Moringa Decisions and other outdoors.

26- 29 December 2019

 Every year, around now, we have lost our Moringa crop.  Although this year, two trees regrew from the previous year's roots.  So do we leave them alone, or try to protect them as the weather gets colder?  We decided to experiment.  One tree we cut to about 12 inches high, and the other we have left to take its chances.  We'll see how it works out.

   The cut pieces looked quite lively, so I filled two deep pots and stuck them in soil.  It is the wrong time of year, but there's a slim chance they'll grow roots in the warmth of the Solarium

The photo above shows the Moringas we have grown from seed this Autumn.  If we can keep them alive a few more months they will have a head start in Spring.

 Dave completed the water butt plumbing.  Its a very severe white, I might paint some leaves or something on it.

 In the garden, after three hoeings, the top Moringa bed was mostly weed-free, so we put five bags of goat manure on to keep the soil warm.  This is the bed with the unprotected Moringa tree.

 The tree had already lost its growing tip, we think to rats climbing the nearby apricot.  The two trees that survived last winter were ones that had come up very close to mature trees, and may have benefited from their microclimate.

 The other Moringa, under the old pear tree.  Under polythene stretched over water-pipe hoops and held down with bricks.

Down on the hugel mound, the six self-seeded apple trees were vigorously pruned, hopefully to make them stronger and maybe productive.

Continuing our festive walks, friends Malin and Michael came to visit on Boxing Day and we walked about 5km including a sea-front stop in Nidri for coffee.  Malin was so impressed with our freshly whitewashed house that she gave us a lipstick kiss on the wall

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