Guild design for the tropics

Hi there!

I am interested in some information on guild designs for South India (10 deg. N). Please reply if you know of any resources that would help me.

Thanks!
Hema

I'm not sure how many tropicals we have around here... also the PRI site (the Permies competition.seems to have lots of sub-tropical and tropical gardeners...
http://forums.permaculture.org.au/forumdisplay.php?9-Planting-growing-nurturing-Plants

Also the question is pretty general... you might have to provide more information about your climate and target species

Hello Paul!

Thanks for your reply. The tropical trees I have in mind are mango, papaya, jack fruit, banana, coconut, neem. The climate of the place I have in mind, in south India, is hot and humid. I have read that this place used to be the home of a rain forest 300 years ago; now it is either barren land or concrete jungle My husband and I plan to work in this area on a reforestation project.

Hema

Nice list of trees.  I would suggest some citrus, avocado and moringa oleifera as well. 

Two of my favorite tropical climbing vines are malabar spinach and asian winged bean. 

Pigeon pea would be a good choice for nitrogen fixing perennial, especially as the forest is getting established. 

Ginger and turmeric are natural understory plants.  Pineapple, too. 

Thanks Yukkuri!
Your additions to my list are quite valuable. I didn't know that Malabar Spinach was a vine; I remember growing it in our backyard as a small plant.

Hema

I've seen much talk about sweet potato for tubers and shoots as a groundcover.  I'd love to spend some time in the tropics.  Good luck! 

Paul,
Thanks for your reply. What kind of shoots dis you have in mind? And yes, I have heard about Sweet Potatoes planted in a Banana Circle.

Hema

Hema,

I'm in the Philippines at 10.5 degrees north latitude. I'm just got started over the last year and a half. I've got about 4.5 hectares mostly on the mountain side between 300 meters and 750 meters. Currently I have Coconut, Avocado, Mango, Jack Fruit, Mahagoney, Banana, Corn, Sweet Potato (various local roots), Goats, Pigs, Native Chickens, and one water buffalo. I had a horse but it fell down the mountainside and died (It's steep).

Recently I've planted: Coffee, Pineapple, Citrus (Lime, Lemon (African, American), Calimansi, Lemoncito, Giant Lemoncito, Mandarian Orange), Santol, Cinnamon, Lazones, Rambotan, Durian, Jack Fruit, Pumelo, Apple Mango, Aloe Vera.

Soon I plan to plant: Bamboo, Cacao, Black Pepper, Vanilla orchids, Sugar Cane, Moringa, Pidgeon Pea, Dwarf Coconut, Tambis, and a few different hardwoods.

Honey Bees, Composting, and Vermaculture are on the wishlist.

I'm new to farming and to Permaculture but am hopeful that I can eventually create a self sustaining food forest with surplus. I'm trying to learn how to create beneficial tropical guilds. I am a beginner.

- Vince

Hi Hema,
did you find any progress?...
i'm curently doing some volunteer in south india to established permaculture site on community organic agriculture
i would like to share with you with my knowledge about guild design for tropic climate
i'm in rural india close to Martalli untill 1 of may and will going back to Australia.

Jayadi

Jayadi : If you are still on the site it would be great to hear your ideas about tropical fruit guilds . Thank you.