THE VEGA BAJA GARDEN CLUB.

A fascinating first meeting for 2013, a debut, a disease and passion!

Val Duckworth welcomed members new and old to the February meeting, and reminded everyone of the many tasks to be undertaken in the garden this month, ranging from planting and sowing to pruning and spraying.

She then introduced Jacqui Ford, a member, who spoke about her favourite plant “Dalechampia”, an exquisite purple flowering vine-like plant originating from Costa Rica. It grows very quickly, either in pots or in the ground, producing tendrils enabling it to climb well.

It is evergreen, with attractive heart shaped leaves, and produces beautiful, large purple bracts with a complex inner, and serrated edge. They look very much like butterflies in flight and provide flowers all year round, weaving their way around the garden. Nobody in the room had one of these plants, and everyone was keen to know more!

Anna van Dijk spoke next, about a problem that she first identified in one aloe species and which spread to others in her own extensive aloe collection. She has also seen affected plants in the countryside around Crevillente and Rojales, although she believes this to be a new infection in our area.

The symptoms are misshapen, haphazard and deformed growth of flowering stem or leaf, which produce galls. This wind borne disease has the potential to cause rapidly spreading damage and is caused by microscopic arachnid mites.

The mites live inside the plant, laying eggs and breeding, but it is their eating of the plant tissue which produces chemicals that cause the malformations, and eventually overwhelm the plant and cause its death.

Anna offered several solutions to the problem, insecticides can work, hygienic disposal of affected plants or leaves is essential, and she advised that we should all be vigilant in our gardens.

The final speaker was Val Duckworth. Val spoke about Pasiflora vines, better known to us as passion flowers. They originate in the South American rain forests, and in the garden they grow quickly and freely, their tendrils allowing them to climb; in a smaller garden environment they usually need pruning.

The intricate flower was used by Spanish missionaries to symbolise the Passion of Christ, hence the name. Flowers are in a variety of colours in the white, blue, red and purple spectrum. Some very attractive species are purely ornamental, producing flowers and small, inedible orange fruits.

The edible variety, Pasiflora Egilis, produces a short lived flower, and a green fruit that will fall to the ground, and turn crinkly and brown without compromising its delicious contents.

The aromatic seeds within can be pressed though a sieve to produce juice, or can be sprinkled on ice cream or other deserts, to the delight of all diners!

There was then a general question and answer time, followed by the usual raffle of plants.

The next meeting will be held on Monday 4th March, at 1.45 for a 2.00pm start, at Los Rosales Restaurant on the CV895 Lemon Tree Road, Campo de Gaurdamar.

There will be talks on the subject of the bird of paradise plant, and another on the topic of indoor plants. If you are interested in gardening and would like to attend the meeting, you will be assured of a warm welcome.

For further information, please contact Val Duckworth, tel. 966 716 527.

If gardening in Spain interests you try having a look at a few of these

http://lamarina.aspanishlife.com/topics/11-gardening-in-spain/articles