After 20 odd years of allotmenteering in the UK, we have moved to Cyprus and besides enjoying the weather, we have been busy establishing our new allotment in our garden here. We have set up deep beds, have started a herb garden and put in fruit trees. We were all excited today as after 4 days hard work we took our first crop of olives, from mature trees already on site, to the press and returned with 40 litres of lovely green olive oil (all for the cost of around £60)
We had great difficulty in trying to find any information on growing organically in Cyprus and the Mediterranean generally, especially with regards to planting times. So after lots of research we decided to put the information on our own website, which might be of use to anybody else who ends up living in the Mediterranean area.
If you would be interested in having a look its on
https://sites.google.com/site/cyprusgardener/
Happy gardening to you all
What a great idea and I'm sure it will be of help to others.
Can't see myself moving to the sun as yet but I do really wish you both a wonderful and happy life in Cyprus. lynn x
I have just had a holiday in Turkey and thought it would be nice to have an allotment there from November to March.
Enjoy your allotmenting in Cypus.
Hi Okra
Would this be of interest to you?
http://www.mediterraneangardensociety.org/ :)
I lived in Cyprus for 6 months in the early '70's. Everything was very dry and water was scarce. I suggest that you get plenty of water butts to catch the water when it rains over this winter.
I hope you will both be very happy there, Whereabouts in Cyprus are you?
Thanks for all your kind words an best wishes
Thanks autumn leaf for the web link - looks very interesting and I will have a good perusal
You are right Pauline7 we have had very liittle rain so far this winter but are lucky to have our own water supply, so things are growing well. It seems strange though putting lettuces outside in December and a neighbour even gave us some tomatoes which are still reddening. We are in a small rural village half way between Nicosia and Larnaca.
Had a good look at the Med Garden site recommended by Autumn Leaf and if you have any Med plants in your garden or lottie its full of very useful information
Been to Cyprus many times - it must be a great climate to grow in..
Sounds like you are really enjoying yourselves :) And your sowing dates make interesting reading ! I guess working out what varieties do well for you has been another challenge ;)
Quote from: 1066 on November 22, 2010, 22:14:43
Sounds like you are really enjoying yourselves :) And your sowing dates make interesting reading ! I guess working out what varieties do well for you has been another challenge ;)
The seed variety issue is a problem, as we need plants which like full sun and can tolerate less water, we have tried to buy locally, obtain saved seeds from neighbours, used UK seed sellers which specialise in Mediterranean seeds and there is always E-Bay. The plan is to save our own seed once we find varieties that are at home in our soil and climate.
Any snow yet Okra. :-\ :-\ :-\
Quote from: cornykev on November 28, 2010, 11:41:30
Any snow yet Okra. :-\ :-\ :-\
Had to come in from gardening today at 10.30 because it was too hot. Back in the UK on the 7th so hoping the freeze does not continue for too long
QuoteHad to come in from gardening today at 10.30 because it was too hot.
!! I'm having trouble imagining this!
When I went on holiday to Cyprus once, it was early Autumn (well our Autumn - September or Oct) and there were lots of cucumbers and melons growing in gardens. I remember noticing that. Small cucs, and those were the ones you could buy in the shop as well.
I noticed the way they made earth ridges around the stems of plants, so water would stay and soak in. I took this idea and have used it ever since.
Good luck with the garden and finding local varieties. Getting seed from local people is always nice as it's a way of meeting people with your interest in veg growing.
Is there anything you won't be able to grow, like peas or whatever?
Quote from: pigeonseed on November 28, 2010, 13:44:32
QuoteHad to come in from gardening today at 10.30 because it was too hot.
!! I'm having trouble imagining this!
When I went on holiday to Cyprus once, it was early Autumn (well our Autumn - September or Oct) and there were lots of cucumbers and melons growing in gardens. I remember noticing that. Small cucs, and those were the ones you could buy in the shop as well.
I noticed the way they made earth ridges around the stems of plants, so water would stay and soak in. I took this idea and have used it ever since.
Good luck with the garden and finding local varieties. Getting seed from local people is always nice as it's a way of meeting people with your interest in veg growing.
Is there anything you won't be able to grow, like peas or whatever?
Hi
Yes he little cucs are very tasty. Most things will grow but if the temperatures get too high in the summer, even with lots of water and covering, plants wither. Peas are not a problem though and believe it or not we are planting them at the moment (quite a strange feeling)
Quote from: okra on November 19, 2010, 19:18:37
After 20 odd years of allotmenteering in the UK, we have moved to Cyprus and besides enjoying the weather, we have been busy establishing our new allotment in our garden here. We have set up deep beds, have started a herb garden and put in fruit trees. We were all excited today as after 4 days hard work we took our first crop of olives, from mature trees already on site, to the press and returned with 40 litres of lovely green olive oil (all for the cost of around £60)
We had great difficulty in trying to find any information on growing organically in Cyprus and the Mediterranean generally, especially with regards to planting times. So after lots of research we decided to put the information on our own website, which might be of use to anybody else who ends up living in the Mediterranean area.
If you would be interested in having a look its on
https://sites.google.com/site/cyprusgardener/
Happy gardening to you all
Update now got a new web address http://www.cyprusgardener.co.uk