Late Spring 2024 and the growth is unabated.

June approaching fast and much to do.

The Olive grove

The olive trees are in full flower. This year there seems to be far more than in previous years. The trees have responded well to the warm and wet weather. Hopefully this will translate into a good crop come the Autumn. Strongly suspect that with the mild winter and a warm wet spring that the olive fly (Bactrocera oleae) will be an early issue to have to deal with. This year we are trying a Bayer product Decis Trap Olivo (in Italian but Google translate works well). These are orange spheres hung on the trees with both a pheromone to attract the fly and a poison to kill them. Becomes an interesting debate as whether is is organic or not. Suspect the compounds are not but the overall system is defined and certified as organic. Be strange to see the orange spheres in the trees as they are not subtle. The literature says the colour is an attractor.

The Vegetable Gardens

The experiment with cardboard and mulch as part of no dig seems to be working quite well. Not quite ‘no dig’ as we struggle to get the amount of compost needed but we’re not double digging or tiling the soil. The card is disintegrating but very few weed seeds seem to have germinated and even the more pernicious weeds are struggling. Where thick enough the soil is still very moist and looks in good condition. Not too wet and claggy. . Even where we used card plus straw very little growth is coming through. As yet the drip irrigation is not up and running and where there is little mulch the melenzane and zucchini are not happy so planting more and getting water to the plants. The tomatoes though are growing strongly. They must have their roots well down.

We’ve found a plant grower and supplier in the next village. Came across them during a plant market day one Sunday in Lucca where we bought some of our tomatoes. So today’s haul was 56 plants (melanzane, zucchini , chillis and bell peppers) plus a hibiscus and large trailing ivy for the stairwell all for €70 including 140 L of compost. Very affordable. Most now planted but had to stop for some very welcome rain. Also planting sunflowers raised from seed, pumpkins and melons. And the sweet peas are growing well. Hopefully get a few months of cut flowers from them. Also sown maize and have beans and ornamental maize still to sow.

The upper veg garden is doing well too. More to be planted including flowers.

The grapes are growing well. We now just need to stay on top of mildew and other pests.

The land

As yet the grass in the fields has not had the spring cut. This year the growth has been amazing with a variety of wild flowers in full bloom. The gladioli and harebells are stunning and already setting to seed. There appears to be a greater variety of plants in flower and some of the grass seed heads are stunning in the sunlight.

.Our lavender is growing well considering the stress they had over wintering in pots. This is a trial planting on terracces by the upper veg garden. The variety we got from a nursery in The Netherlands are quite petite and starting to flower. Those we got from Assisi are much more robust and larger. These will hopefully have a good display once they flower. Now need to start the planning for the mass planting on the old vine terraces as this planting with weed matting seems to be working well.

The acacias blossom has now ended but the elder is in full flower. This year we’ve made some elder flower syryp for the summer. Good to have with prosecco as a summer drink. Labelled in honour of the neighbour’s dog.

The willow trees were heavily pollarded but responding well.

Scents of spring

I love strongly scented plants and flowers, so it has been a joy to just live in the moment and enjoy the scent. Roses, orange blossom, hawthorm and now late spring jasmine hedges are in full bloom.

Whilst making elderflower syrup the cucina was more like a profumerie!! The colours of spring are predominantly green and white, petals of the acacia, hawthorn, elderflower and jasmine are all a beautiful white and as Nick mentioned above the flowering is prolific this year.

It is incredible how much energy is released from the earth at this time of year, trees that were bare over winter can be in full leaf in 72 hours – maybe we are on a ley line here?