Category: My Gardening

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My Gardening

Seven annoying garden pests that ‘bug’ us every year!

…And my helpful solutions

1. The Mole Rat

My one remaining red tulip, the last one left as the other five disappeared thanks to the digging mole rats who ate the bulbous roots of these beautiful flowers. My daffodils did not escape attack either and sadly I lost a few of those too.

I have discovered the Mole Rat is actually an endangered species here in Hungary. For the whole of this summer daily mole hills would appear, not only in my flower beds but in the grass too. They formed a distinct pattern of activity, straight through the flower beds and further and further up the garden.

Repeatedly we diligently removed the burrowed soil and moved it to another flowerbed. On the plus side, the soil is nice and aerated…that is the only plus!

I did some research looking for humane ways of eradicating these nuisance pests. The conclusion I came to was we needed to scare them away with some sort of ringing, rattling and vibrating sounds. This apparently shakes the ground above them and they become panicked and perceive danger is around.

While a slight vibration might only cause the moles to pause their travels or digging, constant vibrations will likely cause them to change course altogether. A great, inexpensive way to create a constant vibration is with pinwheels, it is a safe way to deter moles.

Pin wheel or Children’s windmill. Image by Jill_J_Jenkins from Pixabay

As I have planted more bulbs for next Spring I shall invest in several pinwheels and put them in my flowerbeds to hopefully scare them away.

In the veggie plot it is suggested you plant rows of parsnips as this deters the moles as they do not like the taste of the lengthy roots.

This morning’s molehill!

2. The Greenfly

I have a constant battle with greenflies every year attacking my roses. As the name suggests a green fly is a green aphid that is a nuisance pest that feeds on garden and crop plants.

I have tried repeatedly just to rub them off with my finger and thumb as soon as I spot them but proves difficult when there are so many hiding under the leaves.

Our friend suggested we use a mild washing up liquid mixed with water, in a spray bottle and spray the greenfly as soon as they were spotted. I tried this method with some success. I needed to spray my roses most days and be particularly diligent in lifting every leaf in sight. It made a good alternative to the harsh chemical greenfly spray you can buy in the garden centres.

I did read that garlic water is also a good natural greenfly spray. Several cloves of garlic are left to steep in boiling water, left to cool and then put into a spray bottle. This apparently kills off the current generation of aphids but not the eggs, so another repeat spray is required until they all disappear. I am not fond of the smell of garlic but if it prevents/irradicates the greenfly then I shall give it a go next year.

3. Stink Bugs

Stink bug on our inside window

These annoying hardback bugs seem to find their way into our house on a regular basis. They come in with the laundry or cling to my clothes when I am outside. They waft in through the front door much the same way a fly does. They are incredibly common in Hungary, particularly at this time of the year. I read their population is increasing, not a good sign.

Last year our entire tomato crop was eaten by stink bugs. They seemed to only be interested in red tomatoes, the big ones…our miniature tomatoes were not touched, which I found a little strange.

Experts suggest that if you find a stink bug in your home, you are advised to kill it and not release it outside. (which I have been doing constantly).

“Although tempting, releasing the bug would lead to even more unwelcome guests in the future. While this might sound cruel, the bugs don’t have a natural enemy in Hungary, so releasing them would lead to overpopulation. Exterminating stink bugs is not simple because, as their name suggests, they emit a foul odour when squashed.“

One solution I read to kill them swiftly without the stench is to drop them into soapy water. A stink bug’s natural reaction to any perceived threat is to drop straight down. Fill a wide mouth jar with soapy water (add some vinegar for extra killing power), move it into position beneath a stink bug, and most often it will drop right into the suds and drown.

Investigating how I could deter the stink bugs from eating my precious tomato crops was to do some companion planting. Stink bugs detest the smell of garlic, catnip, lavender and thyme. Radishes, marigolds, and chrysanthemums are also known to repel these pests.

4. Flies and Horse Flies

Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay

The common annoying fly is around everywhere during the early summer months right through until the Autumn. The insect’s lifespan lasts only a few weeks long. However, in this short time, it is very reproductively active. A single female can lay 500 eggs every three to four days.

Horse flies are obviously attracted to horses but also like to live in a habitat where there is water and woodland. They give a very painful bite, usually active during daylight hours and mainly in the summer.

We do lots of alfresco eating on our veranda creating a wonderful place for the flies to be the most annoying. I cover food sitting outside but they seem to dive bomb for the food on our plates making outdoor dining less than pleasant. I am constantly flapping the flies away but almost immediately they return.

The best solution we found was to purchase an “Outdoor Misting System” Bugs such as bees, flies, wasps and mosquitoes, are unable to get into any area that is protected by a mist system. The mist will also help keep the area free of bothersome dust and smoke, particularly if you are barbecuing. Patio misters are usually available in three major varieties, low, medium, or high pressure. We bought one at the end of the summer season at a reduced cost from our local Lidl.

Our fly weapons!

5. Foxes

This fox was one of many that lived in the next door empty house. It had and still is been empty for at least six years and fox families had made their home there. This happened to be my first “daytime” sighting of a fox…sitting arrogantly on top of our barn!

Whilst we had our dog, a husky, we found that we had frequent nightly visits from our fox neighbours. It took me a while to work out that it was foxes leaving their droppings all over our veranda and not feral cats. Foxes are known to be great scavengers, and these foxes were looking for food in our garden. Hayley (our dog) was an outdoor dog who happily chewed bones in the garden but did not always finish them. We also fed Hayley outside and whilst the smell of leftover food was a bit stinky to us it was a difficult smell to ignore for scavengers such as those foxes.

We quickly realised that ANY food left in the garden was a temptation to the hungry foxes, this included trays, skewers, or anything meaty we had used for our BBQ’s had to be brought inside. I was vigilant in clearing up bone pieces in the garden too. Any food waste went straight to the Wheelie Bin not in the bin on the veranda. Many a time I would come outside in the morning and find rubbish strewn all over the garden.

Sadly, we lost our dear Hayley and no longer have much food outside. The foxes have not been back as they have lost their food source.

6. Slugs and Snails

I don’t know why, but this particular year the slugs and snails have eaten a fair proportion of my flowers.

Slugs and snails feed on living and decomposing plant material, but they prefer young, tender plant growth. Newly sprouted seedlings and soft growth on established plants are often their first targets. Lettuces and tender herbs, such as basil, are also favoured, as are foliage plants, such as Hosta’s, Busy Lizzies and Dahlias. As slugs and snails feed, they create large, irregularly shaped holes. Unlike the rough, uneven edges left by many chewing insects, slugs and snails leave very smooth edges. These pests also feed on succulent fruits, such as strawberries and tomatoes, and even citrus. They tend to avoid plants that have rough, aromatic leaves, such as rosemary.

Because slugs and snails feed primarily at night, holes and mucus trails are evidence that they are active. Moist, moderate weather in Spring and up to early Autumn signals prime time for slug and snail damage.

When we lived in England the slug and snail problem was a major problem the constant rain meant they were fed well and multiplied often! Our solution was to lay down slug pellets which more or less controlled the growing population. Here in Hungary slug pellets do not seem to be available and if they were, we would not have used them as we owned a dog (the pellets are a hazard to pets, wildlife and children).

I did some research about removing the gardener’s worst enemy and what the alternatives were to slug pellets and came up with a few good suggestions.

  1. Used coffee granules spread around plants you want to protect, they do deter slugs and snails.
  2. Slugs love beer! A container such as a large yogurt pot sunk into the ground so the rim is at or just above soil level, filled with beer acts as a slug trap. The slugs are attracted by the smell, fall in and drown.
  3. Crushed eggshells. These are effective for a while when spread in a barrier ring around precious plants. Replenish as necessary.
  4. Finally, the good old hand method, collect and collect then dispose of!

7. Mosquitos

Image by Pitsch from Pixabay

The risk for mosquito activity and being bitten is extremely high in Hungary so during the summer months planes aerially spray pesticides in liquid form over many counties and areas. This is also done on foot and with truck sprayers in the early evening when the mosquitoes are most active.

Our family does tend to get bitten now and again but we have learned to cover up in the early morning and late evening when the mosquitoes are out looking for a willing victim. We have supplies of creams and gels to ease the itching and have experimented with various anti mosquito repellents.

I particularly like this short video with great ideas for homemade Mosquito Repellent and Air freshener.

Mosquito Repellent and Air Freshener

Most insect-repelling plants do so with their natural fragrances, which keep annoying mosquitoes away and introduce wonderful scents throughout your garden. Marigolds, an easy-to-grow annual flower, emit a smell that deters mosquitoes. Grow them in pots and place them near your veranda or entrance to your home to keep the pests out. Lavender is another good mosquito repellent giving off a wonderful scent. Again plant near your veranda. Two useful herbs to consider are Rosemary and Basil both with strong scents to ward off the mosquitos. Use them in your cooking too to enhance flavours.

Finally, in addition to growing anti-mosquito plants, you should also practice good mosquito control in your garden so that the pests don’t get out of hand. The best thing you can do is prevent water from collecting and becoming stagnant. Mosquitoes can lay hundreds of eggs even in a tiny spoonful of standing water. A disaster waiting to happen!

Marigolds as a Mosquito Repellent

Thanks for reading. Every country has annoying pests and insects, I would be interested to know what sort of pests you have and how do you deal with them?

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My Gardening

August and All That She Brings

Already in August, where are the months going? The past month has brought many changes to our “too big” garden. I have spent many long hours weeding and digging, planting and pruning which I have to say is very rewarding!

“When we put the effort into the grounds it rewards us with her treasures”

Hungary is a country of Hibiscus. Every village you travel through the verges are lined with pretty hedges of Hibiscus flowers. We have them growing in various places around the garden, I have noticed they self seed very quickly. Severe pruning of ours last spring helped to keep their shape. They seem to come in a variety of pinks and whites, lilacs and purples. I just love them.

I have a constant companion by my side, Haley Husky helping out wherever she feels necessary! Mostly she just hangs around getting under my feet until something catches her eye then off she charges!

There is a tale about these plants. A Hungarian neighbour donated about 12 rather large knobbly tubers! I had no idea what they were but planted them anyway until suddenly they burst into bloom. Such an elegant plant needed identifying, I contacted my English expat friends and they kindly identified it for me. “They are cannas – or canna lily. Can be big or short, pink, yellow, red, green leaves or dark leaves.” I think they are gorgeous and will lift them before winter ready for planting out again next spring. 

I planted this sunflower corner a little later than I usually would. The idea was to create some sort of natural pleasant looking screen to hide the corner and add a little colour. The sunflowers have just started flowering and I am beginning to see it was worth the effort. Haley (the dog) dug up one of the 10 sunflowers, I managed to redig it but did not expect it to survive. I made an attempt at fencing them in to prevent future Haley trouble! I am glad to say little sunflower made it despite being smaller than the rest. A cheerful resilient plant and very easy to grow. This patch will multiply next year as this year’s seeds drop into the ground.

We have had great crops this year, a variety of different peppers are all ready for picking. This is our first year growing so many peppers. Every time we bought peppers from the greengrocers last year we gradually saved the seeds of our favourites. We have grown them in a variety of places including a raised flower bed. We added mature cow fertiliser to just this bed in the spring to see how the peppers performed. Extremely good results so plan to add manure again next year. The only issue we had was annoying flies hovering over the pepper bed. Next year we shall choose a different area for the cow manure.

Our sweetcorn has had medium success. Early intervention from a digging dog perhaps affected the future outcome. The corn produced was fat and a good yellow. We decided to plant another late corn patch as we both love it cooked straight from the branch onto the BBQ. We keep the husk on to act like a steamer. Super delicious.

The courgettes were a great success but have realised they need plenty of space to spread out. We had one the size of a marrow which was great for a baked spicy meat stuffed marrow. We were wise to grow only 2 plants, we don’t eat a lot of them but it was something we wanted to grow.

Our only successful apple tree, looks very full of crunchy apples. The other tree did not produce any but looks still very alive. They are not quite ripe enough to pick yet, they would still be a little sour. Maybe another month before harvesting them. Super proud of this little tree.

A little colour in the sunflower garden, created to cover an unsightly corner. The butterfly landed by chance on the sunflower whilst I was looking through the viewfinder. I was very happy. Unusual to see anything but a black centred sunflower so was surprised to see this all over yellow beauty.

We decided to invest in a lawnmower, something petrol driven and not too heavy to handle. We searched everywhere, in the local towns, online, large hardware shops, on the roadside (twice) until we had done sufficient research to buy one. We finally brought home this very manageable mower. Raphael our 15 year son excitedly tore himself away from his PS4 to have a “play” with the lawnmower! He said it was “super-easy”….. I am glad he said that because now he has a weekly job!

Wonderful watermelons emerged from the frame Eric had built in the spring. We originally planted 4 but lost one, perhaps just as well because they seem to take up a huge amount of space. Eric has been religiously watering them daily whilst it is so hot. There were lots of flowers opening but not developing any further. Finally, we have 2 very healthy melons waiting to be eaten. Never having grown watermelons before we weren’t sure how to tell if they were ripe. I have since found out that you “tap to hear hollow” ….we shall follow this advice.

The Tomato Experiment

Eric watched a YouTube video giving ideas for recycling eggshells. He knew they were full of protein and therefore good for plants, we eat lots of eggs generating lots of shells… so thought a little experiment was called for.

Picture 1: One seed in each shell, filled with all purpose potting compost.

Picture 2: Taken today a VERY healthy tomato patch but way too overcrowded and in desperate need of attention.

Picture 3: Eric takes the pruners to the bottom leaves and removes non fruit bearing branches. This allows all the goodness to flow where it is needed most. It also allows light and air to circulate more freely.

Picture 4: We have extended the support poles by adding some spare rubber tubing slotted onto the ends of the white poles. This creates more space going upwards and hopefully more growing stems. Eric spent a long time pruning and then tying the stems up.

Picture 1
Picture 2
Picture 3
Picture 4

Up in the main vegetable plot we grew a large amount of tomatoes. Some we were given and some we grew from seed. We also bought from a roadside vendor. I think we had a bit of “lost in translation”, we asked for small tomato plants as in young not as in small tomatoes that we brought home!! We laughed when we saw that one of our beds was full of perfectly ripe miniature tomatoes. We also laughed when we discovered miniature pear shaped tomatoes and round red ones on the same stalk! What’s going on there!

We did manage several beds of large tomatoes that we cropped and preserved in jars. We mainly use it to make sauces or pasta dishes that require tomatoes. A great staple to have in the country garden kitchen.

Paprika Peppers, Jalapeno Peppers, Wax Peppers (the yellow ones) and other Hungarian varieties. I spent an afternoon preserving the mountains of peppers I had cropped. I wish I had worn gloves, my fingers stung for hours afterwards. I know for next time!

From Bush to Wash to Pickle.

Another new activity for us, preserving our own produce. Research on the internet revealed just how easy it is to can and preserve, pickle and freeze. This jar of pickled hot peppers lives in the fridge and tastes very good with cheese or hams or as a side dish. We have found the longer it stays in the jar the less super spicy it becomes, just a regular hot spice! A good incentive to eat.

The freshly washed peppers on the chopping board are ready to be prepared for another pickling session. I shall choose a different recipe and later compare the two for the best taste and for future preserving.

The elderberries have ripened and are ready for picking if the birds don’t get to them first. I shall be making Elderberry Syrup.

After an exhausting day following me around Haley decides to chill on the grass to get her breath back ready for more mischief!

I have grown super tall sunflowers this year successfully in an old oil barrel. The pretty snails have a liking for the courgette leaves. They do not seem to cause as much damage as the giant slugs.

The last picture is an attempt at growing kiwi fruit. We visited Croatia last year and saw an amazing 30 year old kiwi vine adorning a huge wooden frame. We thought we would have a go growing from seed. Apparently I need a male and a female to be successful. I have 5 on the go but won’t know what sex they are until they flower…then sexing them begins.

I truly love gardening and nothing gives me more pleasure than watching, waiting and seeing Mother Nature do her yearly cycle. My garden is where I choose to spend the most time. I can have quiet time and reflection time and love planning what to do next outside. Gardens are extensions of our homes and act as another “room”. Hungarians are very proud of their gardens and produce some beautiful displays. We are aiming to do the same.

Next Month September Update My Hungarian Rural Garden

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My Gardening

Join Me in My Ever Developing Hungarian Garden – July 2020

July has arrived in Hungary along with soaring temperatures and thirsty plants. Watering is a twice a day affair otherwise the poor plants suffer from dehydration. We had talked about a dripper system for the vegetable plot this year but it never materialised.

The wheelbarrow is a favourite spot for this bird…always on the look-out for our dog Haley!

At the front of our house, we have giant sunflowers creating a beautiful display and an eager feeding ground for these friendly finches. Lifting the blinds in the morning this is what I see, a great way to start my day. I do believe these are greenfinches?

We have regular butterflies and a multitude of other insects visiting the garden. The cricket sat for ages on the garden chair and the butterfly lazily sunned itself whilst I took photos.

Cricket
Butterfly

The first of our second generation peppers began to flower in late June progressing onto larger specimens in early July. These are of the spicy variety and when harvested will be preserved in jars. All our peppers were given a layer of cow manure at the beginning of the season, I’m hoping for great results.

Flowering Pepper
Spicy Pepper

When we moved to Hungary we inherited a well, fully functional if you have a pump, the water is way down. This is our third summer here and have encouraged the plants surrounding the well to grow randomly. This beautiful yellow plant is a blast of colour to brighten this corner. I have no idea of it’s name but it makes FABULOUS dried flower arrangements.

Inheriting a garden is always exciting, each year something else pops up that you had no idea was there. This year the “Well Garden” has acquired a young walnut tree that we did not plant but want to encourage it to grow, it’s doing very well at the moment. The tree at the front is a prolific flowering pink and white Hibiscus….it will be flowering very soon. Over the well is rampant forsythia, stunning flowers in the spring. It will need tidying up before the winter.

We had a very sturdy loft ladder made of very solid wood and wanted to incorporate it into the well garden somehow. Due to a “lost in translation moment” with our Hungarian gardener, he took it upon himself to chop out the steps. Not what we wanted….oh dear! We rescued a few steps and will keep adding plants to fill the gaps. It will come to life next year…the gardener has been forgiven. 😀

“The Well Garden”

We live in sunflower country and most gardens have at least a few adorning their gardens, we are no exception. This spectacularly tall sunflower display is ALL self seeded from last year, travelling from the front of the house, I suspect the wind and the birds helped this process. Haley our dog sitting regally like she owned the place!!

Miss Haley Husky, in HER garden.💜

There are 2 sorts of cherries on the trees here in Hungary, sour and sweet. We prefer the sweet ones to eat straight off the tree or you can collect them and make jams if you have any remaining….we didn’t!

Sweet Cherries
Sour Cherries

We have 2 sweetcorn patches, the first one the corn is already visible and should be ready for cropping probably next week. We planted another bed about 4 weeks later for continuous corn throughout the summer months. Our favourite way to eat them is straight from the plant and onto the BBQ! Delicious!

Sweetcorn
Young Corn

Not everything has been successful in our garden and we nearly lost our watermelons…or should I say they just did not grow, we were going to pull them out but suddenly the other day these yellow flowers appeared….could this be the start of a watermelon? I will keep you updated.

Watermelon

The tomatoes all over the garden are doing amazingly well, they guzzle water constantly and there are flowers everywhere. Won’t be long before we have a bumper crop. For the first time this year, we experimented with crushed egg shells, adding them to the hole before planting the seedlings, to see if it improved the tomato’s growth and production. So far so good. It is supposed to add extra calcium where needed, I have heard mixed reactions about this method. Best that we try it first before making a judgement.

Tomatoes

Our raised bed full of peppers is coming on very well and you can see in the buckets on the ground, potatoes. We tried to grow potatoes previously but they were all attacked by a beetle and we lost the lot. This year we are trying the recycling bucket method.

Spicy Peppers

Other experiments we are trying this year. From seed, tomatoes are raised in hollowed egg shells, then transferred to the ground….after crushing the shells gently around them before planting them out. The other tall plant is from seed, a pomegranate. I have already prepared the ground ready for planting and will go into the ground this evening.

Egg Shell Tomato Seedlings
Pomegranate

This is a third year rose, bought in Hungary and thriving well. It had a bout of greenflies early on but now clear. Underneath the rose is our marigold bed. I planted 6 varieties of marigolds in the hope of plenty of colour. We are getting there, the smaller ones have flowered now just waiting for the larger ones to explode, should be any day now.

Rose
Petunia

I love petunias and was fortunate to have been given a few last year from a neighbour. She warned me they would self seed everywhere and have a second wave of flowering later in the year. She was right, I hope they do the same this year, they are so cheerful.

Mixed Flower bed

This is the front of the house, looking onto the road. As you see the sunflowers are healthy and strong but unfortunately for poor Haley block her important view of the street. It was a good lookout for her passing doggie friends!

Haley

Much as I adore Haley, our Husky, she is a major nuisance in the garden. Digging is her game and she is good at it. We have areas in the garden she is “allowed to dig” which generally works OK. However, on this occasion my cordoned off new sunflower patch got the “Haley Digging” treatment and she managed to kill one of my 10 new plants. In the first picture you will also notice another suspicious hole…she was guarding it so I would not fill it in! Naughty girl!

My lovely Hibiscus is just about to burst into flower in the “Well Garden”

Hibiscus

This is the bottom third of our garden, the buildings you see on the left are the neighbour’s house. We have planted 8 walnut trees which will eventually give us our “Walnut Corner” and a great screen with the neighbours.

There are numerous bare patches on the “lawn”…that’s what I call it but Eric refers to this area as the side garden! The bare patches are when the garden was a building site with piles of concrete, rubble and stones everywhere. We removed the rubble and prepared the patches for grass seed, that was 10 days ago.

Now the new grass is popping through and will hopefully give a good green covering in the coming weeks. I am always hopeful 😁

Our neighbour’s wall… a fascinating place for “dog sniffing”! The house has been empty for the last 3 years and this half finished extension is housing some sort of animal that has been driving Haley crazy! It could be foxes as we have seen them in the garden or rabbits, cats, lizards or even mice. She spends hours sniffing and watching, crazy girl!!

Sat on our veranda I looked up and this is what I saw…a vibrant blue sky with puff balls of cotton wool clouds. Just gorgeous!🧡

Now as the evening approaches the sun goes to sleep and the moon gently comes out ready to do the whole cycle again tomorrow. Every day nature has something new to offer us it’s wonderful to be able to appreciate it here in our adopted country of Hungary.

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My Gardening

How to “Beat The Mosquito’s” and “Please Your Garden”

Living in Hungary has meant we experience 4 definite seasons every year. This is wonderful as we can plan our gardening around the climate for maximum production.

We are now in sunny hot July and daily temperatures are soaring into the 30’s (C). I LOVE hot sunny weather but along with the long balmy days comes the annoyance of mosquitos. The UK had very little mosquito activity so it was quite a shock to be bombarded with them every single day!

My gardening schedule had to change as I was getting bitten to death early evening despite the fact I was applying lashings of mosquito cream!

So with a little effort and rearranging my gardening tasks, I managed to avoid mosquitoes altogether! I had identified that mosquitoes in Hungary were prevalent in the evening, (I know it is different in some countries depending upon the species) the time I did most of my gardening. I decided to change my essential gardening to early mornings. Early being before 7.00 am! After a little more research, I realised that not only would I be avoiding the mosquitoes but I would be giving my garden a super boost… just what it needed!

By changing to morning gardening I have at last (I think) conquered the mosquito issue. Early morning gardening brings with it several other benefits to both me and my garden.

8 BRILLIANT reasons to do your gardening BEFORE 7.00 am

🍒If you are going to cut flowers from your garden, pick them first thing in the morning when the stems are full of early morning dew, this will in turn make them last longer.

🍒 If you are going to pick fruit or berries wait a little until the dew has dried and has been absorbed into the fruit. These cherries still have their morning dew.

🍒 Weeding becomes so much easier as the ground is soft and the rampant weeds are easily pulled from the ground.

🍒Watering your flower gardens and veggie plots first thing in the morning gives your plants a great kick start to begin their day. The first drink of the day is truly beneficial to both humans and plants.

🍒 If you are going to feed your plants a fertilizer, first thing in the morning is the best time, as they absorb the fertilizer far more efficiently.

🍒 Remember your feathered friends who you share your garden with. Fill up their birdbaths and bird tables regularly as you will surely benefit from returning birds with their beautiful curious ways.

🍒 I have found that I have far more energy in the morning even though I get up early at 5.00 am when it gets light. I am not alone in my early morning gardening, neighbours are also out tending to their plots before the sun becomes too unbearably hot.

🍒 My final reason is of course the most important one – I am no longer contending with the pesky activities of the Hungarian mosquito. A joyous reason indeed to do “Early Bird” gardening.

We have been here 3 years and have only just realised that a simple change in timings has made the world of difference both to me and my garden.
Me and My Boots!
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My Gardening

My Developing May Garden in Hungary

Progress with Photos

Our Garden Last Year

Our poor veggie garden did not get much attention last year as Eric and I had various health issues meaning it became neglected and very overgrown. It looked a very sorry sight over the winter. As soon as the milder weather came in April I was determined to get things back in order and have a productive working vegetable garden once again. The weeds were about 6 ft high so we flattened them down ready to burn to clear space to make growing areas.

Time to Dig and Plant

Once the weeds had been burnt I could make a clear planting plan. The weather had been cold at night through April, too cold to put young seedlings into the ground. We had been scanning the weather forecast for days trying to calculate when it would be best to plant them out. Now, finally after masses of digging and the risk of cold temperatures at night gone, planting could begin.

We had lots of old bricks lying around the garden so I made a shallow wall to protect the cucumbers. Our dog, Haley is an expert digger so hopefully it will deter her from going there! We planted 2 sorts of cucumber….mini ones for pickling and preserving and large ones for salads. The aim is for them to make use of the fence to climb up.

Water melons in a home made frame ready for covering

We live in watermelon country and have bought HUGE melons in the past so thought we would give them a go this year. Eric made a frame from leftover wood and then covered the frame with clear plastic. We shall watch the local farmers and wait to remove it when they do.

Spicy Paprika Peppers planted out in a raised bed

These are peppers, grown from seeds collected from our favourite Hungarian Paprika Pepper inside until they were big enough to plant out. They will be small red and spicy, planted in a raised flower bed to make it easy to water and eventually pick them.

The tomatoes have been given the Haley treatment…roped to prevent her running over the plot. Tomatoes grow well in Hungary and are very productive and bear lots of fruits. The unattractive poles (taken from an old swimming pool) are ideal, they are hollow and deep watering is achievable by putting the hose into the tubes! This year I have used crushed egg shells under each plant to help their calcium levels and to ward off Blossom End Rot.

Potted mint
Lilac cutting

One of our flower beds had been overtaken with mint and it was time to take action. I cleared as deeply as I could the invasive roots and put a few in a pot. We use mint regularly in salads so need an endless supply. I will not be planting it into a flowerbed this year as the potted version is doing fine. The lilac sprout was taken from an existing tree and is doing well in this pot. Once I have decided where its permanent home will be I shall plant it out.

I treated myself to a Black-Eyed Susan and hung it on the veranda, this is the view from inside, isn’t it stunning? The bees love it too.

We have a top garden that is full of blossom trees looking beautiful in the spring. The top garden is a future project, once we have sorted the lower gardens.

Wooden Leftovers

My clever husband decided to make a couple of window boxes from wood left over from our veranda. I had been asking him for ages for something to house my geraniums in and to add a bit of colour to our newly decorated home. I was extremely pleased with the results fitting on the windowsills perfectly. He also made a bird box for the resident bird population. We love to sit with our morning coffee and watch their activity.

The bird box made from leftover wood housed in the eaves of our well

We have fruit trees in our vegetable plot, almond, apple and cherry and just recently added some raspberry canes. I hope to add a plum tree at the end of this season.

I shall be updating the garden progress regularly and show you other parts of our massive garden. I hope you have enjoyed my start to the busy growing season…lots of work and weeding ahead.

Do you have a large garden, what do you use it for, I would be interested to know?

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My Gardening

How to Recycle Cow Manure and Eggshells for a Healthy Garden!

Eggs are inexpensive and are an effective source of protein

But did you know eggshells are useful too?

Egg Shells

Eggshells are a brilliant way to add calcium to your soil and they decompose very quickly. Wash the eggshells and air dry them (a couple of days) then crush finely and store in a jar. I shall be adding crumbled eggshells directly to the bottom of my tomato and pepper planting holes before I plant them out, they will appreciate the extra calcium. It will also help in the healthy growth of the tomato plant and develop its resistance to diseases, especially blossom end rot which occurs when there is a lack of calcium.

We eat dozens of eggs and have plenty of shells

Mother birds need lots of calcium in their diets. You can help! Sterilise eggshells by baking on baking sheets for around 10 minutes at 120 degrees Celsius, so the shells are dry, but not brown on the inside. Crumble your eggshells well and place them outdoors (in a feeder or even just on the ground) this will attract the birds for a nutritious treat. You can also mix the eggshell crumbles with birdseed, suet, or mealworms in a bird feeder.

Cow Manure

A great way to fertilise your garden

Our village cow farmer was kind enough to let us have some rotted manure he had sitting in one of his fields. We have used it all over the garden, on flower beds, the veggie plot, the fruit trees and raised beds.

Vegetables that like lots of manure are potatoes and marrows/courgettes/pumpkins. It’s the root crops that you should avoid manuring altogether such as carrots, parsnips, radish or swede as it causes the root to ‘fork’. Also, onions don’t need manuring either.

Cow manure is a nutrient-rich fertilizer and contains high levels of ammonia and potentially dangerous pathogens. For this reason, it’s usually recommended that it be aged or composted for at least 6 months prior to using it.

We fertilise our fruit trees in the spring to early summer but no later than July. We don’t want our fruit trees growing vigorously when they are supposed to be shutting down for winter!

I love to be able to recycle things and use them to our advantage. it makes sense. Just to add, we have a dehumidifier inside the house and save the water collected to water our indoor plants! Every recycle is a good recycle. Do you have any recycling hacks for the garden? I would love to hear from you if you do.

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My Gardening

Why you should not hate your Dandelions

We live in the countryside, have a huge garden and we are gardeners. Just this week in Hungary the sun has been kind and all sorts of plants and flowers are coming alive and bursting into colour. Our lawn (well area of grass!) is awash with bright yellow dandelions. They are the first cheerful signs of spring and living where we do accept they are part of the landscape.

Many gardeners frown upon this rampant plant and make great attempts to eradicate this supposedly troublesome weed. However, this ‘weed’ is a vital nectar source to many animals just coming out of winter hibernation looking for valuable food sources, in particular honeybees.

Dandelion’s common name comes from the leaves’ jagged appearance. The Normans called it dent de lion, or lion’s tooth. English speakers twisted the name into what we know today. 

Interestingly, dandelion flowers also give off ethylene gas at sunset, the same gas given off by ripening fruit. Dandelions are sometimes used in orchards to increase the rate of ripening.

Dandelions actually fertilise the grass, their wide spreading roots loosen hard packed soil and aerate the earth. Also, a mass display of yellow bobbing dandelions actually is very pleasant to look at. When they seed and become puffballs, children love telling the time with them using them as dandelion clocks or making secret wishes whilst blowing them from their stems.

Of course, you can also eat dandelions in a variety of ways but if you value your honey, please leave at least a few to spread and multiply in your garden, you will be doing the bees a huge favour.

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My Gardening

Purple Dead Nettle – What Is It and How To Use It?

Also Known as ‘Self-Heal’, (Prunella Vulgaris)

Purple Dead Nettle (Prunella Vulgaris) is a very common plant, often referred to as a weed found mostly in Europe and Asia.

It is quite likely you have seen this pretty plant growing in the wild but unlikely to be able to identify it.

Purple Dead-Nettle is not only a wild edible green, but also a highly nutritious superfood. The leaves and stems are edible, with the purple tops having a slightly sweet taste. It has a mild, slightly grassy, pleasant floral flavour.

Purple Dead-Nettle you may be surprised to know is part of the mint family although it doesn’t have a minty taste. You can forage for it in the wild, in meadows, roadsides and edges of forests, or you may find it growing in a neglected part of your garden. It gets its name because the leaves look like the common stinging nettle but thankfully do not have the painful sting.

Its delicate purple flowers will attract the bees to your garden and is one of the first flowers along with dandelions to pop up in the springtime. The pollen is red and is sometimes seen on the heads of bees.

Purple Dead-Nettle is very easy to grow from seed and thrives in full sun or partial shade. Collect the seeds to spread around your garden for next year. They prefer neutral to slightly alkaline soil, so if you live in an area with limestone these are the perfect conditions. We live in Hungary and the soil around us is heavy with lime, so ideal. As it grows it forms colourful clusters of purple blooms that cover the ground.

Harvest when the plants are still young by just taking the top leaves and the stalks because as the season progresses the stems become somewhat tougher. The plant is highly nutritious, having an abundance of vitamins particularly vitamin C, along with iron and fibre, while the oil in its seeds is packed with powerful antioxidants.

It has many culinary uses and can be added to stir-fries, salads, soups, or made into a nutritious tea or healthy smoothie.

This plant is also renowned for its medicinal benefits, said to be anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antifungal. It is also a diuretic and an astringent. Drinking in tea or added to a smoothie may be the simplest way to enjoy it’s benefits, although it may also have a laxative effect if used in large amounts. It’s also good for the kidneys and may help with seasonal allergies.

The leaves of the purple Dead-Nettle plant can be placed on wounds or cuts to stop bleeding, and its vitamin C content works to help boost the immune system and fight infection.

Such a wonderful wild little plant, who would have known it has so many beneficial uses.

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My Gardening

Starting with Seeds

What a treat it is to grow your own food, the satisfaction is enormous.

As a beginner gardener, I used to buy numerous packets of seeds, browsing through catalogues and gazing at the vast varieties available at the garden centres. Now a little more experienced I have come to realise you can grow lots of fruits and vegetables just by collecting their seeds. Great if you buy a tasty variety and want to grow future crops.

We like spicy food in our family and Hungary is the perfect place to experiment with the wide variety of peppers available. Having bought some spicy paprika peppers I immediately started collecting their seeds. Hungary is famous for hot paprika. The paprika peppers are known as spice peppers. They are easy and very interesting to grow. In the earlier stages, these peppers are a dark green, but when ripe, they are an impressive red. Boldog Hungarian Spice Pepper comes from a small but well known spice pepper district, northeast of Budapest around the towns of Boldog and Cece. We live thirty minutes from this area. The fruits are 1-1/2 inches wide and about 7 inches long. Growers let them turn dark red and dry on the plant or pick them and thread them on a string. Then allow them to dry, villagers sometimes hang them around their houses making an interesting picture. They are then ready to grind into powder.  

So, having decided to collect the seeds, I washed and dried them out, laying them on a piece of kitchen towel for about a week. Once dried I planted one seed per pot with general purpose potting compost. Now three weeks later they are sitting on a sunny windowsill until the danger of frosts has passed. I shall then transplant them to their final position to grow and bloom.

As a final tip, once you have collected your seeds, package and label them so you are sure to know what you are growing in the future.