I have an old stock
pond someone put in many years ago, down near my zone 5. It definitely needs gleying, doesn't hold
water, but if you look close at it's catch area, it is slightly out of position to actually catch what you'd think it does. It also needs it's dam side reworked, either it was built badly off level with no spillway, or it has eroded badly (due to no controlled spillway) it's about 4 feet lower on the outflow edge than it needs to be, and needs a spillway so it doesn't erode.
I'm thinking a
berm (possibly a
hugel berm to add more nutrients) in the correct position to correct the catch, and extend it up onto the dam to adjust the dirt levels and add good deep rooted
polyculture to the top of it all to keep erosion down (will also build a good spillway.)
I'm thinking what deep rooted plants will grow in Zone 6a/b (right on the edge of them, a bit cooler down in that area) that can handle neglect (it's near my zone 5 wild growth area, not near my active areas) and will give some production if I get around to harvesting down there. Heavy
deer pressure down there, so distraction crops to
feed deer would be excellent. That area is deep grass, so I have to be able to get a cutter in there sometimes for fire control. There are ~200
volunteer American Persimmon
trees down near there, about 6 - 10 years old, that I'll be thinning for production. Also right there is cedar, wild roses, buckbrush and Sericea Lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata L.) which is classified as a noxious weed by both the
local Ag dept and the neighbor, who doesn't want it spreading into his
hay field (lowers the price he gets for the hay.)
My list so far:
Willow
Hazel
Comfrey
Black eyed peas
Suggestions?
Thanks!! :D
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