Hola Arturo, glad to hear you have been exploring ATP. There is so much here and so many knowledgeable and humorous people. I live in the tropics 19 degrees above the equator. I was born and raised in the US, was able to take an early retirement, moved to Guadalajara (big city) for a few years and now here in Colima. I always have my options open to return to the USA but i just have not felt the urge to do that...so here i am. I've been in Colima for 7 years now and i have noticed climate changes in that short period. Weather was so predictable for the first few years. The rainy season would start in June with periodic rains and end in the middle of October. Now things are not so predictable. I start planting my garden in February and everything grows so well, with many plants flowering year around. This year, during the time the Volcan de Colima (aka Fuego) was exploding, i planted in February as is customary...but nothing grew, some seeds hesitantly germinated...the weeds didn't even grow and there were very few butterflies and bees in the garden (probably because nothing was growing). It was so odd, and i didn't connect this with the volcanic activity until recently (end of July to today), the garden started growing...all new growth so now i am having Spring (February) in August. I am beginning to think that the plants and small garden critters are able to know, via their connection with the earth, that the magma is rising in the volcano. I have learned to watch the activity of the ants to know when we are going to have a storm. They all want to come inside and they become very busy with their activities. 60km is quite close for a volcano to be. Do you have many sheep? You are lucky to have a barn to keep them protected from the ash. So many domestic animals perished on the mountain here but there was no human loss of life. And, we were lucky with the ash...only two minor dustings, while people to the northeast of Colima were hit with heavy ash fall. How do you feel about your volcanos? I do not find that people fear the Volcano here although it is one of the 10 most active in the world. I do not feel fear...i find it fascinating and i feel a kind of privilege to be able to witness geologic history being made. Perhaps i would feel differently if i was dependent on farming for a livelihood. I saw the photos of your greenhouses and your location looks beautiful. What do you grow? Beverly

It was very interesting over on "Cubits" when rannveig in Iceland was telling us about their volcanic eruption there and the pics were stunning. I just checked and I don't hink she has her posts from that time period still showing....

Hello Beverly, this morning I was kindly surprised by a message sent by Sherry (wcqypsy) concerned about how we were faring about the quake in Chile. Only then I found out that such a major earthquake had shuddered thru central Chile. We are so locally concerned and spring is coming so soon, that every bit of time is spent getting ready for the season's rush. I just potted some Dahlia bulbs that arrived on Mo. I've transplanted a full tray of pansies and will be doing soon Cantebury Bell's and stocks. Next prepare the artichokes plants. They go into polyethelene black bags until mid november while they are hardened off outside the greenhouses. Eventually if we have enough heat this summer we will be harvesting fresh 'chokes by february. So will me the case for fava beans. I learnt from my Armenian grandmothers how to make a fava bean and archichoke stew along with sheep meat. I'm looking forward to that treat. Someday I'll take the effort of writing down our plant list which is quite extensive. Meanwhile, three ewes have lambed and they are being handmilked. I make yoghurt regularly. Unfortunately the three first lambs died soon after birth. the first was born with its intestines bulging out of the navel. The second died because we were unable in time to identify why the lamb didn't suck enough milk . Eventually I discovered that this particular first time ewe, has difficulty with milk let-down. As a result she eventually develped mastitis on the right gland ( sheep have only two niples on the udder while cows have 4). So she is being treated and has improved considerably. The third was born with serious develpmental restraints such as club feet and died a few hours later. So meanwhile one has to keep up with my own house chores plus keeping connected with the world. Many times I wonder how do so many people handle their mutilevel activities. Perhaps, because I'm already 66 or because I'm so busy with my dayly chores that time seems to vanish like a mirage. I ask for forgiveness in answering a month or so late. Kindly Arturo

Hello @vitrsna Beverly, take care over there from that Cat 5 Patricia hurricane.

Hello Beverly, studying you local geography it would seem that hurricane Patricia is a serious menace all along the Caribbean coast, but it is predicted to cross over onto the Pacific watershed? By then it will be torrential rains ( with mudslides and that kind of concerns) ? This thread has evolved into a geographical-geological- global disaster network. Also a reminder of natural phenomena permanently shaping the earth. I do hope that whatever it may be, it does affect you minimally. I cross fingers. Arturo

Arturo. Love those greenhouses. Your list of ornamentals sounds a lot like mine. I'm still waiting for the canterbury bells to show their little leaves. I'm in Zone 10b, Sunset zone 24, so I'm closer to the beach than ctCarol, with above 32* winter temps (at least, that's the current theory). I assume there's 5* difference between zones 10 and 11 - 10 is 35-40 so zone 11 would be 40-45? I never know if I get it right, I mostly rely on Sunset to tell what NOT to plant and then plant it anyway if I really like it. Good to have you here.

( I'd love to see some pics of the inside of the greenhouse if that's allowed, considering its a commerical operation. )

Hi Carol, thank you . I do have some pics from inside but they are not very worthwhile. I'm uploading them anyway.
This a general view in late winter. I the background winter peppers with stakes, then fennel, then swiss chard, then lettuce ( Simpson Elite) and spinach in the forefront

peas


Arrugola

the seed bench with trays ( lupines in the back and rose rootstock cuttings, plus many different Brassicas in the back ( cauliflower, cabbage ( oxheart type) broccoli etc.

I've given up hope of trying to figure out our simmilarities with other locations worldwide. Variables are so many which play into what one can achieve that I relapsed to a different outlook which is what I happen to grow succesfully regardless what every one would grow in my location. After these months of exchange in ATP I summarize my experience almost to what I want to grow, understand its requirements and try to provide for it. Trial, test and persevere until I achieve it. I come from an agricultural training background. I follow a strange dictum. Anything can be grown anywhere even in the most unlikely conditions provided that it gets its requirements in nutrients, temperature and moisture in the way that it best suits a given plant. Open gardens are much more environmentally restrained. However if one understands the environmemt on one hand and the specific plant requirement on the other one finds that a happy compromise is accomplished for most garden plants that grow in temperate gardens. I hope I've showed just a glimpse of what is grown commercially inside. If there is something that calls your attention please do ask for it and I'll gladly provide whatever info I may have. Kindly Arturo

Good to see you back, Arturo! I enjoy seeing how things grow in other parts of the world.

Arturo, I think we are all in the same boat. We try what we like, give it the best environment we can according to its needs, and then wait and see what happens.

I love the shots of the greenhouses - its all so organized and efficient, as a business should be, of course, but its still good to see the backstage. Do you have a personal garden where you carry out your experiments?

Thanks ctCarol, for your comment and
Yes Carol (hb), I have several pleasure gardens on going. In different stages of inception to fruition. The main garden is evolving towards a typical english style informal garden and one of its anexes is a recent rose garden dedicated to my roses. The other parts around the main farmhouse have flower beds more of a typìcal cottage garden. I simply love flowers and try to grow as many in quantity and diversity that I can. As I'm already in my life twilight zone I handed over the commercial operation to my godson who is now running the vegetable farm, plus the herd of milch sheep. I keep up with occasional trials in new varieties of veggies. Other gardens in progress is a woodland garden and a rock garden. When I say a garden it means a distinct separate area from the others surrounded by tall vegetation giving the feeling of dictinct rooms. One other garden in preparation is the wild prairie garden. I'm now getting my seed germination bench ready for winter sowing of perennials, some of which I managed to get from Outsidepride.com. These I have successfully sown a few and will gradually be placed in the prairie garden and the rock garden. As I achieve progress I will uploads pics.( I'm only now learning how to use digital cameras so I ask for a little of forbearance). Since I have ample space I do keep a dry sand yard where I tend my potted plants, that are placed for hardenning off and for watering during the dry summer months. I also keep multiplication beds beyond the landscaped gardens where I "store" in rows , my dahlia seedlings, my extra TB irises and my extra Daylillies. Eventually that area will become my general trial area for introductions once my gardens have reached a well balanced proportion of colour, texture ,shape and diversity. At first its getting the bulk renovated then one can put effort to the detail. In that sense everywhere its in some stage of progress.
So summarizing I'm a full time gardener, in contentment with my lot, feeling very blessed that I can derive so much happiness in caring for my plants. My time learning how to share at ATP now NG has been very fruitful and look forward in continuing doing so. Arturo

Oh, Arturo, please play with the camera so we can all see your various gardens. It sounds wonderful!