Tuesday 7 February 2012

SOMETHING IS A-STIRRING IN THE GARDEN

Returning home from a brief trip to the UK, I was struck by how dry my island home had become in the short time that I'd been away. Due to a lack of rain, many trees are already turning brown and dropping their leaves and the grass has turned a pale straw colour. My poor cocoa sapling has no leaves at all and one of the avocado trees finally seem to have given up.  It's sad to see a three year old tree give up when it has done so well thus far. Perhaps it will send some new shoots - I'll give it some recovery time and review the prognosis.  

As with all things, thankfully, there is a balance and whilst some trees have lost their leaves, others are putting forth new growth and all around young fruits are making their debut. Lime, mango, gauva and more, are showing off the cutest miniature versions of the real thing.  Curiously, the Golden Apple (spondias cytherea), has lost all it's leaves but still has a good crop of new fruit. Before long, we will barely be able to spot the fruit amongst the lush new foliage.

In the driveway, although the grass is looking rather rough and unkempt and the temporary gate looks as though it is about to keel over, the young trees seem to be holding their own and the  Cashew has donned her first pretty pink flowers and burnished copper leaves.  Fingers crossed that they will go on to make fruit and eventually nuts!

So all in all, whilst Europe struggles with the snow, here in St Lucia there is almost a sense of spring in the air and I feel spurred on to start thinking about planting seeds. It is also Full Moon this week, so anything potted needs to be transplanted. Using traditional local methods, the weekend will mean that I should decide if I'll be planting any root crops and if so, what? I need to consider whether the time is right or whether I should wait until the next moon.  Perhaps by then we may have had more rain which would give seeds and newly transplanted saplings a better chance of survival.

By the way, it's not just the plants that are a-stirring in the garden - can you tell what the creature in the last photo is?  OK, it's a really poor quality photo - these fellas move like grease lighting - but you might just be able to make him out.....


Cashew with it's new coppery leaves and pink flowers 
One of several baby limes on the potted tree waiting to be transplanted

A mature Golden Apple tree full of fruit but without leaves for now

My favourite variety, Mango Palwee, small, sweet and a lovely shade of bright yellow when ripe.

The three year old Julie Mango tree showing it's first fruit


Cashew, Acerola, Golden Apple, Pomegranate and Love Apple saplings settling in nicely

A very poor photo - these fellas are as quick as lightening....but can you see what it is?

14 comments:

  1. Your trees are amazing! I love mango --wish we could grow those here. I have no idea what critter that is in your last photo--something that likes fruit? ;)
    -Jaime

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  2. Thanks Jaime - we are very lucky indeed, though of course I envy your ability to grow peaches and berries, which we cannot in this climate. The cheeky critter probably does eat fruit but actually does a useful job of devouring fruit eating grubs and beetles, but are most famous for their ability to kill snakes (huge clue!) : )

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    1. ; )) and thank you for drawing my attention to this very useful "Reply" button which I hadn't even noticed - DUH!!!

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  3. Apparently, people have commented but their comments are not appearing. Sincere apologies, clearly some gremlins in the technology. Thanks for trying anyway!

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  4. Beautiful trees! I have no idea what the critter might be.

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  5. Thank you Mary. Did you ever read the book or see the movie Rikki Tikki Tavi? ; )

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  6. Beautiful. I really like comparing what is grown in temperate climates vs the northern hemisphere. Interesting. And the critter? I wanted to show hubby. It looks like a dragon to me! Hubby will know. I sure hope he's harmless to humans. :)

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    1. They are pretty shy, so doubt that would be harmful, unless perhaps if cornered? Did the hubby guess? Quite a few clues above : )

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  7. I'm just guessing but could be a mongoose. I was recently reading about Cocoa trees the author was suggesting they like shade. Do you know any companion type combos for cocoa, cashew, or other tropical fruits?

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    1. You guessed correctly :) It is indeed a mongoose and we have a whole family living in an old fallen mango tree, though sadly, the dogs are making life less than comfortable for them.

      Cocoa trees do best in shade and are often grown below larger trees that provide shade or amongst trees with wide shady leaves such as bananas and plantains. We have the new Hotel Chocolat cocoa plantation here on St Lucia. Are you currently growing cocoa and where are you located?

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    2. http://www.rabotestate.com/ - might be of interest to you.

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    3. Dear H.H.;
      Thanks for the website rabotestate looks expensive but brillant. I'm here in Denver so any connection to cocoa trees is purely in my head. Happened upon your blog through a link to a link and was simply enjoying a bit of an escape from the tailend of winter here. The mongoose photo caught my eye as it looked (blur and all) like ones I'd seen many years back living on St Croix. Your plight of returning to an untended/watered garden fed into my own thoughts regarding how to enjoy my garden while not being chained to one place.
      Regarding cocoa while it may just be the need for a good chocolate bar I have been bumping into cocoa a bit lately. I happened upon a suggestion that a cocoa shortage was a possibility(in the next 5 years) on a link from a financial website I follow. In a trip to the library I grabbed a book next to the one I wanted. The book I grabbed was essentially research notes a fellow had written up on cocoa pollination on Costa Rican plantations. Oddly fascinating from a gardening perspective. Than the wife mentions she'd like us to go to Costa Rica this fall. Than of course I read your blog and you mention rabotestate (and all this in one week) So maybe I should be looking for some cheap old cocoa plantation to go be an equally happy hippy.
      I'm curious how did you get to St Lucia? How goes the economy down there? Is it an expensive place? Know any cheap cocoa plantations for sale?
      If time allows drop me a line at doug5380@runbox.com
      Doug A.

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    4. Hey Doug - have PM you with ramblings of a HH : )

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