My project thread
Agriculture collects solar energy two-dimensionally; but silviculture collects it three dimensionally.
"You must be the change you want to see in the world." "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win." --Mahatma Gandhi
"Preach the Gospel always, and if necessary, use words." --Francis of Assisi.
"Family farms work when the whole family works the farm." -- Adam Klaus
"Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you." ~Maori Proverb
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Jen Shrock wrote:It has been interesting reading the different perspectives on what is considered an orchard and what is considered a food forest. By my own narrow definition, I have called what I have started to plant in my back yard both (a diverse mixture of fruit and nuts). Intense diversity is a very large focus in my plantings. While, for many of my fruit trees, I have tried to find self pollinating varieties (with the exception of the apples), I purchased and planted the self pollinating varieties with the thought of converting them to multi-graft trees down the road.
Stefan - what are your thoughts on multigraft trees in an orchard, in the sense of your definition or in a small backyard personal orchard system?
Richard Hauser wrote:Diversity. The Permaculture Orchard has a rather limited number of species and diversified cultivars. A Food Forest has many more species.
"Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you." ~Maori Proverb
www.permi-eden.com
Jen Shrock wrote:Thanks Stefan! I am in the plant collecting stage right now and I am wondering if my collecting is becoming hoarding!
I am packing as much diversity (both kinds and different cultivars) as I can in my space. Your comments help to reconfirm in my mind that I am on the right path and not crazy as many of my neighbors might have me believe!
I sort of take Mark Shepards approach to things...STUN (sheer total utter neglect). While not completely neglecting, most things are on their own to survive and I want to let the site and natural forces to do the selection of what should stay. I tend to observe things quite a bit and delay my decision making on what to do with things. So far it has paid off on a couple of things (critters at off a couple of Pecan seedlings and they finally have popped out a bud - the butternut with some disease on it's leaves last year seems to have corrected itself this year so it won't get chopped) and not on others (critters, namely rabbits, have decimated quite a bit - seeded clover and alfalfa to try to distract this year so we will see).
Richard Hauser wrote:Stefan, I loved the movie, but if you don't mind me asking,
1. Why did you choose Honey Locust over Black Locust?
My project thread
Agriculture collects solar energy two-dimensionally; but silviculture collects it three dimensionally.
Stefan Sobkowiak wrote:Give the tree 4-5 years or 3-4 years of care to get it off to a good start then STUN. I made the mistake in one block of trying it from planting year and now have STUNted trees.
Zach Muller wrote:
Stefan Sobkowiak wrote:Give the tree 4-5 years or 3-4 years of care to get it off to a good start then STUN. I made the mistake in one block of trying it from planting year and now have STUNted trees.
Hey Stefan, thanks for all your contributions and insights on the forum thus far, so awesome of you. I would love to hear more details on your experience with timing the STUN. I have been thinking a lot about how much to water for proper establishment of my trees. Also in my forest garden there are always tree seeds germinating, so I have to decide what to weed out and what to allow. Some thing will germinate uncontrollably like mulberry, hackberry etc. so utter neglect means these natural growers will take hold. You mention letting the tree go at planting year, and 3-5 years, did you have any species that made it after being let go after 2 seasons of care?
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