Anyone gardening in France or Spain?

[sweetcorn]

What do you do about watering? Do you have restrictions, and if you do what are they? If you go away during the hot summer months, how do you keep your veggies healthy and watered?

[Nicos]

We have just bought a 2nd home in France with land and it's one of my concerns as we are keen growers, but not there most of the time!
We have inherited 2 big water containers- each holding 1,000 litres.
The previous owner just grew flowers, but we plan to grow fruit and things like spinach, sorrell,globe artichoke etc through weed supressant membrane.
I think part of what we need to think about is where we locate the growing areas- morning or evening sun but sheltered from lunchtime and afternoon sun. Also not under trees which would prevent any rain from getting to the crops!
Think this will be a learning curve for us!
One thought was to offer some land for a local to tend and in exchange they would keep an eye on our stuff.

[scarey55]

Nicos, congratulations on your home in France. Don't suppose it is anywhere me in the Puy De Dome if it was, I could look after it when you're not there.
There are people who will look afer your property when you are away and get everything ready for you when you visit. I know of one (in Normandy I think) but I'm sure there are loads.
One thing though, you need to be careful about "lending" land to locals. Not sure what it is but I think there may be a catch. Don't know much more than that but perhaps it is something to look up.

[Nicos]

Hmmm..thanks!
we are on th 14/ 61 border- not near you I'm afraid!! ( but thanks for the offer!)
Been planning and saving for this for over 20 years!!......
Loads to sort out, but worth every bit of stress/glee!!!

[scarey55]

Defo worth it. Too bad you can't live there all the time. We love it here - as my Dad said "like England in the 50's" Hope you get to be there as much as you want. Perhaps you can get loads of friends and rellies to visit and look after your plot. If not, move to the Auvergne and I will happily muck in

[Headfry]

Nicos well done! I had/have house in France, very very happy times there, hard work as it was/is old farm house. One tap, one light bulb,mud floors, hay loft upstairs- or ladder as it was and an 'earth closset' I miss it so very much. beautiful countryside, flowers mushrooms, glow worms......yes very much like the Uk countryside was in the 50's
Just have a handful of photos and strong memories!

[roitelet]

What do you do about watering? Do you have restrictions, and if you do what are they? If you go away during the hot summer months, how do you keep your veggies healthy and watered?

Hello Sweetcorn,

I am in Department 27 (Eure). While I live here all the year I HATE watering. My answer is to mulch the ground heavily with straw (get to know a local Farmer and he will probably let you have old straw that he can't use for the animals FREE) and put in Soaker pots (see the thread in top tips) and it seems to work a treat. Also get as much organic matter in to the ground as possible, this will help to hold in the moisture. If you know are going to be away for any length of time plan the crops to grow in that time that will survive without watering.

As for watering restrictions the French seem to have got it right You must not wash the car or water the flowerbeds during times of drought but you can water the potagers. Makes sense to me, you can't eat flowers.

The flowers I 'rescue' water them when they flop with recycled water. Take the bucket into the shower with you pump out the washing machine onto a dustbin etc. Eco friendly washing products only! Don't use recycled water on the vegies, I used it on the pots of mint once and it had a decidedly soapy taste

Hope this helps

[TonyF]

I'm in 24 and here we have restrictions all the summer time and have done for the past couple of years. I've just bought another two 500 litre which means that I have 11 scattered round the garden, fed from the house roof, the shed roof and some pumped from close to the house to two distance butts at the back of the potager, fed from the house butss by pump.

Restrictions here from 7 am to 8pm, after that, can hose if necessary.

Grass never gets watered, save all water for potager, flowers, herb beds and pots.

[sweetcorn]

All very interesting. We were wondering, as we are always being told that the hotter parts of Europe tend to be 'closed for business' during August (presumably as it's so hot) and that's the time of year when everyone goes away. Do people tend to go away for the whole period? We have put off our holiday till October this year, in the hope that we might not lose loads of our produce as I'm not around to take care of it in the middle of August (although this year has been so bad, it turns out I don't think it would've made much difference!). Perhaps it's all so lovely there in France/Spain that you don't need to go away! Can understand that at the moment (looking out on torrential downpour, wind and cold!)