In Malta we are not lucky enough to have rivers or streams from which to glean water for irrigation.
Rain is our main source of irrigation. Malta’s average annual rainfall is 553mm, which is not far from the average rainfall of leafy Paris’s 585mm.
However, while Paris enjoys an average of 1,779 hours of sunshine in a year, Malta stews under an average 3,049 hours of sunshine per annum. The effects of a strong sun are compounded by the fact that our hottest months are also those when we have no rainfall.
Generally, Malta is characterised by three months of near drought during June, July and August. To cope with this weather, gardeners depend on catchments of rainwater in purposely-built wells. For the small home gardeners, such wells are situated directly under their home. In this, small gardens have the advantage over larger gardens, since even a small well will go a long way.
It is not only drought that troubles the Maltese gardener. In addition to a scarcity of water, these dedicated worshippers of all things lush and verdant must also face a shrinking perimeter, the onslaught of scorching winds, clay soils, high levels of humidity and, very often, deep shade alternating with blazing sun. Maltese gardeners are a truly tenacious breed!
At the start of the 20th century, homes in Malta had large gardens, the population was small and land was plentiful. Nowadays, the population has swelled and the tourist industry has grown with concomitant overdevelopment, leaving this small island straining under the burden of urban sprawl.
As a result, the size of the average yard-cum-garden is four by seven metres, and this must serve both as an area for colourful planting as well as an outdoor space for the family. Yet, it is a paradox of our times that as gardens have shrunk in size, there has been a substantial expansion in the choice of shrubs and plants available to us.
Nurseries and garden centres have become akin to supermarkets, peddling a wide assortment of plants, climbers, bushes and trees. The huge choice on offer, coupled with the limitations influencing small gardens, means it is imperative to have a well-thought- out ‘shopping list’ in hand before entering these domains.
Winds are also a great contender for the title of Ace Destructor of Plants. As a tiny island, Malta is constantly buffeted by breezes, winds and, on occasion, a few gales. While some provision can be made against drought, very little can be done to protect gardens against winds and the damage they inflict.
In small gardens, the surrounding buildings often protect them from the consequences of strong gales, but if the garden is affected, winds tend to bounce against the narrow confining walls and increase the destruction. In a small garden, even slight damage will greatly affect its appearance, making it look bleak.
With plants feeling under the weather, it is much easier for illnesses to strike
Winds dry out the soil, burn delicate plants, scorch newly planted shrubs and trees, uproot and tear plants asunder. These are the more obvious consequences, but there is another, more insidious, evil caused by winds. Malta’s location in the centre of the Mediterranean Sea means it gets a mixture of hot and cold winds.
The Maltese islands are mainly affected by three winds: the cool northwesterly (majjistral), the dry northeasterly (grigal) and the hot southeasterly (xlokk).
The cold winds from the mountain regions of the north travel downwards, while the warm winds blowing in from the deserts in the south move upwards. The collision of hot and cold winds over the Maltese archipelago causes a constant state of high humidity. A high level of moisture has a detrimental effect on all plants.
In some ways, the effect of humidity on plants is similar to that on people; they become very hot, their appetite drops and they sweat less.
These are problems that are not immediately apparent, but high humidity also encourages the rapid spread of diseases and pests, such as aphids, spider mites and mealybugs. With plants feeling under the weather, it is much easier for illnesses to strike and to see the process through to their death.
On days of high humidity, it is important to provide some sort of air circulation for plants, particularly in small gardens where moisture levels remain high because of cramped space.
Agricultural greenhouses come equipped with fan systems to provide relief from high humidity. For small gardens, a floor fan placed outside next to your plants will help to move the air and provide some relief.
With high humidity levels, it also helps to avoid wetting the leaves of plants during watering. Water on the leaves and stems encourages fungal growth and rot, so ideally, it is always best to water the soil and to avoid getting water on the plant itself.
Watering needs to be handled carefully. Plants are living organisms, just like people. In the same way, they require water and nutrients at regular intervals.
People do not drink a bathful of water on Sunday and no water for the rest of the week; we drink a little every day. In the same way, a plant needs watering sparingly but frequently. In small gardens, humidity is one of the worst problems and every means possible should be taken to reduce the levels of moisture.
With small gardens surrounded by high buildings, it is inevitable that the sun will not get much of a look in. The amount of sunshine enjoyed by the garden needs to be given very careful consideration when it comes to a choice of plants.
It would be useless to plant sunflowers knowing that the sun never shines in the garden for more than two hours a day in summer. Shade-loving plants will not last the season in a sunny position, whereas some sun-loving plants may survive in near shade, but will become lanky and never reach their true potential.
Despite Malta’s natural disadvantages, our ancestors did wonders even with the limited selection of plants at their disposal.
Even with the increased variety of plants now available to us, the small home gardener would be well advised not to ignore old favourites.
Gardens in Malta are subject to a variety of troubles. By being aware of the effects the natural environment has on our gardens, we can take the correct decisions regarding what to plant, so as to minimise the difficulty in caring for our garden.