Anyone with a patio, terrace or garden in Spain has a narrow window over the coming days and to sort out a problem that tends to creep up between the summer heat and the autumn rains. With things slowly creeping towards wetter conditions, this dry spell could be one of the last decent chances to tackle the issue.

Why a splash of vinegar could save you hours of weeding

Ordinary household vinegar has become one of the go-to tricks for those with green fingers fancying themselves a bit of a gardener, without reaching for chemical sprays. Its usefulness has nothing to do with feeding plants or improving soil moisture. Acetic acid, the compound that gives vinegar its bite, damages plant tissue on contact, scorching leaves in a way that leaves weeds looking withered and dried out within a day or two.

Oregon State University’s Extension Service, a widely cited authority on home horticulture, confirms that this kind of treatment works on the foliage rather than the roots, and tends to be far more effective against young, recently sprouted weeds than established ones. Applying it on a dry day, before rain has a chance to wash it off the leaves, gives the acid longer to do its work.

Where should you be using this method

Patios, gravel paths and the gaps between paving stones are prime targets, as are the little tufts of weed that push up along the edges of terraces during Spain’s warmer months. Nobody is suggesting a general soaking of flowerbeds or lawns; this is a spot treatment, dabbed or sprayed directly onto unwanted growth rather than poured liberally around the garden.

A word of warning before you reach for the bottle

Confusing kitchen vinegar with a proper herbicide could leave you disappointed, or worse, with a ruined flowerbed. Standard cooking vinegar sits at roughly 5% acetic acid, whereas commercial horticultural versions can run at around 20%, four times stronger, and come with strict handling instructions. Oregon State’s experts are also clear that acetic acid cannot tell a dandelion from a prized rose bush, so overspray onto ornamentals, vegetables or grass you want to keep risks the same scorching effect.

Perennial weeds with deep roots, thistles and other stubborn regrowers, are especially likely to bounce back even after a good burning, since the treatment rarely reaches below the surface. Combining a vinegar spray with hand-pulling and a decent layer of mulch is the more reliable route for anyone determined to keep their outdoor space looking sharp before the rains return.

Alberto Núñez Feijoo, leader of Spain’s main opposition party, used a packed rally in Badalona on Sunday to set out a harder, tighter immigration line, tying work, law-abiding behaviour and the Spanish passport to one another. He said Spain should welcome people who come for hard graft and obey the country’s rules, then slam the door on anyone arriving to break them.

His remarks landed as Ceuta is still dealing with the fallout from mass crossings earlier in the summer, a crisis with of the city’s new port camp and pressure for a royal visit. Feijoo is due in Ceuta on Monday with European People’s Party president Manfred Weber.

What was said in Badalona

Feijoo argued that a country with self-respect should be demanding of people born here and of those who move here. Nationality, he said, brings rights and duties. Recovering “the prestige of the Spanish passport” means reviewing how citizenship is granted, how it is kept, and how it can be lost.

He put the message in plain language. Spain, if he governs, would stay open to “hispanos” and to anyone arriving to work and respect the law. Those who come to dodge the rules would find the country “cerrada a cal y canto”, or “bolted shut”. He also called it a “sinsentido” that irregular entry can look easier than arriving with a job contract, and said public services cannot hold if people arrive without control while nationality is handed out on a mass scale.

That line builds on earlier PP ideas already reported by Euro Weekly News, including tighter residency rules and a harder approach to arraigo.

Law-abiding Brits already living in Spain legally are not the target of these pledges. Feijoo’s speech was aimed at irregular arrivals and at naturalised citizens who later commit serious crimes, not at residents who work, pay their way and keep to the rules.

Immigration plans point by point

• Run an ordered immigration policy rather than uncontrolled arrivals.

• Keep Spain open to people who come to work and follow the law, including Latin American arrivals he described as “hispanos”.

• Bolt the country shut to those who arrive irregularly or come to break the law.

• Make work the normal route in, so a contract is not harder than an irregular crossing.

• Strengthen border protection, with Ceuta used as the immediate example.

• Review how Spanish nationality is granted, kept and withdrawn.

• Strip nationality from naturalised citizens convicted of serious crimes, including gang membership, murder and repeat sexual assault.

• Treat the passport as something earned, not gifted.

He challenged critics directly: if anyone objects to taking nationality from a convicted killer, gang member or repeat sex attacker, they should explain why.

Why this matters now

The next general election in Spain is expected in 2027. Feijoo, beginning his electioneering, also used the rally to attack Pedro Sanchez’s government over Ceuta, budgets and taxes, promising a “limpieza total”  if his party, PP, returns to office.

For readers already in Spain, the practical point is the passport and residency test he wants to rewrite. Current nationality law is set out in the Spanish Civil Code on the official BOE site, and any withdrawal of citizenship would need a huge legal change, not just a speech.

Whether that package ever becomes law depends on an election Feijoo is openly inviting. For now, Badalona was the pitch: work and obey the law, or Spain stays locked.

Drivers using Calle Ramon Gallud in central Torrevieja will need to take into account new parking restrictions limiting stays to a maximum of two hours during the working day.

The regulation came into effect on September 15 and applies on working days between 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM. Torrevieja Town Hall says the measure is designed to increase the turnover of parking spaces on the busy town centre street.

Two-hour limit applies during the working day

Under the new rules, vehicles parked on Calle Ramon Gallud can remain in the same space for a maximum of two hours between 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM on working days.

The restriction does not apply overnight. From 8:00 PM until 8:00 AM the following morning, vehicles can remain parked without being subject to the two-hour limit.

The restriction is also lifted on non-working days.

Torrevieja Town Hall has installed new signs along Calle Ramon Gallud explaining the times and conditions. Motorists are being encouraged to check the signs carefully when leaving their vehicles to make sure they comply with the new regulations.

Council aims to free up more parking spaces

Local Police councillor Federico Alarcon said the change is intended to improve the turnover of available parking spaces on one of Torrevieja town centre’s main commercial and service streets.

By preventing vehicles from occupying the same spaces throughout the entire working day, the council hopes more drivers will have an opportunity to find somewhere to park.

This could particularly benefit people making shorter visits to the centre to go shopping, attend appointments or use nearby businesses and services.

Calle Ramon Gallud experiences high levels of activity for much of the day, increasing demand for the limited parking spaces available.

Drivers urged to check new parking signs

The measure forms part of wider efforts to better manage parking in central Torrevieja and make existing spaces available to a greater number of motorists.

Drivers using Calle Ramon Gallud should therefore pay particular attention to the newly installed signs, especially if they are accustomed to leaving their vehicle in the street for longer periods.

The two-hour restriction is now in force between 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM on working days, while overnight parking and parking on non-working days remain exempt from the limit.