Quality Gardens Crete

Article Published in the 'Khronicles' June 2008

2008-10-07T02:51:00.000-07:00

Composting in the Garden.

All the recent discussions with regards the expansion of the recycling scheme into the Gouves Demos got me to thinking. Haven’t gardeners been recycling since the year dot? I refer, of course, to composting. That is the reduction of organic materials to produce useful compost for use as a soil conditioner or mulch (as opposed to a potting compost – although our home made compost could be used as an ingredient of a potting compost).

Many people shy away from composting, thinking that it is some mysterious procedure, shrouded in intrigue and superstition with old gardeners having their own secret formulae and recipes. Let us now dispel some of these myths.

The first thing to realise is that left to her own devises, Mother Nature composts every organic substance (including us) without any help from anyone. Composting is her means of converting spent materials into a food source for soils. All we are doing is concentrating the process into one area of the garden from where we can harvest the produce.

A heap in the corner of the garden will eventually compost. This, however, may take up to two years to happen so we need to speed the process up. We do this by providing the optimum conditions for composting to take place. Far from a mysterious recipe this consists of: air, moisture, carbon, nitrogen and heat.

These ingredients are controlled by the structure of the bin and the mixture that you add. Obviously commercially built bins are constructed with this in mind. A homemade bin has to be built with the aim of ensuring the entry of air into the heap and the retention of heat and moisture. Wooden bins are often built of boards with 2-3cm gaps between them.

My own bin is a cylinder of ‘weldmesh’ fencing, lined with cardboard. To help with moisture retention (and to prevent too much winter rain washing away nutrients), simply cover the bin with some old carpeting.
Site the bin on soil so that excess liquid produced in composting process can seep away and soil organisms (worms, bacteria, beetles etc.) can enter the heap to aid the process.

Two types of material are added to the bin. In an ideal world we would have enough ingredients to fill a bin in one go. In the real world, however, we produce our waste little but often so our bin gets filled in layers over a period of time. Care just needs to be taken not to add too much of one type of ingredient at a time.

Soft, green waste provides the nitrogen to our mixture. They also compost quickly, producing heat and have high moisture content. Examples of these materials are: soft hedge and lawn clippings, raked leaves, annual weeds and kitchen waste (peelings, tea bags, coffee grounds, egg shells etc). Their soft nature does, however, mean that they easily compact and form smelly anaerobic messes. A good reason for mixing them with:

Bulky ‘brown’ waste: provides the carbon for the mix. It also stops the softer waste from compacting and allows air pockets to form. Examples of these materials are: chopped or shredded woody clippings, herbivore animal bedding, straw, crumpled paper, cardboard etc. This coarser material should form between 25 and 50% of the mixture. The higher the rate, the slower the composting.

Heat is produced during composting and this encourages the process along. Indeed, in the centre of the bin the temperature may reach 70c. Hot enough to kill many weed seeds and diseases. The bin lid and sides should stop this heat escaping.

What not to add:
· Perennial weed roots – will not die and will be spread around your garden with added soil conditioner!
· Cooked foods, dairy products – will attract vermin.
· Dog or cat faeces – may contain disease bearing organisms.
· Glossy magazine paper
· Seeding weeds.
· Obviously diseased material.
It cannot be guaranteed that all of the heap will attain a high enough temperature to kill off all seeds and diseases. It is better to be safe than sorry.

If you have the time and the energy you may wish to turn your heap periodically. Although not essential it does speed the process up by exposing more of the heap to the high temperatures in the middle and by opening up any compacted pockets.

As I mentioned earlier, my bin is a simple structure to which I regularly add materials. It may, or may not, get turned. In the spring I will use the resultant, sweet smelling compost as a soil conditioner. Any material that has not composted will simply be used to start next years bin.

Article Published in the 'Khronicles' May 2008

2008-10-07T02:41:00.000-07:00

Well, what weather we are having. As I write this column it is less than two weeks ago that the rain was pelting down and the garden was waterlogged. Now, the sun is blazing down outside and we have been suffering with the heat caused by the southerly winds. In the garden this means one thing – plants are already starting to wilt. The combination of wind and sun is just sucking the moisture out of the leaves, and anything with short roots or an un-established root system is starting to suffer.

In my garden it is the vegetables and things in pots that are at risk. If you remember, I sowed some snowball turnips and peas back in October. Well, they have both been cropping very well but are needing watering every evening to keep them going. As it is the turnips are starting to bolt (run to seed) and I don’t think I will get many more from them.

Plants in pots are always a problem in hot and windy weather. Unable to send out their roots to look for moisture they must rely on us. Please check on them at least every day and water if required.

At least I don’t have a problem with my small ornamental garden. It has been established now for over a year and the plant roots are deep enough to find water. It won’t be long though before I have to give it a weekly soak. Any of you who have recently planted plants, however, must be vigilant and keep them well watered. Also any plants that are more suited to more northerly climates will need water.

One group of plants that have not suffered in the heat are the succulents. These are a very variable group, which includes cacti and many other plants that have developed storage structures to hoard water. They are evolved to cope with dry or desert conditions. At the moment many are giving a beautiful floral display and I have noticed the Hottentot fig (Carpobrutus edulis), Trailing ice plant (Lampranthus species) and various Aloes in flower.

Article Published in the 'Khronicles' April 2008

2008-10-06T11:38:00.000-07:00

But I Still Want a Palm Garden!

If, after reading the feature and my column last month, you would still like to grow palms then I can offer the following advice:
· If you want true palms then try to keep to the two types that are known to be resistent to the palm weevil. These are the Mexican fan palm (Washingtonia robusta) - height upto 30metres and, the clump forming, European fan palm (Chamaerops humilis) - height upto 4metres.
· Whichever palm that you choose, enquire from where you intend to buy it that a) they do not have the weevil where they are and b) their palms have undergone a regime of treatment to keep them pest free. At least this way you may be able to obtain 'clean' plants.
· Please do not buy plants from an infected area and move them into a pest free zone.
· Try to buy smallish plants that you can grow on. These will be easier for you to spray with insecticide.
· Because of the requirement to spray the plants with insecticides, please do not locate them in sensitive areas.
Not all plants that look like palms are palms.

Many of the plants that we regard as palms are not realy palms at all. Although the red palm weevil has been found on a wide range of plants it is, undoubtably, the true palms that it prefers.
Why not create that luxurious effect by useing:
· Sago palm (Cycas revoluta). Not a palm but a cycad. Although the weevil has been known to attack this plant (the larvae also go by the name of sago worm), it remains relatively small, to about 3metres, so is easy to spray.
· Sword palms. These include the Yuccas (Yucca aloifolia, Y. elephantipes etc.), and cabbage palms (Cordyline australis) which are commonly seen as garden subjects, and a couple of plants most often seen as house plants, the dragon tree (Dracaena sp.) and the pony tail palm (Beaucarnea recurvata). Obviously too many individual types to describe in this short column, but, suffice to say, a wide variety of form, size, leaf colour and even flower to chose from. Ask at your local garden shop what they recomend.
Other plants that you may wish to consider to achieve that exotic feel are the Indian shot plant (Canna indica), the bird of paradise plant (Strelizia reginae) and what about the bannana (Musa Sp.).

A word of warning - You may have read elsewhere that pheremone traps are a good control for palm weevils. Please do not be tempted to try them. They have a use in controling populations in infested palm plantations, but, if they are placed where there is little or no problem, they encourage the spread of the pests.

Article Published in the 'Khronicles' March 2008

2008-10-06T04:37:00.000-07:00

The Red Palm Weevil
You may already have read the feature on this pest elsewhere in the paper, and some of you will have read my comments in the online edition of my December column. No apologies from me if I am getting repetitive, as this is an extremely nasty pest. Here is some advise for those of you who have palms in your own garden.

Chemicals
This is a very difficult pest to control and any control measures will have to include the use of pesticides.
Even these, however, do not guarantee success. It is very difficult to spot an infected tree before it is too infested with the bugs to save it.
It is far better to use insecticide application as part of a preventative regime. In Italy and Spain they have been successful in getting on top of the pest by using pesticides.
Because the larvae of the beetle are burrowing away inside the palm it is very difficult, even with a translocated insecticide*, to kill them all with one application. As very few applications will stay effective for more than four weeks, it is better to carry out repeat applications at one-month intervals. It is also a good idea to use different chemicals to ensure resistance does not build up in the weevil population.
I’m sorry, but if you want to grow palms, and fight the spread of this pest, organic/cultural methods are not enough.

Cultural Methods
The female weevil prefers to lay her eggs wherever the palm is damaged and/or where there is a lot of debris to help to hide her eggs. Cultural method should then aim at reducing these niches.
Palm tree heads soon collect a lot of debris so it is imperative that they are kept as clear as possible. (Whilst doing this job keep your eyes open for evidence of chewed fibres at the leaf bases or weeping, smelly sap – both indicators of the presence of the larvae).
Dead leaves should also be removed regularly. Do not, however, cut them too close to the stem. It is better to cut about 15cm away from the trunk. Spraying the open cuts with a translocated insecticide should kill any females that try to take advantage of this potential entryway into the trunk.
Whilst pruning check that the leaves do not have the tell tale bore holes running through them.

Disposal
Do not dump your prunings or dead trees in the garbage. You will only be aiding the spread of the pest. Why not call your local Dimos and see if they have organised a safe disposal method? Failing this, the recommended way to dispose of infected trees is to bury them covered with lime. Burning is another option but, because palm trunks are so damp, it is very difficult to thoroughly burn and, therefore, kill all the bugs. This picture does not show a palm being wrapped as a gift, but a badly infested tree being wrapped to reduce the risk of weevils escaping before it is removed.

So you still want to grow palms?
Next month I will give advise on what you can do if you still want to grow palm trees.

Reader’s Query
Sheila Hollins has contacted me and asked if I know of any English language books that deal with vegetable growing in this climate. In a word my answer is, unfortunately, no. Can anybody else out there help out? I am sure we all would appreciate such a book. Any queries or tips can be sent to:

*Translocated insecticide – an insecticide that is absorbed by the plant and is transported throughout its system, therefore being effective against pests that are not in contact with the originally sprayed area.

Article Published in the 'Khronicles' February 2008

2008-10-05T11:57:00.000-07:00

Crop Rotation

What is it? Basically it is the name used to describe the system by which similar types of plants are not cropped on the same piece of land on consecutive years. If possible the timescale between similar crops should be as long as possible but in reality a gap of three years should be sufficient.

Why do it? All plants have different nutrient requirements; also many soil borne pests and diseases are specific to certain plants. It makes sense, therefore, to move crops around to stop the depletion of specific nutrients and to stop the build-up of soil borne pests and diseases. If we insist on repeat cropping then in order to maintain production levels we will have to increase fertiliser and pesticide applications – not very eco-friendly.

Also some crops can benefit the garden: Legumes (peas, beans etc) actually produce nitrogen in their roots, which enriches the soil, and potatoes are very good at suppressing weeds. Rotating these crops just spreads that goodness around.

Add to this the fact that deep rooting of crops such as carrots help ensure that the structure of the soil is improved to a good depth and you must agree, crop rotation is a good thing.

How? Many books and articles sing the praises of rotations of five or more years. In many cases, however, this is not practical. When you consider that a portion of your plot is likely to be planted with perennial plants (fruit bushes etc), we are not going to be left with very large sections. Also we all have our favourites and a sixth of your plot may not be enough for all of your desirables.

Do not worry. Your potatoes have never read a gardening book so they won’t mind. Aim for a three-year rotation plan. Back in England my Dad used to grow some of the best vegetables around on his allotment with this, very simple rotation plan:

His allotment was divided into three using rows of fruit bushes. The three sections were then cropped thus:
Area one – Potatoes. As with many gardeners this crop took up a third of his plot. He used to heavily manure prior to planting and he would plant into trenches and then “bank up ‘ the plants as they grew. The plot would be dug again as the potatoes were lifted.

Area two – Peas, beans, salads and flowers. The peas and beans returned nitrogen to the soil. Fertilisers were added around his flowers (mainly chrysanthemum blooms).

Area three – Brassicas (cabbage etc) and root crops. Apart from liming prior to planting his brassicas, this section relied on the leftovers from the previous crops to sustain them.

The next year the potatoes went into area three, the peas etc into area one and the cabbages etc into area two. A simple plan and one that is easily adapted to any garden.

A word of warning! Tomatoes and peppers are members of the potato family so would have to be treat as such, thereby putting more strain on the potato section.

Good news: Those bastions of the Mediterranean garden – the cucumber, courgette and melon – do not suffer from any specific problems and can be slotted into the plan wherever there is room.

ArticlePublished in 'The Khronicles' January 2008

2008-01-06T07:29:00.000-08:00

Home Garden.

By Bob Bayes
http://www.qualitygardens.biz/
qualitygardens2004@yahoo.co.uk

Can a Lawn be Environmentally Friendly?

Many of you will have tried, with various degrees of success, to grow a lawn here on Crete. Those of you who have will appreciate, not only the work involved, but also the amount of resources required to grow a lush green lawn.

In northern Europe a lawn is a standard feature in many gardens and it is relatively easy to produce a year round green sward. It is only when grass is put under stress (such as on a sports field or during severe droughts) do we encounter problems. Little wonder then that many ‘expats’ yearn for just a little of the green, green grass of home.

Unfortunately, the Cretan climate is not conducive to grass growing all the year round. A Cretan lawn is growing under stressful conditions for much of the year, which is asking for trouble. Indeed, for about six months of the year it requires so much water to just to keep it green it is the cause of great debate whether a lawn should even be considered for a Cretan garden.

Other negatives for growing grass are the amount of pesticides and herbicides that are required to combat all those invasive pests that lawns are susceptible to. And, you’ve guessed it, a stressed lawn is less able to withstand weed and pest attacks than a strong and healthy one.

Early attempts to grow grass used similar seed mixtures as those that thrive in northern Europe, but obviously these did not thrive during the hot, dry summers. On the island of Bermuda a grass was being developed that withstood the heat and dry conditions better than most other grasses. This was, of course, Bermuda grass, which spread to the island during colonial days from the bedding used on slave ships (the Greek name of Uganda is a better indication of it’s true origins of Africa). Bermuda grass is now in widespread use in many of the seed mixes used here on Crete, or is often sown alone for a summer lawn and over seeded as necessary during the autumn with a fescue or rye grass to give winter greenness.

Bermuda grass is the only one of the ‘warm season grasses’ that I have seen here on Crete. In America and Australia it is possible to obtain such exotic sounding grasses as Zoysia, Kikuyu, St. Augustine’s and Centipede. All the above named grasses are available in numerous different cultivars and these are improving all the time.

Those of you that do grow Bermuda grass lawns will, however, still agree that the lawn still requires lots of water to keep it at its best. Another grass that found its way around the world on slave ships just may be the answer.

Seashore Paspalum started to be investigated as a turf grass in the 50s and 60s and, with the aid of University studies at such places as Florida and Georgia in the United States, cultivars have been developed that are now in widespread use on golf courses, sports fields and lawns around the world. It is claimed to have many advantages over Bermuda grass some of which are:
The ability to withstand drought (it is claimed to only have 50% of the water requirements of Bermuda).
Salt tolerance, it is so salt tolerant that, with proper management. It can be watered with seawater. It is, however, more usual for irrigation water to be diluted seawater or part treated (so called grey water) effluent water. Neither of which Bermuda can withstand.
Because of this salt tolerance plain salt or seawater can be used as an herbicide treatment.
It is claimed to require only 75% of the nitrogen applications as Bermuda.

So what are the disadvantages? There must be a catch! Well the biggest one that I can see is cost. Until recently it was only possible to buy Seashore Paspalum as plugs or sprigs (small clumps of grass that have to be planted). Obviously an expensive method of obtaining a lawn. The costs are exaggerated by shipping costs and the licence fees paid to the certified growers. Still golf complexes the world over see it as a cost effective grass when they consider the amount and type of water it requires. What else can they do with their waste water?

I have found a source of the first cultivar of the grass available as seed. Even this, however, is not cheap. Currently about one and a halftimes the cost of basic Bermuda grass, but what price the environment?

As a footnote it may be worth noting that Seashore Paspalum is the grass that is intended to be used on the proposed Cavo Sidero golf complex here on Crete.

Article Published in 'The Khronicles" December 2007

2007-12-07T07:12:00.000-08:00

Home Garden.

By Bob Bayes
http://www.qualitygardens.biz/
qualitygarde mailto:qualitygardens2004@yahoo.co.uk

A Popular Christmas Houseplant - The Florist’s Cyclamen. (Kyklamino)

Millions of cyclamen must be grown annually to satisfy the worldwide christmas market. They are available in a multitude of flower colour, leaf markings and even size but they are all derived from the Persian or Florist's Cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum) which is native to the eastern Mediterranean, the plants that are found wild on Crete and other Greek islands are thought to be naturalized. It is thought that monks or other religious orders introduced the cyclamen into these areas for they are often found near old monasteries or cemeteries.

In nature it goes dormant during the summer months, comes into growth as cooler, damper weather starts, flowers in February - March, and goes dormant again as the summer becomes warm. Cyclamens grow from tubers that are round and rather flat. The tubers are the storage organs that keep the plants alive during their summer dormancy

When choosing a cyclamen be sure to select one with only a few flowers open. The flower stems should stand straight up, and there should be lots of buds tucked underneath the foliage that will develop and bloom later.

Getting the Most Out of Your Blooming Plant: After you have just received a cyclamen, it's important to keep it cool and to water it correctly, making sure not to under or over water. To prevent disease problems, it is also a good idea to maintain good air movement around the plant.

From late autumn to early spring, provide your plant with as much light as possible, but avoid placing your cyclamen directly in front of a south-facing window.

Aim for temperatures between 40° and 50°F at night and day temperatures less than 68°F. A cyclamen won't be too happy in a house heated much above 70°F, with the dry atmosphere that goes with it. If you are unable to provide cool enough conditions, the plant will survive for a time, but eventually it will develop yellow foliage and its blooming time may be cut short. It will probably tolerate a less than ideal location for a day or two as long as you return it to a better place shortly afterwards.

The plant will tolerate indoor conditions even better if you move it to a cool spot at night. Make sure to provide as much light as possible in its daytime location.

Watering incorrectly can cause many problems, especially when too much water has been applied. Always wait until the soil surface feels dry before you water, but don't wait until the plant becomes limp. Do not water the centre of the plant or the tuber may rot. A cyclamen prefers to receive a good soaking, and then dry out partially before receiving a good soaking again. Allow the plant to drain over a sink or empty the water collection tray beneath the container after a few minutes. This will help prevent the roots from remaining too wet, which can lead to rotting.

Fertilize your cyclamen with a water-soluble fertilizer recommended for use on indoor plants, mixed half strength. Apply it every 3 or 4 weeks, starting about a month after you receive the plant. Overfeeding is more likely to produce foliage than flowers.
Dead flowers or leaves should be removed by giving their stems a sharp tug. If a sharp tug doesn't remove them, wait another day and try again. You don't want to risk yanking out a chunk of the tuber along with other healthy leaves.

After Blooming - Cyclamen Care. Rather than discard the plant when it has finished flowering, it is possible to persuade it to flower again the next year. Thi entails keeping the pot dry during the summer and re-potting it in the autumn and coaxing it back into growth with water.The plant is unlikely to match its first season’s display, however, so why not try it in the garden? The wild plant is’ after all’ naturalised on Crete. I would suggest that it should be planted in the springtime in an area where it will not receive any water.(as per Mother Nature intended), and it should provide a display in February – March.

Let me know if you have had any experience of growing cyclamen outdoors. This, and previous, articles can be found on my blogsite: http://www.quality-gardens-crete.blogspot.com/where you can pass comments and leave me any queries that you may have.

Palm Trees, a Reminder.
Many of you will recall an article in the April edition of the Khronicles by Yiannis Zithianakis, the Agriculturalist for the Gouves Demos. He reported on a problem with the introduced red beetle, which is a serious pest of palm trees. Unfortunately I have noticed a number of ‘open umbrella’ shaped trees (which are dieing trees). Mr. Zithianakis’ advice was to prune your trees from mid-December to mid- February and to clean out all debris from their heads. Cuts into green branches must be kept away from the trunk. The aim is to keep the crown clear and open to discourage the female beetle from laying her eggs. It is the beetle grubs that eat away the tree.

Article Published in 'The Khronicles' November 2007

2007-11-06T11:22:00.000-08:00

Home Garden.

By Bob Bayes
http://www.qualitygardens.biz/
qualitygardens2004@yahoo.co.uk

When is a worm not a worm? Answer – When it’s a caterpillar.

I was recently asked to investigate a problem lawn. Despite being well watered it was suffering from brown patches, and what was worse, the patches were getting bigger.
As I walked across the lawn a number of small brown moths flew out of the grass away from my feet. This was my first clue.
I took a hosepipe and left it to flood an area of the lawn. A close inspection of the flooded grass revealed a host of wriggling caterpillars. The moths were a type of willow moth (Spodoptera ciliata), which prefers to use short grass as a host plant in which to lay it’s eggs.
The moths of the Spodoptera genus lay eggs in batches of more than a hundred at a time and the resulting caterpillars are known as armyworms and are major pests of many crops around the world.
Lawn armyworms live in the thatch of the lawn and emerge after nightfall to eat the grass back to bare earth. As the army devours an area it marches ever onwards until all the lawn is eaten.
Of course, in the natural environment, grass does not have a very long season in the Cretan climate and so the moths are seasonal too. We, however, expect our lawns to be green the whole year around. This means that the caterpillars never go hungry and so it is possible for the moths to produce many generations over the course of a year.
It is hard enough to grow a decent lawn in such a hostile climate (for grass) without having to wage war on an army!
I have read about nematodes that will destroy the caterpillars, and also of wasps that use the caterpillars as a host for their eggs. But I have no experience of them and I doubt if they are readily available on Crete.
I’m sorry, but if you insist on having a lush green lawn then you will have to use chemicals. A number of suitable insecticides are available here. The one that I have used to some success contains the ingredient ‘chlorpyrifos’ and will keep the lawn clear for up to two months. The brand that is available in the farm shops here, however, is not labelled for use on turf and so I would recommend that you get the help of a professional to carry out any pesticide treatments.
Remember not to allow any animals to graze on a treated lawn and any clippings should not be used for composting. Another consideration is if you have fruit trees growing in the lawn. Obviously you would not want to use any chemicals under these at fruiting time, if at all.

So just what is this ‘thatch’ that I mentioned earlier? The best way that I can describe it is as a layer of both living and dead plant stems that build up between the soil surface and the green grass blades. It is what gives a lawn the springy feel underfoot. It provides an ideal home for many of the lawn pests and diseases and is, on the whole, considered to be detrimental to the well being of the grass if it is deeper than about 1cm.
Thatch is physically removed from a lawn. On a small scale this can be done with a wire tined lawn rake, but a better job is achieved by using an electric or petrol powered machine. This is generally carried out annually on a high quality lawn, whilst the grass is growing well.
Aeration also encourages the breakdown of thatch and should also be carried out at least annually (more often for sports pitches and areas of heavy wear and, therefore, compaction).

Article Published in the KO-GO Khronicles, October 2007

2007-10-08T09:14:00.000-07:00

Home Garden.

By Bob Bayes
http://www.qualitygardens.biz/
qualitygardens2004@yahoo.co.uk

A plant that has caught my eye just recently is the Bird of Paradise Plant (Strelitzia reginae, Paradisio Pouli).
A clump forming perennial from South Africa it certainly brings a touch of exotica to the Cretan garden. I have one growing as a large pot plant and, as I write this article, the first of its unique flowers is just going over (a replacement bud is now developing).
The Bird of Paradise grows to a height of about 1.2 metres with a spread of 1 metre and adds a degree of elegance to any garden with its 50cm long spear shaped leaves. Its flowers are, however, truly spectacular. The beak-like crests of orange and blue flowers are supported by boat shaped green bracts which are flushed with orange and purple. The flower heads are borne on long stems above the foliage and they flower in the spring, autumn and sometimes in the winter.
As well as a superb pot plant for the patio, the Bird of Paradise grows exceptionally well in the garden. They appreciate a rich earth with regular feeds during the growing season and summer watering. It can be grown as an unusual dividing hedge in the garden, is useful for planting in narrow beds and combines well with such plants as Canna and Banana (it is in fact a member of the banana family) to give a real ‘jungle feel’ to a garden.
Small, young plants will not produce flowers but the patient gardener will be amply rewarded.

The first of the autumn rains have already fallen in Gouves and that gives gardeners like myself itchy fingers (and dirty boots). Now is a busy time in the garden, any proposed permanent plants should be put in the ground as soon as possible. This enables them to get their root systems well established before next summer.
Vegetable gardeners too should be able to find young plants of such things as cabbage and cauliflower in the farm shops. It is also a good time to sow such things as beans, beets, lettuce, radish and spinach.
I am experimenting with pea seeds that I have obtained from the U.K and will try some more of the snowball turnip seeds that I also grew in the spring,
One word of warning, however, do not be tempted onto your cultivated land if the soil is too wet. Wet soil is easily over compacted and you will soon undo all your previous good works.

Do you have any gardening tips that you would like to share?
How about garden problems that you need a help with?
Why not visit one of the links at the top of the column? I will be happy to help as much as I can.
Alternatively, visit my blogsite www.quality-gardens-crete.blogspot.com. This and all my previous articles can be found there and you are welcome to post comments.
Tips, queries and comments can also be sent by mail to the KO-GO offices.

Article Published in The Ko-Go Khronicles, September 2007

2007-09-07T10:46:00.000-07:00

HOME GARDEN

By Bob Bayes
http://www.qualitygardens.biz/
qualityga mailto:qualitygardens2004@yahoo.co.uk

Water Wisely.
Many of us are wasteful of water in the garden. Water is an essential ingredient for plant growth but we should ask ourselves if we are giving the plants the water when they need it and in the correct quantities.
The first question that we should ask ourselves is: Do we want to water our plants? If the answer is no then we have to restrict our planting to plants adapted to the Mediterranean climate. This does not mean just the plants that can be found growing around the Mediterranean basin, but also those from other parts of the world with a ‘Mediterranean type climate.’ Many choice garden plants come from such areas in South Africa, California, Chile and Australia.
A problem for many with such a garden, however, is that it is very seasonal. Just look around at the surrounding countryside. Annual plants and bulbs generally flower in the spring or after the first winter rains (the nearest thing we have to an autumn) and many of the perennials are adapted in such a way that they are in a state of dormancy during the summer months. This may be fine for those of us who are working the proverbial 24/7 during the summer and for whom the garden is something to look forward to when the tourists have gone home. But many of us want use our gardens the whole year around and people with holiday homes here will be at the other side of the continent when their garden on Crete is in full glory.
If we want to enjoy our garden throughout the year we should water, but how much and when? This is not a question that can be easily answered. Each site is different. Each type of plant has different requirements. As with all living things, it is best to research a plant’s requirements before you buy it. I can, however, give a few tips:
Put plants with similar requirements near each other (Sufficient water for a hydrangea would drown a cactus), and water accordingly.
Place water loving plants nearer to the house/water source and use more drought tolerant plants further away (also a good ploy if you want your garden to gradually blend into the surrounding scenery).
Make sure that the water penetrates deep enough – putting 40litres of water per sq metre will wet the soil to about 20cm. The aim is to encourage the plant roots to grow deep. If we only wet the top couple of centimetres the roots stay too shallow and will not find sufficient moisture when we don’t water (or the mains are switched off).
Water very early in the morning or in the evening. If you water in the heat of the day much of what you put down will be lost to evaporation before the plants can use it. Also water droplets on foliage act like a microscope and will cause leaves to burn under the scorching Cretan sun.
With careful research and planning you can achieve a very good all year around garden and only water once per week.
Space prevents me from delving deeper into this subject. What about lawns and veggies I hear you shout. I would also like to have talked about irrigation systems. Alas, all subjects for future articles.

Even a cactus can wilt
under the Cretan sun.

Article Published in The Ko-Go Khronicles, August 2007

2007-08-20T12:19:00.000-07:00

HOME GARDEN

By Bob Bayes
http://www.qualitygardens.biz/
qualitygardens2004@yahoo.co.uk

I will now review the progress of the groundcover bed that I planted in May.
As with the vegetable plot, some things have done better than others. Although, I must say that I have not been disappointed with any of the plants used, rather I have been very pleased with a couple of my choices.
All the plants used were rooted cuttings that I had taken in Spring so were not of the size that one would normally buy from a garden centre, so I was expecting the bed to take a little time to develop. I planted the plants about a trowel’s length apart, which would compensate for the smallness of the plants (a normal planting density for full size plants would be between 3 and 9 plants per metre squared).
Of the plants used, the Blue Marguerite (Felicia amelloides), Creeping Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinales ‘Prostratus’), Lesser Periwinkle (Vinca minor) and Trailing Geranium (Pelargonium peltatum) have all done as expected. They have settled into the ground well and are starting to put on good growth. When I next have time I will use the growing tips of the periwinkle and geraniums as cuttings to provide more plants. This will also encourage the plants in the ground to form side shoots thus thickening up the groundcover. The Blue Marguerites are naturally of more compact growth and the Trailing Rosemary is a much slower growing shrubby plant. Both have got themselves established and will, in time, cover the ground.
Two plants have, however, exceeded expectations. Despite only being planted as rooted cuttings both the Verbena (Verbena peruvianis) and, a plant that I stumbled upon on my travels, Polygonum carpaticum ‘Purpurea’? are already carpeting the ground and there is not a lot of soil to be seen. The Verbena is in flower now and I have three shades of pink/mauve and the Polygonum will produce small pink flowers.
The other plant I used was a yellow form of Trailing Ice Plant (Lampranthus spectabilis) As these were already fair sized plants (already in pots having been taken as cuttings from my previous garden) it is no surprise that they too are giving almost total groundcover.
A bed of solely ground hugging plants can be a little too one dimensional so, to add height, one of the plants that I have used is an old favourite of mine, the Canna indica or Indian Shot Plant. In England it was used as a specimen ‘spot’ plant in seasonal, summer bedding. Here I am using it for the same effect, but I will be able to leave it in the ground all the year round. Originating from South America it is available in a wide range of leaf colour, flower colour and height. In this border, my plants are all growing to about1.5m high and I have 5 plants that display two leaf colours and four flower colours. I am on the lookout for more. It thrives on moisture but will also grow in quite arid conditions, although the plant will not be so robust. The rhizomes can be split during dormancy to provide new plants.

If you have any gardening queries then I would be pleased to help. Please send any comments or questions to: http://www.blogger.com/qualitygardens2004@yahoo.co.uk or visit my blog site: quality-gardens-crete.blogspot.com, where you will find this and previous articles and post your comment there

Article Published in the KO-GO Khronicles July 2007

2007-07-21T12:27:00.001-07:00

HOME GARDEN

By Bob Bayes
http://www.qualitygardens.biz/
qualitygardens2004@yahoo.co.uk

It’s hard to believe, but this is my 8th monthly article for the KO-GO. Regular readers will know that a couple of times I have discussed what I have been doing with my own garden and I think now would be a good time to review what has been happening in my home garden. What do I regard as my successes and have I had any failures?
This month I will look at what can only be described as mixed success on the vegetable plot.
Turnips: I would have liked to have sown my snowball turnips a little earlier than I did, but as they are a quick maturing crop, I thought it worth the risk. The majority of them did alright with only the last few running to seed before they matured. I still have some seeds and will give them another go in the autumn.
Peas: I saw some Petit Poi (forgive my French) seeds for sale whilst out shopping so decided to give them a try. I haven’t seen peas growing here before so was pleasantly surprised at how well they did. In fact I think that I ought to organise a delivery of some main crop seeds to come across with my September visitors.
French Beans? Spurred on by my success with the peas, I headed off to the farm shop to buy some French bean seeds. Was I sold French beans? I am not sure. I grew them as French beans and was quite happy with the variety ‘Gazana’. The variety ‘Stragasvoraki’ did not germinate well at all, so subsequently the crop was poor. I have since learned that I should have asked for ‘Frangofasoulo’. Does anybody out there know what I have been growing?
Cabbage: An unexpected success. A packet of seed that came across with a visitor, I sowed them in spring as they are a quick maturing variety and boy, how they have matured. I was disappointed with the germination rate but the cabbages that I have are football sized. I only wish that I knew what they are because I threw away the empty packet after the poor germination.
Lettuce: I grew two crops of lettuce and, as usual, grew far too much. Still the tortoises at Aquaworld appreciated it (as they do the outer cabbage leaves).
Garlic: You may recall that I ‘borrowed’ some garlic cloves from the kitchen and planted them out just before Christmas. Well some matured into quite nice plants with plenty of individual cloves. Some, however, just grew into what appeared to be a small onion (i.e. they didn’t split into cloves). I have subsequently learned that garlic needs at least one month of colder weather to initiate this process. Lesson learned, the next crop will go into the ground earlier.
Onions: When I bought the bean seeds I also got a few white skinned onion setts. These have done o.k. We are eating them now and they are comparable in size with what I see in the supermarkets.
Spinach: I grew too much of this as well. More tortoise food!
Potatoes: These have been a disappointment. I planted a variety, new to me, called ‘Kennabec’. Despite not having the soil preparation that I would like to give potatoes, they haven’t cropped too bad. However, they went over even before they flowered (not enough water?) thereby reducing the yield some more. The potatoes produced, although o.k. are not so white and firm as those sold in Mallia. Does anybody know the variety that they grow there?

At the moment, as well as the cabbage and onions, which are being cropped, I am waiting on peppers, tomatoes, melons and cucumber. I never got around to starting any early plants in the cold frame.
Like my old school reports, I can summarise my efforts as: Shows promise but could try harder and is easily distracted.
If you have any feedback on your vegetable growing efforts then please share them with the other readers on: Quality-Gardens-Crete.blogspot.com where you can also read my previous articles.
Next month we will take a look at how the bed I planted in May is developing.

Article Published in the KO-GO Khronicles, June 2007

2007-06-04T11:30:00.000-07:00

HOME GARDEN

By Bob Bayes
http://www.qualitygardens.biz/
qualitygardens2004@yahoo.co.uk

A slight change to this month’s article. I will take a look at three wild plants that also make good garden plants. Being that they grow wild in the Cretan landscape means that they are very well suited to cope with local conditions and require no additional watering (once established) to keep them alive through the summer.

Oleander (Nerium oleander, Pikrodafni)
Already firmly established as a favourite garden plant it is commonly seen lining many roadsides. Usually in it’s common pink form but also in white or red. Double flowered cultivars are available, as well as cultivars with variegated leaves.
They can be left to grow into a very large (5m high) shrub but will withstand very severe pruning to maintain shape. This makes them extremely useful for growing as an informal hedge or screen. As they flower on new shoots, this does not affect flowering. Oleander can also be trained to form a small tree.
Health warning: All parts of the oleander are poisonous!
Methods of Poisoning: Ingestion of flowers, seeds, leaves, bark, roots and smoke from burning wood, contact with sap from plant, pollen from flowers.
Symptoms of Poisoning: Skin irritation, decreased or irregular pulse rate, abdominal cramps, vomiting, diarrhoea (sometimes bloody), dilated pupils, dizziness, persistent headache, fatigue, drowsiness, loss of visual acuity (blurred or aberrant colour vision), convulsions, respiratory failure, coma and death possible.
Obviously care should be taken if you intend to use this plant near to where children play. Also beware of breathing in bonfire smoke and burns on the skin from the sticky sap when pruning.

Although I don’t know of any animals deliberately eating oleander you should be aware that many garden chemicals can make noxious plants appear to be palatable, i.e. they may mistakenly eat them. And fallen leaves blowing into animal drinking bowls may be potentially fatal.

Spanish Broom (Spartium junceum, Sparto)
Another large shrub growing to 3m high it is commonly seen in the submontane zone and is particularly noticeable now as it is in full bloom. The flowering season is May to June.
I have not seen this in a garden setting here on Crete but it is a common garden plant in the U.K where it flowers later and then throughout the summer.
The flowers are strongly scented and are followed by pea like pods. Since these will cause severe vomiting if eaten, care should be taken if used near where children play. Removal of dead flowers will prevent seed production and may encourage a second flush of flowers.
As a general rule, brooms do not respond well to heavy pruning into old wood but they will respond to a trim in the autumn.
The rush like stems have, traditionally been used in basket weaving which gives rise to another common name – Weaver’s Broom.

Cretan Ebony (Ebenus cretica, Arhodoxilo)
One of the estimated 210 species or subspecies of plant that are endemic to Crete. That means they are not found in the wild anywhere else in the world.
This is a smaller shrub and is commonly seen on rocky slopes – just before the airport on the National road.
The mass of soft pink flower spikes are seen from March to June and it should be clipped after flowering to keep it in shape.
It deserves to be more widely used as it is ideal for dry stony banks or mixed borders.
Another common name for this plant is Shrubby Sanfoin.

Please remember that it is illegal to remove plants from the wild.

Article Published in the KO-GO Khronicles, May 2007

2007-05-03T10:38:00.000-07:00

HOME GARDEN

By Bob Bayes
http://www.qualitygardens.biz/
qualitygardens2004@yahoo.co.uk

Ground Cover Planting:
In front of my vegetable plot and just across the drive from my front door there is an awkward shaped piece of garden with a mature olive tree growing in it. Because of its location I want make this into an ornamental border.
My aims are not only to create something that is pleasing to look at but also an area that requires little work (once established). This will be achieved by using plants that are not only attractive but will also cover the ground. Eventually, with the ground covered, there will be little chance of weed seeds germinating and winds will not be able to whip up a dust storm off the bare soil.
Before planting a bed with groundcover it is imperative that the ground is properly prepared and weed free. The emphasis is on weed free. Although a good groundcover scheme will suppress germinating weedlings, it has no chance if established perennial weeds are already in the soil. These will out compete the wanted plants and are practically impossible to remove from an established bed.
Similarly, during establishment, the bed should be kept weed free. This can be aided by using a mulch of something like bark chippings which need to be spread at least 5cm deep between the plants. Not only does this help to preserve moisture and suppress weed growth, it will slowly decompose into the soil surface thus improving its structure. Many plants also appreciate growing over and through the bark and will naturally set new roots and produce new plants.
Many types of plants are suitable for producing groundcover. I am looking for relatively low growing and generally evergreen plants that will form a carpet underneath the olive. I intend to plant a few individual plants within the bed to give a bit of variation in height and to extend the period of interest. For this reason I will not use any naturally climbing plants (many of which make excellent groundcover), nor will I use anything that is too vigorous and will become too invasive.
In order to fill the space as quickly as possible I will set the plants at least 3 to a square meter and am considering using the following:
Creeping rosemary (Rosmarinus officianalis ‘Prostratus’) Arsimares
Lesser Periwinkle (Vinca Minor) Agrioliza
Trailing Ice-Plant (Lampranthus spectabilis) Mesembrianthinthimo
Verbena (Verbena peruviana) Vervena
Blue Marguerite (Felicia amelloides) Felitsia
I may also experiment with trailing geranium (Pelargonium peltatum) Gerani.

What are your experiences of growing groundcover plants in Crete? Why not post a comment on my blogsite http://www.quality-gardens-crete.blogspot.com/ where you can also read this and my previous articles.

WILDPLANT OF THE MONTH:

Chrysanthemum coronarium (Crown Daisy,Agria Margarita)

It's a shame crown daisy (Chrysanthemum coronarium, now Glebionis coronaria) had its botanical name changed, since the word chrysanthemum combines the Greek for gold (chrysos) and for flower (anthos)-a perfect description for this lovely annual, which usually has yellow petal-like rays and a yellow central disk, as in the picture, although a bi-colour form is also common here on Crete. Therefore I have continued to use its old name.
An obvious choice for May’s plant of the month as it is the main ingredient of most of the Mayday floral wreaths

Article Published in The Ko-Go Khronicles, April 2007

2007-04-01T10:19:00.000-07:00

HOME GARDEN

By Bob Bayes
http://www.qualitygardens.biz/
qualitygardens2004@yahoo.co.uk

ORGANIC GROWING:
Further to my articles last month about Minas Petrakis, I have been asked for some information about growing organically at home.
Because the use of fertilisers and pesticides is so restricted, the organic grower must use cultural means to maintain soil fertility and to reduce the occurrence of pests and disease.
The main methods used to achieve this are:
· Crop Rotations: Similar crops are not grown in the same place year after year. Crops are generally moved around on a 3. 4 or 6 year cycle e.g. Potato followed by legumes (peas and beans) followed by onions followed by brassicas (cabbage etc.).
In this way one specific nutrient is not stripped repeatedly from the soil by one crop (indeed legumes actually return nutrient to the soil) and crop specific pests and diseases do not build up.
· Allowing the land to lie fallow: If space permits, it is a good idea to include a fallow period in the rotation sequence. This allows Mother Nature to restore a natural balance to the living soil (Minas always has 3000 sq metres lying fallow at any one time).
On many larger holdings this fallow area is used as organic grazing for livestock. The resulting vegetation is then turned into the soil as a ‘green manure’.
· Use of composts and manures: Compost your vegetable waste and return it to the soil. Composts and manures improve soil structure and add nutrients and useful organisms to the soil. True organic growers will only use composts and manures from organic sources and the use of peat is also not allowed as a soil conditioner.
· Bio-diversity: A phrase used to describe the make up of the living organisms in a specific area. A naturally diverse garden has a balance whereby there are generally enough natural predators to keep pests etc. at bay.

Maybe you have some tips on organic growing which you would like to pass on to other readers. Please post any tips, queries or comments onto my blogsite: http://www2.blogger.com/www.quality-gardens-crete.blogspot.com where you will find this and previous articles written for Home Garden.
Tips from Mila’s for this month are to sow/plant zucchini, melon, cucumber, tomato, pepper, aubergine and green beans.

WILDPLANT OF THE MONTH

Once again I am indebted to ‘FloraCretica’ for providing the picture used in this section. A local, non profit making organisation, who are dedicated to the preservation of the wild flora of Crete. Please visit their website at http://www.floracretica.gr/. Here you can learn more about their activities, which include fieldtrips open to non members at a nominal charge to cover costs.

Cyclamen creticus (Cretan cyclamen/sowbread, kyklamino)

Endemic to Crete the flowers are pure white or rarely pale pink during March-April and are found in shady places in the Montane and sub-montane zone.
Sometimes referred to as a sub-species of Cyclamen repandum
Excellent for naturalising in the garden.

Space did not permit us to include this feature last month so I will give you a second flower this month.
Those of you who remember my first article may remember that I was waiting to see what the bulbs poking their noses through the soil in my new garden were.
Well they have turned out to be a very pretty native:

Iris unguicularis (Winter Iris, Agrios Krinos)

Another plant of rocky/stony places.
The delicately fragrent flowers are violet-blue and they can be found in flower from January through to April. It grows about 60cm tall.
The plants on Crete generally have smaller flowers than those found elsewhere and it was once thought to be a separate species (I. cretica).
A useful garden plant, it makes a useful groundcover and will grow in full sun or partial shade.
Plants that flower in shades of blue/purple or white can be found in cultivation.
Remember that it is illegal to remove plants from the wild.

Articles Published in the Ko-GO Khronicles, March, 2007

2007-03-02T11:03:00.000-08:00

AN ORGANIC FARM
GROWS IN GOURNES
By Bob Bayes
http://www.qualitygardens.biz

Tucked between the riverbed and the old American base, Minas Petraki grows true organic fruit and vegetables right here in Gournes. The 9,000-square-meter farm is called ‘Kιτιμα Ποταμουσα’ (Farm by the Singing River), and it will shortly be well signposted along the Nikos Kazantakis Street (which runs down from old road to the sea).
A native of Kokkini Hani, Minas spent his early working life running bars in Heraklion but was restless to move into something that would be more meaningful to him. As a boy he had spent many summers working on farms in his mother’s home village in the South. This had probably set the seeds for what he was about to undertake.
He owned a plot of land in Gournes which had been lying empty for 15 years. Wanting a more relaxed way of life, and to do something for the planet, he decided to start growing organic produce.
That was in 2003, and now Minas was proudly showing us the results of three years hard work. Not only showing us but letting us taste it too! Delicious – you can really taste the difference.
After the land was cultivated a lot of rocks and stones came to the surface. Minas has used these to construct low dividing walls/windbreaks which also provide homes to many species of wildlife. It is worth noting that the only machinery used by Minas is a small rotavator – he takes great care not to over compact the soil.
To ensure that there are no chemical residues in the soil it then takes two years of organic tending before produce from any land can be deemed to be organic. Therefore, Minas allowed the land to lie fallow.
During the first winter (2003) he attended a three-month training course in Heraklion to prepare him for his new life as an organic farmer. The sessions were organised by the Ministry of Agriculture, who oversee every aspect of organic farming on Crete. Now he regularly attends seminars which keep him up to date with all the latest methods. The farm is inspected every 3 months to check on the methods being used and to take soil and plant tissue samples to test for any unwanted residues. Only growers who pass this rigorous testing are allowed to call their produce organic.
Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Minas joins other organic farmers from around Crete in selling their produce at the special farmers market organised by The Union of Biological Producers of the Public Markets of Crete, which is held in the public park next to Freedom Square, Heraklion (Parko Georgiadi).
When not at the market Minas can be found at his farm, where local residents can buy fresh produce directly.
On a recent visit Minas was harvesting tomato, pepper, spring onion, rocket and broad beans. We sampled them all and they were delicious. Also in the ground were lettuce, artichokes, broccoli, spinach, garlic, ochre and aubergine (egg plant). A number of different herbs were also evident and, for future years, a small orchard of citrus trees has been planted.
By the end of this month Minas is confident that he will be able to supply 90 percent of any cook’s vegetable requirements.

HOME GARDEN
By Bob Bayes
http://www.qualitygardens.biz

A slightly different feel to the column this month. Since this issue of the Khronicles features an article on local organic farmer, Minas Petrakis, we will present this column as a companion piece – Everything You Wanted To Know About Organic Farming But Were Afraid To Ask. We are sure that you will find the information useful no matter what sized plot that you garden.

Why Organics
There is a growing body of research that shows organic food can be more nutritious for you and your family. Put simply, organic food contains more of the good stuff we need (like vitamins and minerals) and less of the bad stuff that we don’t (pesticides etc.).
Here are 7 good reasons for us to eat organic produce:
1. Top for taste: Many people prefer organic food because they believe it tastes better than non-organic. This could be because organic fruit and vegetables tend to grow more slowly and have a lower water content than non organic crops.
2. Its healthy: On average, organic food contains higher levels of vitamin C and essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron and chromium as well as cancer-fighting antioxidants.
3. No nasty additives: Only 32 of the 290 food additives approved for use across the EU are permitted in organic food. If you buy direct from the grower (or grow your own) there will be no additives whatsoever.
4. Avoids pesticides: The best way of reducing your exposure to potentially harmful pesticides is to eat organically grown food, where their use is avoided. Over 440 pesticides can be routinely used in non organic farming and residues are often present in non-organic food.
5. GM-free: Genetically modified (GM) crops and ingredients are not allowed under organic standards.
6. High standards: Organic food comes from trusted sources. All organic farms and food companies are inspected at least once a year. The standards for organic food are laid down in European law.
7. Good for wildlife and the environment: Overall organic farming supports more farmland wildlife than non-organic farming. A corner stone of organic growing is bio-diversity, encouraging a natural balance to keep pests under control. It causes lower pollution from sprays, produces less carbon dioxide (the main global warming gas) and less dangerous wastes.

What is Organic Growing?
The main components of organic farming are avoiding the use of artificial fertilisers and pesticides, and the use of crop husbandry to maintain soil fertility and control weeds, pests and diseases. However, since 1993 the methods used in organic farming have been strictly regulated in accordance with EU Regulations and are enforced by the relevant authorities in the member states.
These regulations set out the minimum inputs and practices that may be used in organic farming and growing and the inspection systems that must be in place to ensure this.
All foods sold as organic therefore must originate from growers who are registered with an approved certification body and subject to regular inspection.
Because the use of fertilisers and pesticides is so restricted, the organic grower must use cultural means to maintain soil fertility and to reduce the occurrence of pests and disease.

If you have some tips on organic growing which you would like to pass on to other readers, please post them onto this blogsite.
Tips from Minas Petrakis for this month: sowing/planting: zucchini, melon, cucumber, tomato, pepper, aubergine and green beans.

Home Garden - Published in the Ko-GO Khronicles, February 2007

2007-02-01T11:10:00.000-08:00

HOME GARDEN

By Bob Bayes
http://www.qualitygardens.biz/
qualitygardens2004@yahoo.co.uk

I am sitting writing this article during January and waiting for my soil to dry after recent, heavy rains. My landlord has finished pruning his olives and I am ‘itching; to get on the land.
At last I have a plot of garden big enough to allow me to grow some vegetables. Since leaving the U.K this is something that I haven’t been able to do. As I was brought up gardening in the North of England, I am probably going to make some pretty basic mistakes as I live and learn about the different growing seasons, not withstanding the ‘exotic’ varieties available.
Before Christmas I managed to sow some snowball turnips, peas and lettuce. I also planted some sprouting garlic cloves that I found in the vegetable rack. Fingers crossed, I now have my first rows of vegetables in Crete.
I now want to get more lettuce and some onion, potatoes, carrots, spinach and beet in the ground (as they become available). I may even try to start some early tomatoes and peppers in a cold frame that I have constructed.
If any of you readers have experience of vegetable gardening here on Crete, and would like to pass on tips to other readers, please contact me through the E-mail address at the top of this page. Or you could post a comment on http://www.quality-gardens-crete.blogspot.com/ where both this article and all my previous articles are posted.
As they say: You are never too old to learn.

THE CAPE VINE (Dilinos)
Senecio mikanoides

A much maligned and pretty indestructible plant caught my eye the other day. Many people will not plant it because it can get out of hand and be invasive, but it has few equals for covering those little used, unsightly corners of the garden.
Winter flowering and evergreen have got to be bonuses too.

A native of South Africa this climbing /scrambling plant can soon reach a height of 6m and will soon overgrow any adjacent favourites, especially if you are providing lots of tender loving care in the form of water and feed. Planting them too close to windows is also not such a good idea, although you soon won’t have too many panes to wash.
My favourite location for this plant would be scrambling over a boundary fence or even allowed to trail over a large, difficult to manage, plot as a groundcover. Here it can be left to its own devices requiring little more than an infrequent prune to keep it within bounds and to ensure it stays thick and dense.
With so little to do in your garden you would then have the time to ponder how it got its other common name – German ivy!?

WILDPLANT OF THE MONTH

Once again I am indebted to ‘FloraCretica’ for providing the picture used in this section. A local, non profit making organisation, who are dedicated to the preservation of the wild flora of Crete. Please visit their website at http://www.floracretica.gr/. Here you can learn more about their activities, which include fieldtrips open to non members at a nominal charge to cover costs.

ALMOND (Amygdalia)
Prunus dulcis

Not a native to Crete but long established in the wild. A native of North Africa and Southwest Asia it has become naturalised throughout the Mediterranean.
The blossom is borne on bare branches and is the first of the deciduous trees to flower (perhaps as early as January). A real harbinger of spring.
Cultivated for their edible nuts, they can sometimes be found planted amongst Olives, where their taller ungainly habit makes them stand out.
As well as the obvious uses of the nuts, the sweet cordial called Soumada is also produced from them.
Almonds can be self sterile so at least two trees are required to ensure pollination and, therefore, nuts.

Home Garden -Published in the Ko-Go Khronicles, January 2007

2007-01-01T02:36:00.000-08:00

THE POINSETTIA
Euphorbia pulcherimma

If there is one pot plant that symbolises Christmas it is the poinsettia. In its native Mexico it grows into a large shrub or small tree, but the plant we see has been mass produced, treated with dwarfing hormones and had its environment manipulated to produce an optimum display plant.
The colourful display is produced not by the flowers, but by bracts (specialised leaves) that surround the insignificant flowers. These are usually red but are also produced in pink and cream.
If we have looked after our poinsettia it will still be healthy and may even be giving a good display. But what can I do when the display is over? I don’t want to bin my plant, I hear you all say. So here are a few tips
After flowering, prune to keep the plant in a good shape and thin out the stems to encourage it to produce a few large heads. Please remember, however, that without dwarfing hormones you will never recreate that compact plant that you bought. Water sparingly and keep it cool (10-15C).
In early summer, repot into a rich compost and keep as warm and humid as possible and in good light. Do not allow the plant to wilt and also give a regular feed of liquid fertilizer.
Flower buds form when temperatures fall below 18C and the plant receives at least 14 hours of darkness a day. To produce a Christmas display, put the plant in a cupboard for 14 hours every night from early October and until the bracts start to show colour.
Here on Crete the poinsettia will grow outdoors. It does require quite a bit of water and it prefers a slightly acidic soil, but I have seen one about 3meters high on the way into Iraklion. If you want to give it a try first wean your plant away from the central heating/log fire. Choose a site with a little afternoon shade and incorporate some ericaceous compost into the planting pit. Keep well watered, with additional liquid feeds during spring and summer, and watch it grow.

PESTICIDES IN THE GARDEN.
Space does not permit an in depth article on this subject (another time maybe), but I did promise some words last month, so here goes.
Despite using chemicals myself from time to time, I only use them as a last resort and make sure that I use the safest options possible. But even I have to be careful.
In the U.K, for example, the sale and use of pesticides is strictly controlled and all products have to be approved for specific usage. A member of the public cannot buy and use a pesticide designated for professional use, and for good reason. The chemical concentration in professional products is far greater than that in similar products designated for home/amateur use. As an example, the weed killer ‘Tumbleweed’ is a product for home use and contains 120g/litre of the active ingredient, glyphosate. Professional formulations such as ‘Roundup’ however, contain 360g/litre of glyphosate and some as much as 450g/litre. Quite a difference, and very easy to overdose. Of course all the farm shops here will sell you ‘Roundup’
Pesticides also ‘lose approval’ quicker in the U.K. The picture shows some chafer bug larvae. I found these in the part of my garden designated as a vegetable plot. Lovely creatures. Not only do the adult beetles chomp through leaves and stems, but these babies munch on roots. My lettuce wouldn’t stand a chance!
A trip to the farm shop and I left with a product (’Thiodan’) and was assured that I could eat crops within 14 days of spraying.
After a quick search on the internet, however, I discovered that this product has no approval for use in the U.K. and a similar one has approval for use on ornamentals only (i.e definitely not food crops). Suffice to say it is not going anywhere near my vegetables and I have resorted to physically removing the little beasts.
I got more than 60 out of a plot no bigger than 4 square metres. I hope I got them all.

WILDPLANT OF THE MONTH
In this new, regular feature I am going to feature a wild plant of particular interest in the month.
The pictures are provided by ‘FloraCretica’ a local, non profit making organisation, who are dedicated to the preservation of the wild flora of Crete. Please visit their website at
http://www.floracretica.gr/. Here you can learn more about their activities, which include fieldtrips open to non members at a nominal charge to cover costs.

Anemone coronaria
A tuberous rooted perennial that lives in the lowlands and sub-montane zone.
Relatively large flowers are formed 10-30cm tall in various colours (blue, violet, pink, white,red) are produced from January until April.
Remember, it is illegal to remove plants from the wild.

QUERIES, QUESTIONS AND TIPS.
Have you had any success growing poinsettias outdoors? Perhaps you’ve tried cyclamen or pot mums? Why not share your experiences with other readers, visit
www.quality-gardens-crete.blogspot.com.
If you have any queries post a question on the blog site. If space doesn’t allow me to deal with your query in these articles they can be dealt with on the site.
Leave comments about the articles. My aim is to make these articles relevant to as many people as possible.

For more English language articles about Crete, Greece visit: www.ko-go.eu

New Column, New Garden - Published in the Ko-Go Khronicles, December 2006

2006-12-14T08:31:00.000-08:00

NEW COLUMN, NEW GARDEN: As chance would have it, I have been asked to pen this new column at the same time as moving into a new house with a garden that I can call my own. So now I have two blank canvases to work on, the one of soil and the other paper. So what am I going to do in the garden?First of all I want to see what is already there and what is doing well. The old adage of don't fix it unless it’s broken is well suited to many aspects of garden work.The recent rains have certainly made what previously was bare soil very lush and green. Most of what are emerging are weeds but there are a few interesting bulbs starting to poke their noses through the soil. I'm glad that I wasn't too impatient to start work.
OXALIS: One plant that has become apparent, and one I definitely don't want, is the yellow flowering oxalis/wood-sorrel (Oxalis pes-caprae). This is a perennial plant (meaning that it lives for many years) that re-grows each autumn from tiny bulbils that grow on its roots. It is very rampant and invasive and despite being a native of South Africa it has escaped from cultivation and, despite it's attractive appearance, is a problem all over Crete.
Each oxalis growing out there is taking up the space that could have a Cretan native wild flower growing in it.
Getting rid of this weed is easier said than done. Normally I am in favour or using cultural/mechanical means to remove weeds (hoeing, digging etc) but that is practically impossible with this pest. Hoeing leaves all those pesky bulbils in the soil, digging leaves at least some of them behind and, worst of all, rotavating spreads them into areas not yet colonised. Unfortunately we have to resort to chemical warfare. I have been successful in the past using repeat doses of glyphosate weed killers. A dose just before the plant dies back for the summer seems to be particularly effective. Space does not allow me to look deeper into the use of pesticides this month, but do treat all chemicals with respect and always follow the instructions on the packaging. I will devote a large section of my next column to this issue. I will be pleased to receive any comments or queries about any aspect of gardening. I will try to help out through this column and tailor it to suit as many of your needs as possible.