Hi Guys, I am Francisca from the Canary. I live at 500m high in a dry place (less than 500mm for sure), with 5 months drought every year, even more if you do not count when the rain is just wetting the surface. My place is steep and I cultivate in terraces + between rocks on the hill.
+10°C in winter mornings, and +30°C in summer.
BUT we have Calima! then it can be sooo hot, and with dry wind. This is a desert wind with sand.
The natural trees around are Canary pines and drago trees. Well, also almonds grow wild.
Then it is a matoral, a little like California or western south Africa.
I was going to forget the many opuntia, great fruit, great pads, great water tank
Oh! Of course my local money is Tagasaste seeds! lol
They are supposed to be well known now all around the world, but actually, the Tedera we have is much smaller but more drought resistant. Bitumina bituminosa, its resistance vary according to its origin.
I have an orange and avocado and mango orchard, + papaya, banana, apple (Anna, Golden Dorsett, Fuji), kaki (persimmon), almond, manzanilla olive, lemon, jujuba, canistel, chicle, black zapote, mulberry, fig, nispero, lulo, arbol de tomate, pitanga, lili pili, guava, guava fresa, natal plum, passion fruit... About 100 trees. I slowly remove some orange trees, they are old and some are too ill, and they need too much water.
Also veggies and non fruiting trees, I have made a few tea trees from seeds.
I also need the necessary for hens, as I do not want to buy any bad stuff that I don't know what's in. I have chayamansa and moringa, and sorgho and amaranth...
I look for all type of small fruits and nuts that are water wise. I am already happy, but I will be even more when I can eat without going out of the finca! I have already resigned for coconut oil, I will always buy it!
My only problem will be for chocolate, except if I find a variety that can stand +9°to12°C as minimum winter temps. I hesitate to get anacardo (cashew nut), might not be warm enough...
see read yah!