Current Spanish Growing

The Spanish growing study

We are experienced growers in the UK but there are marked differences in growing in Spain, the best way to learn is by doing, we started work in March 2019 and so this is an overview of what we have learnt so far.

The growing plot is in the Alicante region, the soils in the Alicante area are loamy-sand and mainly dark lime bearing soils on subsoils of sedimentary rock, so they have the ideal texture and grain size for growing vines. They are extremely porous and permeable soils, with good drainage and poor water retention.

This prevents the growth of phytopathogenic fungi. With the organic matter they contain and provided they are well fertilised with iron salts, soils in Alicante are ideal for growing vines.

Temperatures can reach up to 40 degrees C in summer and down to 16 degrees C in winter. In summer nights can be hot, a contributing factor this is the releasing of the heat from buildings due to thermal mass. In winter the nights can be quite cold and damp.

The average rainfall is 311 mm (12.2 in) per year. September and October are the wettest months.

The plot is on a terrace it is raised on one side and a drops down on the other side at the bottom of which there is a river, It is a long thin area of aprox 1 acre. It has previously been planted with fruit trees and had other plants grown there so some of the soil has been worked but it has fallen into disrepair over the last few years.

There are also many wild plants on-site, The site is SE facing and gets morning sun, some parts of the garden are in shade during the afternoon.Although the soil has been previously worked it becomes baked when dry and swampy when wet. There was an existing channel to drain water which has been cleared and other channels have been dug out to improve the drainage of rainwater down into the river. The whole site has also been set up to be watered off an extensive drip system.

The first job was to reclaim the land from the rabbits, there was a lot of clearing of old wood done and fencing put up along the edge of where the land drops down and also to mark out certain areas of the garden.

There is a small concrete patio at the back of the house which had 2 small square beds filled with compost. The beds were raised up using split logs cut on-site and further filled with compost.

BED 1 - planted 15/3/19 Rosemary, basil, thyme, marjoram and garlic chives.

We also had swiss chard pop up which we believe may have been planted by our 2 year old son!

BED 2 - planted 29/9/19 Strawberries, corriander, flat leaf parsley

The first patch we planted up on was rotivated and had compost added. It planted with various fruit and veg both seeds and plants, We obtained a decent crop of potatoes but had problems with the other stuff. It then became apparent that there was a drainage issue from a waste pipe from the house and in fact we should not grow there. We also rotivated and added compost to a small triangle bed at the same time in which we grew coriander/melon/native rosemary (courgette/cucumber/lavender) We planted Aloe Vera to edge the growing beds and define the path, this was also done with logs that have thick rope strung between. We then created a new growing bed which again was rotivated and had compost and sheep manure added. It was planted with tomatoes and peppers transplanted from the previous growing site.

There were also some new plants of each added, they have both cropped well and the peppers have been particularly productive and many have been pickled. The coriander grew very well, we have saved some seed and are waiting to see if it will also self seed. The melon struggled with some kind of disease when it grew into the indoor grow space it set many fruits but they did not grow, however we did get one beautiful melon off the plant

We have now learnt that in Spain you get a second growing season around September when effectively they have a second Spring. So the tomatoes and peppers where cut back and new seedling plants added.......We also planted a monstera deliciosa under a tree and a clump of Comfery root which has now taken and popped up TREES ONSITE - Pomigranate, olive, almond and a number of others yet to be identified PLANTS ONSITE - peppers, tomatoes, cardoon, grape, melon, low growing rosemary, corriander, swiss chard Planted September 2019 - Cauliflower, sprouts, onions

WILD PLANTS ONSITE - We are currently working on a list of wild plants on site, there is a large ammont of nettle on site which is probly due to the soil being previously worked as nitrogen and phosporous must be pressent for it to grow, this plant can be utilized in various ways. T

here are a number of succulant plants including this one we are currently trying to identify Contenders on the plant ID are Sally my hansome - if so its just a cool sounding name and has environmental use as a ground/rock cover, insect attractor and soil maker or its the Hottentot fig which produces an edible fruit, its schedule 9 plant in the uk was introduced from Africa. It has an edible fruit which doesnt ripen in the uk but probably will there. It also has medicinal uses, im leaning towards it being the Hottentot fig but I can feel myself at a bias cos i want it to be that one. Both plants look very similar.

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Current Spanish Growing

The Spanish growing study

Written by drgreen

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