Capers (Capparis)

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JTh

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Re: Capers (Capparis)
« Reply #30 on: April 10, 2013, 06:51:03 PM »
I am now the lucky  owner of a small caper plant which is presently in a pot on my windowsill in Norway, I bought in Portugal a month ago. On Monday I am going to Greece, and I will bring the caper with me. The question is, can you give me some advice  on where the best place to plant it would be, and should I try to add some special soil? Our soil is mainly poor, hard clay with plenty of rocks. Anything that may improve my chances of establishing this plant is welcome, I am afraid of  loosing it!
Retired veterinary surgeon by training with a PhD in parasitology,  but worked as a virologist since 1992.
Member of the MGS  since 2004. Gardening in Oslo and to a limited extent in Halkidiki, Greece.

Sandra

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Re: Capers (Capparis)
« Reply #31 on: April 10, 2013, 07:15:19 PM »
Poor soil and rocks sounds about right, and go easy on the watering, they hate too much water.
Sandra Panting
I garden in the Southern Peloponnese, Greece and will soon be creating a small garden in Northampton, England.  I'm co-head of the MGS Peloponnese group and a member of the RHS.

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JTh

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Re: Capers (Capparis)
« Reply #32 on: April 10, 2013, 07:50:27 PM »
Thank you, Sandra. So you would not recommend any watering even in the beginning?
Retired veterinary surgeon by training with a PhD in parasitology,  but worked as a virologist since 1992.
Member of the MGS  since 2004. Gardening in Oslo and to a limited extent in Halkidiki, Greece.

Sandra

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Re: Capers (Capparis)
« Reply #33 on: April 10, 2013, 07:55:15 PM »
Well, I'm not an expert as mine established themselves in my garden but I do know that too much summer water can be fatal. Personally, I'd give it a little water to help establish it but after that leave it to nature to do the watering.
Sandra Panting
I garden in the Southern Peloponnese, Greece and will soon be creating a small garden in Northampton, England.  I'm co-head of the MGS Peloponnese group and a member of the RHS.

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Alisdair

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Re: Capers (Capparis)
« Reply #34 on: April 11, 2013, 01:20:06 PM »
Definitely water it in to settle the roots! And while it's in very active growth in late spring you could give it a little water to encourage it. But once rains have stopped in your area, stop watering it.
Seedlings set themselves in our very hot dry Greek garden in the most unlikely parched spots, in rock crannies and masonry cracks - wherever tired-out ants have dropped them - and survive blistering full southerly sun.
In commercial caper plantations in Italy and Israel they do irrigate, but I think it's safer to follow the natural route!
Alisdair Aird
Gardens in SE England (Sussex); also coastal Southern Greece, and (in a very small way) South West France; MGS member (and former president); vice chairman RHS Lily Group, past chairman Cyclamen Society

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JTh

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Re: Capers (Capparis)
« Reply #35 on: April 11, 2013, 03:06:05 PM »
Sounds reasonable, Sandra and Alisdair, I'll watch it the first few weeks and make sure it does not dry out too much.
Retired veterinary surgeon by training with a PhD in parasitology,  but worked as a virologist since 1992.
Member of the MGS  since 2004. Gardening in Oslo and to a limited extent in Halkidiki, Greece.

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John J

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Re: Capers (Capparis)
« Reply #36 on: June 06, 2014, 07:52:33 AM »
We have a caper plant that suddenly appeared one year at the top of our field and now returns afresh each spring without any intervention from us. This year, despite our extremely dry winter, it has come up as lush as ever. This is its first flower of the season.
Cyprus Branch Head. Gardens in a field 40 m above sea level with reasonably fertile clay soil.
"Aphrodite emerged from the sea and came ashore and at her feet all manner of plants sprang forth" John Deacon (13thC AD)

Umbrian

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Re: Capers (Capparis)
« Reply #37 on: June 20, 2014, 07:19:28 AM »
How's your Caper doing Jorun - has it survived? They are notoriously difficult to establish I know from experience which is why I was so thrilled to inherit some at our new house. Those, growing out of an old wall are in full bloom at the moment and I noticed some growing more or less at ground level from an old wall in an adjacent street the other day - watered by dogs no doubt but looking vigorous and healthy!
MGS member living and gardening in Umbria, Italy for past 19 years. Recently moved from my original house and now planning and planting a new small garden.

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JTh

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Re: Capers (Capparis)
« Reply #38 on: June 20, 2014, 08:15:46 AM »
Sorry, no luck.
Retired veterinary surgeon by training with a PhD in parasitology,  but worked as a virologist since 1992.
Member of the MGS  since 2004. Gardening in Oslo and to a limited extent in Halkidiki, Greece.

Alice

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Re: Capers (Capparis)
« Reply #39 on: June 21, 2014, 07:45:53 AM »
After a number of attempts to establish caper plants we have just celebrated the first birthday of one in our garden. It was bought from a local nursery (the owner grows a lot in pots) and surprisingly made it though last summer. We do irrigate weekly in summer, as no small plants survive without water in our conditions.
Amateur gardener who has gardened in north London and now gardens part of the year on the Cycladic island of Paros. Conditions: coastal, windy, annual rainfall 350mm, temp 0-35 degrees C.