How are your permaculture projects coming along?

May 27, 2011 09:33:52

So far I have been able to naturalize asparagus near a creek: they have been there for 5 years so I expect that they are well established!

And, the American Plums that I planted near the creek this spring are growing very well: I expect to lose a few plum trees when it gets hot and dry in the late summer but right now every tree is healthy. I was not certain how close to the creek to plant them so that they got enough water in the summer and so I scattered them around a bit. I got them for very little money from the Kansas Forestry department.

I have also been able to naturalize daffodills near the asparagus.

I have tried other plants in that area but they failed: probably because the soil is rather sandy and so it does not hold rainwater very well. I think I need to try more deep rooted plants like the asparagus and the sand plums, or plants that go dormant after spring like the daffodils do.

Things yet to do include researching more edibles that accept sandy, dry conditions. Also, if I can find more perrenials (but edible ones) that go dormant in the late summer the way daffodils do it would be a big plus!

May 27, 2011 12:53:55

It's all good fun round here.

I love planting stuff to see if it succeeds. Some things just take off here. Rhubarb, redcurrants, blackcurrants, raspberries etc. are fabulous every year for very little effort. Spuds are good too.. & toms in the polytunnel

However I can't grow brassicas, or sweetcorn for love nor money.... they just die every year. So this was the last year of trying!

May 27, 2011 13:10:33

Thank you for asking!

This year I've planted: raspberries, blueberries, red and black currants, lettuce, a cherry tree, clover, carrots, cabbage, asparagus, pumpkin, watermelon, cucumbers, peas, chokeberries, 3 different kinds of peppers, and tomatoes. I also have lots of stinging nettle and strawberries growing from last year.
I also built a herb spiral with thai basil, lavender, sage, oregano and lettuce.

I'm pretty excited for summer when everything is ready to harvest and be eaten!

May 29, 2011 23:31:33

Terri, I live in the sandhills of South Carolina - I think that says it all. We have been on this property for about 8 years now and have sucessfully changed the top 6-8 inches of soil from sand to black earth.
I have composted in barrels, sheet composted, dug holes and buried raw trash to be composted, watered with compost tea and mulch with fresh green grass clippings at every mowing. I think it has worked out pretty well. I don't buy anything - this is all from our own lawn, trees and would-be trash.
In most areas I have just layed down paper on top of the grass and started piling on the leaves, grass, compost, etc. and the worms show up and do the work. Here is a pic of the results so far:

May 30, 2011 06:51:02

Everything is dying of drought, so I am very much back to square one and have to redesign all planting areas as though I'm growing in the desert. Of course later in the year we could have catastrophic flooding.

May 30, 2011 23:33:39

Right now I am mostly battling slugs. I kill about 50 a day, they are still chewing up everything. It feels like it has been raining forever here.

May 31, 2011 06:49:46

South Carolina, your garden makes me drool! my garden is mostly 12" tall!!!

Then again, I do not sweat like I am supposed to and so your summers are too hot for me, even at sun rise. Times like this I must count my blessings!!!

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