Invincible Garden!

This is a thread concerning the creation of an invincible garden. Rule #1 Nature is commander-in-chief. I just help out and make suggestions (aside from the two hugels). The boss already has cover crops going.

I've taken a similar position with my garden Huxley.

One of the biggest things I do now in my garden is to observe. It's also my favorite thing to do.

If I can find out which plants do better in different locations, sunlight, and moisture, it makes growing them a lot easier and a lot less work.

Most of my gardening now is doing some initial small earthworks by hand to create diverse growing areas, and then mostly plant, observe, and harvest. Like you mentioned I do some tweaking and changing every once in a while, but after it gets established, it does most of the work!

Excited to see updates from this!

This is the beginning of a pocket pond/marsh for growing tules, cattails, and horsetail. It naturally gathers water due to slopes and a berm on one side.

Fall report: the basil loved our dry summer this year on their fresh hugel, the seminole pumpkins didn't do very well, probably not enough moisture. The pumpkins took off after the drought and right before the frost, so only one fruit. Some of the peas have rot resistant pods so I will let them reseed when they want.   I just seeded these two mounds with radish, lettuce, chicory, chard, dill, ciltantro, and probably something else...it looks and feels like we're about to get a rainy spell so I think they have a good chance of germintating. As you can see, I'm taking a rather laissez-faire approach recently. I may or may not amp up my style come spring, as next will be my last growing season at this location. At the moment, I'm finding wild foods like cleavers, lettuces, chickweed coming up. I will let y'all know if I will cultivate them as some are popping up in the garden.  Cant figure out photo thing on desktop yet....

Two young elderberries were planted today and mulches with herbicide free hay (used as goat bedding.) I used Sepp Holzer's technique of cutting off the leaves so they will put energy towards new roots rather than old leaves.
Scattered a mixture of radish, turnip, kale, peas and lettuce underneath the hay on the hugel and bed. I've heard to seed lightly and often to catch th best weather. Its raining today and I have no plans of watering. Garilc cloves were planted too.
An unidentified legume is growing well so I chopped it back some to stimulate growth.
The comfrey is doing well without interference.

A fellow permaculturist gave me a gouji berry and a black raspberry seedling. These were planted holzer style. Dug a couple scallop sealed to experiment with diversity. Also planted turmeric roots. Weather cloudy, warm.

I have that same legume growing in my field, I think. Not sure what it is, though.

Kc Simmons wrote:I have that same legume growing in my field, I think. Not sure what it is, though.

 It seems to be a relative of vetch.

It's Working!!!  (Not me!)

The elderberries, raspberry, and goji berry are putting out new leaves. The seeds randomly scattered a few weeks ago have come up. The garlic is sprouting, the comfrey is thriving, the lettuce is sprouting on the scallop swales. The strawberries are blooming and the radishes are grown.
Some of the radishes have almost matured while some are still tiny from the same planting!
Haven't watered a single thing except the fig cuttings which are still green!
Planted koontie seeds last week. The roots were a native American staple. Spring has come to north Florida!

I did something crazy by my old standards.
I was looking for a place to plant a tomato seedling. Old me would have looked for a clear, "weed" free spot clear of "competition."
Instead I instinctively picked a lush patch of clover and plants where plants were: 1 guaranteed to grow
2 there was living mulch
And 3 the microbial network is doing much better than a dry bare spot of ground.

The quarantine has proven beneficial for the garden. I've put in several hugel beds. I've harvested a round of green beans and 3 squash. There'll be more soon. The cilantro and lettuces are going to seed which will be saved.

I've found this plant for the first time here. I think its wild mint but I've never smelled wild mint before. Its not flowering yet. What does it look like to you?