Oca plant

So right, we live in S.W. Ireland, and that means that we experience a micro climate due to the gulfstream passing by these shores, and normally we do have a mild winter, it seldom snows or freezes here, though we do get some light frost during or after January.

Even though it is quite cold just now, and the mountains in the distance have their tops covered in snow, in the garden the plant growth reminds me more of early spring. The temperature of the soil seems normal enough, it was 6 degrees Celsius the other day, and at night the outside temperature is between 6 and 8 degrees Celsius. And even today the cold wind made it feel very chilly. But yet something seems out of kilter, and I cannot actually put my finger on it clearly. Questions like; Is the planet really warming up? Is the climate changing? beg for answers everyday and all around us now. Here are some of my own observations.

And taking stock of the garden the other day here is what I found.

I did put down a few bulbs for spring time, they did however, start to shoot up immediately! And finally the Oregano is still fresh and keeps growing even now in mid-November.

And even while you would not think so, it is late autumn now, another few weeks and it is Christmas. Am I perhaps imagining that the season is out of kilter? All the same I am delighted with so much growth in the garden. As it stands I have not been able to work in the garden since September because we have been working inside the house and I have had no time. Needless to say I cannot wait to get going again, meanwhile I am using my herbs in my cooking. Oh and I bought a Camelia shrub yesterday, can’t wait to give it a lovely spot where we can see it bloom from the window later in winter.
Have you been busy in your garden my friends? I’d love to hear your stories.

PS actually Oca is only harvested after the first night frost, they are a reddish sweetish little potato-like vegetable. I have found them relatively easy to grow but hard to peel or clean before eating. They are a nice plant though. Check this website if you are interested in them. https://www.thejournal.ie/readme/how-do-you-grow-oca-3113951-Dec2016/

After dropping Ian at the boatyard today, where he was as happy as a pig in mud (his words), I decided to start with planting out some more Broad Beans, the plants now strong and more than ready to go into the raised beds. I am happy to see how lush everything is starting to look and there is good growth too. The Turmeric plant is doing very well, and the Bitter Gourds are almost ready to be planted out too, must decide though where to put them! Then there are the Oca tubers, they have sprouted, their leaves look like that of a Clover. The Fenugreek, and the Okra (Lady’s fingers) has sprouted also. All very exciting, and so lots happening right now in the garden. I mulched the Pea plants as they were drying out too fast during the sunny days, we have not had rain for at least twenty days which is unheard of around here.

Today was so lovely and sunny, all doors and windows open, I was thinking, while having a long drink of Fennel tea outside, that I could easily live outside all the time (temperature allowing). When we were in Portugal last year, even the sink of the chalet where we were staying was outside and I loved that. There is nothing as nice and relaxing as feeling the warm sunshine on your body.