashi

WHAT IS BOKASHI?

The product “bokashi” is an inoculated bran mix that ferments kitchen waste including meat and dairy products. In this mix is wheat bran, EM1 (effective microorganisms), molasses, and warm sterile water.

The bran is the host medium while the EM1 is the magic ingredient that makes it all happen. The EM1 has to be activated by the addition of molasses. Unless its activated the EM1 would take a long time to perform its function. Finally the water is added and the whole thing is mixed together. This is a brief overview of what bokashi is without getting too technical. For all you scientists and geeks there are many sites that go into great detail about bokashi.

 HOW DOES IT WORK

 The EM1 innoculant is a combination of naturally occurring yeasts and bacteria similar to those found in pro biotic yogurt. They work by fermenting the kitchen waste anaerobically, the opposite to ordinary composting/vermiculture which is aerobic.

The kitchen waste is placed into the bottom of a bokashi bucket and sprinkled with a handful of bokashi bran. Because the process is anaerobic press the waste and bokashi down to exclude as much air as possible. Placing a plate or piece of plastic on top of the waste as your going along will also be beneficial to the process.

This process is repeated until the bucket is full. It is then left to ferment for 12 to 14 days ideally inside out of direct sunlight. As the waste is fermenting a liquid should form at the bottom of the bucket called leachate. This is where a purpose made bokashi bucket comes into its own as it is made with an insert for the waste and a tap to siphon off the leachate. This can be used as a garden fertilizer if diluted down.

After 14 days the fermented waste can be dug into a patch of fallow soil or placed onto the compost heap where it will continue to decompose. If your digging it into the soil you will have to wait two weeks before you plant anything in it as it has a very high acid content until it has finished fermenting.

PRO´S AND CONS

 The bokashi process from start to finish takes about 5 weeks, considerably less time than either vermicomposting or regular composting. It can and should be carried out indoors ie the kitchen. It doesn't smell except for a fermented kind of sweet and sour smell, and anyway bokashi buckets have airtight lids. It is a solution to an old age problem of what to do with cooked leftovers and could, in a utopian world, be the answer to land fill sites.

                                   EM1                                                                                          

If you’re familiar with bokashi then you will have come across EM1. It is an abbreviation of effective microorganisms. These organisms are naturally occurring and are similar to those found in pro biotic yogurts and other food stuffs. They are a mix of yeasts, fungi, lactic acids and bacteria.

 Apart from their use in bokashi, EM is used by the farming industry as a treatment for slurry and to eliminate odours, as a nutrient in hydroponics to encourage root growth, in agriculture to improve the state of the soil and increase crop productivity by encouraging germination, flowering, ripening and root growth. By encouraging good root growth the plants are able to combat pests and diseases without the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers.

When em1 is used in bokashi it combines with molasses to start an anaerobic fermentation process that can benefit gardeners and society as a whole. All kitchen food waste can be treated with bokashi and the finished product can be used in the garden. Combined with recycling of packaging, bokashi can reduce the amount of waste we put in landfill sites. Bokashi produces a liquid by-product called leachate which can also be used to keep drains clear as well as a garden fertilizer.  

 According to some EM was developed by professor Teruo higa in Japan. He is certainly credited to developing bokashi and bringing it to worldwide attention but there is evidence that EM/bokashi technology was used in agriculture in the far east before it was made popular elsewhere. EM cultures can be grown with some success by the enthusiastic amateur but results are sometimes hit and miss, lacking all of the necessary bacteria.

Spring in the Garden

Although it’s early spring things are moving very quickly in the garden. The warmer temperatures combined with the odd downpour are ideal conditions for the plants to really thrive. By now you should have most of your late spring and summer crops in the ground. If you don’t it’s not too late to start.

To make up for lost time buy vegetable plants from a good garden centre, most of the inland centres have them and they’re available from some agricultural shops on the coast. Of course you should be sowing some seeds too, that way you will have  new plants ready to plant out just as you are harvesting your first vegetables. This is called successional sowing and ensures that you have a regular supply throughout spring and summer. If you do have a glut of one particular vegetable and you just can’t use them all but don’t want to throw them away.

I’ll assume that you have prepared your soil ready for planting, if you haven’t then get digging. You will reap the rewards later on if your soil is in tip top condition i.e. its been weeded and dug over and you have either incorporated some compost and manure or given it a good feed with an organic fertilizer.

Talking of weeds, you’ll really need to dig them up now. If you let them flower and then run to seed you will have an even bigger problem next year. The odd weed in or around paths and borders don’t create too much of a problem but in amongst vegetables they can sap much needed water and nutrients from your soil.

Another problem that the gardener encounters at this time of year are bugs and pests particularly aphids and caterpillars. You will usually find aphids hiding like cowards on the underside of tender young leaves. A simple solution to a serious infestation is to blast the blighters with a hosepipe, it doesn’t kill them but it will give the plant a fighting chance until you can properly tackle the problem (See our article on organic pest control).

Caterpillars are easier to spot but by the time you do they’ll have munched and devoured their way through your cabbages and broccoli, anyone remember “The very hungry caterpillar”. The only way to rid your plants of them is to pick them off and squash them or feed them to the chickens, who’ll be eternally grateful unlike the caterpillars.

Cleaning with Vinegar

I was thrilled to see the introduction of “White Vinegar” as a cleaning product in Mercadona at a very fine Price of 0.69cents. I immediately bought two bottles to try out. 

As we have been told for many years many of the cleaning products that we have in our households are bad for our environment and can affect our own breathing. Although I do use bleach in the house I use it very sparingly. Many people still put a“cup” full of bleach into a bucket where as research shows that a “cap” will do the job more than adequately. 

The Spanish are great fans of ammonia but I am sure most of you know that this must never be mixed with bleach ( I found out the hard way when I first moved away from home. Luckily I was on a terrace and the smoke fumes soon disappeared, but the smell was definitely over powering).


Here are some tips on cleaning with vinegar......

Cleaning with White Vinegar.

 White vinegar is another amazing, ecofriendly product that we can use to replace our chemical cleaning products. It is cheap, has a very very long shelf life, It is edible and biodegradable and is a fantastic cleaner.
To show you have versatile this substance is here are just a few ways in which we can use white vinegar.

1.       Eliminate odours. You can use vinegar for an immediate effect such as boiling a cup of water with a       table spoon of vinegar. This will work with strong kitchen/cooking/ smoke smells. You can also put a       small bowl of neat vinegar in a corner of a room or fridge to elevate.

2.       Clean Kitchen surfaces with a clean cloth and vinegar for a fresh smelling clean kitchen.

3.       Wash down tiles in the kitchen and bathrooms with a clean cloth and vinegar to clean off mould.

4.       Clean the fridge with a cloth and half water/half white vinegar to fight unwanted smalls and bacteria.

5.       To remove dirt from a microwave. Heat up a small amount of vinegar in the microwave, leave for three minutes and then wipe the microwave with a dry cloth.

6.        Soak cotton wool with vinegar and leave on taps overnight to clean off lime scale.

7.       Dishwashers can receive a clean up with a cup of white vinegar on an economy run.

8.       Wipe out plastic food containers and lunch boxes with a vinegar soaked cloth to disinfect, clean and remove smells.  

9.  Mix equal amounts of table salt with white vinegar into a paste and use to clean brass, copper and pewter. 

 

10.   To disinfect, clean and remove smells from dish cloths soak over night in a bowl of vinegar mixed with water.

11.    Before leaving the house tip three cups of white vinegar down the toilets to clean and deodorize.

12.    Clear blocked drains with handful of baking soda followed by a cup of vinegar. Leave for three minutes and then pour hot/boiling water down the drain. Repeat if necessary.

13.    Leave the shower head for several hours in a cup of white vinegar to get rid of lime scale and clean. Run hot water through the shower head when finished.

14.    Deodorant stains on clothes can be treated by placing a small amount of white vinegar and then washing as normal.

15.    Mix one part vinegar to two parts water to clean the coffee pot. Place in the water section and turn the machine on. Leave for 15 minutes and then rinse with warm soapy water and then with clear water.

16.    Add a teaspoon of vinegar to a spray bottle and wipe off mirrors and windows with scrunched up newspaper.

17.    Clean carpet stains with a mixture of one teaspoon of each of white vinegar and a mild detergent with a little amount of lukewarm water. Apply this mixture to the carpet stain and rub it with a soft brush or a towel, until the stain is vanished.

18.    To clean floors add half a cup of white vinegar in about 15 litres of water. A few drops of your favourite essential oil can also be added.

19.    Remove watermarks from wood with a small amount of vinegar mixed with olive oil.

20.   Wipe down surfaces such as telephones, light switches, and computer key boards with a very slightly damp cloth lightly dipped in vinegar.

 

Not many of us can grow enough of our own fruit and veg to be self sufficient and we still have to rely on shops and supermarkets. Maybe we don’t have enough space or our busy lifestyles just don’t afford us enough time to grow everything that we want to.
 Small family run greengrocers usually have good produce that tastes great and has been grown locally too but they are not always grown in an ecological way. Step forward the organic market, up and running for a few years now, it visits the main towns in the gaudalhorce valley on certain weekends every month and is now on in Marbella.
 As well as great fruit and veg there are stalls that sell honey, jams and preserves, organic wine and beer and one stall has rice, chick peas and other dried beans and lots of unusual organic flour for you home bakers out there. For more information on when and where you can find the market go to www.gaudalhorceecologico.com. Please support it if you can, at present it only visits each town once a month, it would be great if it became a regular feature once a week so we have access to organic fruit and veg all the time. 
written by Andy Williams

Butterfly Park, Benalmadena.

A newly opened attraction situated next to the Buddhist temple.

A very enjoyable couple of hours in a very relaxing atmosphere. The information was clear and in two languages. We were allowed to wonder freely around the gardens being careful not to tread on any of the butterflies.

The was an amazing variety of size and colour and a superb nursery where the children were shown the chrysalis and watched as butterflies emerged and spread their wings for the first time.

Prices at the desk (2011)  adults 8.50€  Children under 12  5€  Discounts for disabled and retired visitors. ALSO discount for booking on line. We paid half an hour before arriving via paypal and saved 1€ per person and all information was waiting for us on arrival.

Very clean services and staff were helpful and friendly. Although not open yet there were two refreshment areas.

Verdict- Kids loved it and reasonably priced.     

             www.mariposariodebenalmadena.com

Tomatoes

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are probably the most popular vegetable for both the experienced and amateur to grow. It’s not hard to see why as home grown tomatoes are far superior to anything that you can buy in the shops. They are not the easiest vegetable to grow, not the most difficult either but they do need very specific requirements and need a fair amount of attention while they are growing. This shouldn’t put you off; if you can successfully grow tomatoes then you can grow just about anything.

 

Sowing seeds

Whatever seeds you are sowing moisten the compost first so that you disturb them as little as possible. Sow tomatoes and other small seeds as close to the surface as possible in three inch pots or modules if you want to raise lots of plants. The easiest way is to put two or three seeds on top of the compost and cover with a very thin layer of fine compost or vermiculite. If you have a hose with a gun water on a fine spray or use a household spray mister. When the seedlings are big enough to handle remove the weaker ones and leave the strongest. The seedling will be ready to plant out when it has formed a good root system and you can pull the plant out of the pot without losing any compost. Tomato seeds germinate at about 69 degrees Fahrenheit, this is where a cold frame, conservatory, enclosed patio or sunny window sills come in handy.

Soil

Tomatoes like rich soil so incorporate compost or well rotted manure into your plot prior to planting. If you’re growing in pots use good quality compost. There are some very cheap bags of compost out there but they lack the nutrients of the better stuff and in my opinion is false economy.

 

Aftercare

Aftercare falls into two categories, looking after the plants and looking after the soil. The soil part is easy, pull up any weeds taking care not to disturb the plant and feed with a nitrogen rich, preferably organic, fertilizer once a week.

Looking after the plants is a little trickier. To achieve a bumper crop you will need to remove the side shoots when they are about an inch long that appear in between the leaf stalk and the main stem. Leaving them on the plant to develop will use up valuable energy that the plant would use for flowering and fruit set. If you have no idea of what I am talking about take a tomato plant and follow a leaf stalk from its tip to the point where it meets the stem. That is the point where the side shoots appear. Take care not to remove the fruit stalk which grows quite close to the side shoots.

When the plant has developed small tomatoes on the 4^th truss remove the growing tip 2 leaves above the truss. This encourages fruit to ripen.

Comfrey

 Because of its high levels of NPK nutrients comfrey is a very beneficial plant to organic gardeners and small holders alike. For those of you who don’t know, NPK are the basic nutrients that plants require for healthy growth. (N) being nitrogen, (P) being phosphorous and (K) being potash. Fertilizer made from comfrey leaves has at least the same amount of nutrients as chemically manufactured fertilizers as well as manure and bog standard compost.

 Planting

Comfrey is an easy plant to grow providing you can give it certain requirements. It likes deep soil, so dig over your soil breaking up any clods and remove as many stones as possible. Incorporate compost or manure if your soil lacks organic matter. You can even add fresh chicken pooh if you have any as fresh manure doesn’t burn comfrey. If you have very shallow soil on top of bedrock your only option will be to construct a raised bed.

Your biggest problem though will be keeping it watered in the summer. Comfrey needs plenty of water so add mulches, weed membrane or plastic sheets around the base of the plant and if possible plant it where it will be shaded during the hottest part of the day. Water copiously at night and check it during the day.

 Propagation

We grow two types of comfrey, common comfrey symphytum officinale and a cultivar Russian comfrey (bocking14) symphytum uplandicum. Russian comfrey is sterile and can only be grown from root cuttings. Once the plant is established take a two inch cutting and plant it about an inch or so deep in a pot of compost, water it well and keep it moist. Comfrey does not grow well in pots so transplant it to its final site when it has formed a good root system.

If you want to grow from seed, pot up two seeds per pot, keep moist and wait.

 Harvesting

You can harvest comfrey two to three times a year but only when the plant is established in its second year. Cut the leaves a few inches above the ground, use a pair of hedge shears and wear gloves as the leaves can irritate.

 Using Comfrey

• Comfrey is high in nitrogen so can be used as a compost activator to speed up the process.
• Wilted leaves can be used as mulch around the base of plants releasing their nutrients into the soil.
• Leaves can be made into a liquid fertilizer for tomatoes, beans, peppers etc
• Wilted leaves can also be used as a feed for chickens and other livestock.   

Saving Water

water saving tip

Three years ago when I told my husband that I wanted a wormery for my birthday he was a little surprised  but this year when I asked for a water butt he did not butt an eye lid ( Sorry- I could not resistit). I have wanted one for ages but again it is not something I have ever come across in Spain. I have certainly never seen one in AKI or or in local Viveros, however,my luck changed when I visited the newly open “Clearance Warehouse” on the Coin Road. (It replaces the burnt down storage warehouse  next to the Palacio de Telas and YoYuba) . They had two sets of garden water butts , one thin 100litre with stand at 20 euros and another 220 litres with stand, drainpipe attachment and watering can for 50 euros.

 If you are looking for something a bit bigger you could try BIG Mart which had 1000 litre water collectors that could be usedfor indoor and outdoor water supply. Their range started off at 240 euros and lids and taps were separate. They are also situated on the Coin road at the Entrerios /la Cala roundabout. 

If none of these suit your purposes than you could always invest in the cheap blue/red bins that we find in our Chinese Bizarre or 1euro shops which cost from 4 euros. Last year I placed two under the drains during the heavy rainfall and the watered all my plants for 4 days.

Rain is one of the few remaining items we still have free.        Lets use it!

Andy's post from May 2011.

 We already have a water butt that takes rain from the guttering but its too small and fills up in minutes, we needed something more. So with a rough plan in my head and the impending rain on its way i quickly rigged up a system that was cheap, simple and quick to make.
 
the photo above shows the finished article. The left hand water butt is the original one that has sat there for a year or so and is fed by the guttering and downpipe. The second is the the same size as the first but sits lower to the ground on a couple of two inch planks. As the water butts fill up they overflow into each other via 55mm pvc pipe. In total i reckon the capacity of the four water butts is about 700 litres, not bad for a hastily made last ditch attempt to save water. Once they're full, i fill up empty water bottles (look to the right of the picture) that we've saved over the last few years. If its torrential and all the water butts are full, the first one has a tap at the bottom which is connected to irrigation pipe. That pipe is buried in the soil and runs over the edge of a steep bank and down to the lower terrace where it fills up a large 1000 litre tank. That tank waters all the fruit trees and the grapes through summer.

Small Space Gardening in Spain

I would say that 99% of households have some kind of plant in their house whether it is a flower to decorate or a herb to use in the kitchen or a full scale vegetable patch. We hope to look at here at different plants that can be grown here in Spain and the different conditions ie in a finca or on a terrace. 
Gardening in small spaces

  This is my fifth attempt at writing this article. Every time I started I realized that there is a whole books worth of information that I could have written. So I’m going to keep it as concise as possible as I realize that you probably don’t want to be bogged down in detail. Basically all vegetables can be grown in pots providing they’re big enough. Having said that there are certain vegetables that aren’t worth growing if space is limited. I would steer clear of most root vegetables and stick with fruiting varieties like tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, courgettes and a variety of salad crops. 

Getting started

 One of the disadvantages of growing in pots is the initial cost of buying the things you’ll need. You can minimize this by using all sorts of containers like old buckets, drainpipes cut to size, old waste paper bins, old car tyres and basically anything that will act as a pot and has drainage. Unless you have a compost heap which is highly unlikely on a terrace then your most expensive outlay will be for compost. Other than a few bamboo canes for support and a watering can there is not mulch else you need to get started. You can always add the items you think you need later on.                                                                       

 What to grow

 A lot will depend on what you like to eat, there is no point growing a vegetable you don’t like even if it grows well in pots. If all I had was a terrace to grow my vegetables on these are what I would choose. A few cherry tomatoes, they don’t take up much space and there are certain tumbling varieties that can be grown in hanging baskets. A couple of salad tomatoes varieties like “marmande” or “raf”. These can grow quite large but are worth growing for their superior flavour. Two or three peppers, the varieties are not as important as allowing them to mature to full ripeness on the plant. An aubergine, a couple of courgettes and lots of lettuce and other salad crops like rocket and leaf beet (sometimes called perpetual spinach). These would form the mainstay of my terrace plot and would provide me with more than enough produce for endless summer salads and ingredients for pasta sauces. For a bit of variety I would grow a few fennel bulbs, some beetroot and if space permitted me some french beans.                                                                

   How to grow

 To make life easier, get yourself down to a good garden centre in one of the inland agricultural towns. There you’ll be able to buy the plug plants that will get you of to a flying start. They’ll have been grown in polytunnels which means they are a good few weeks ahead of anything that you can grow from seed at home. At the same time sow some seeds of your own in modules or three inch pots. Sow them at fortnightly intervals, that way you’ll have a regular supply of plants throughout the season. When you plant out your seedlings or plugs make sure the compost in the pot is level with the top of the root ball. If it’s too low in the pot the damp compost will rot the stems, too high and the roots will be exposed. This is a general rule for most fruiting bushes like tomatoes and peppers. Stake the plants with bamboo or cane and tie the seedling loosely to the stake. When you give the plants their first watering, some of the compost will settle. If this happens add a little more to the pot.

If you choose to sow some seeds there are a couple of rules that should be followed. Water the compost before you sow the seeds. This is particularly relevant for small seeds like lettuce and tomatoes that can easily be disturbed when you water. Try using a household spray mister instead of a watering can.                                                      

Large seeds like beans, peas and courgettes should be sown about an inch deep in the pots, small seeds can either be sown just under the surface or on top of the compost then covered with either vermiculite or a very fine layer of compost. Always keep the seeds moist but not waterlogged which can lead to rotting. When the seedling have developed a good root ball and the compost holds together when you lift it out of the pot they are ready for transplanting to larger pots. The size and shape of pot that you need will depend on the vegetable but if you can give your plants a minimum of 8 inches of depth then you won’t go far wrong.

When to grow

 A good indicator of when you should start planting and sowing is when the garden centres start to sell the plants. If you’re a regular to the garden centre keep an eye out for what they are selling and growing. I usually buy a few plants when they are new in then start to sow some seeds at the same time. Seed packets are obviously the most accurate indicator but they are still only a guide as the weather and temperature will affect germination. I always sow a few trial seeds a month before and up to a month after the seed packets recommend it. When august and July come around the temperatures are often too high to keep the compost moist enough for germination unless you have a very cool shaded outbuilding, garage or basement. In any case you might have too many jobs in the garden to worry about seeds. I have to water my pot grown veg twice a day and then there is the harvesting of the crop and of course cooking and eating it.                                                    Back to top

 Looking after the crop

 Most, but not all vegetables are annuals. That is they flower, fruit then die. You can prolong the length of their season by regularly picking the fruit. The more you pick the more flowers they make and the more fruit they produce. This is a very general rule as all plants have their own needs. If your growing in pots it’s important to keep the compost moist, water little and often. A tomato will split its skins or develop blossom end rot if it is subjected to lots of water after the compost has been allowed to dry out. The first courgettes should be picked when they are about the size of your middle finger but if you choose to grow squashes its better to leave just one or two on the plant to let the plant put all its efforts into producing large fruits. Pot grown plants will also need regular doses of a good organic fertilizer like comfrey tea. Because the plants roots are restricted within in confines of a pot they will quickly use up all the nutrients in the compost necessitating the need for a fertilizer.                                                                            

I would recommend having a good book handy for reference purposes. The vegetable and herb expert by Dr. D G Hession is a classic for allotment gardeners if you ignore his indiscriminate recommendations for using chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Another great book is the “veg patch” by the river cottage team. Definitely one for the organic gardener.           

 Summing up

 I hope that I have managed to inspire you to grow your own veg on your terrace or patio. I’ve tried not to go into too much detail as I find it can be off putting to novices. I think you’ll learn more from experience than from anybody telling you how to do it. My advice is to start off small and expand as you get more confident. I guarantee you’ll be hooked.