The Duke It Out polyculture (z7b)

Hi All,

Our first aggressive edible, daylilies planted around the mailbox (1000 ft from our actual garden beds), made it through the heat of the summer without any irrigation and just one weeding! They were heavily composted when planted and only lightly mulched.

Still trying to grow a larger plant list for this duke it out 'polyculture'.....any suggestions?

So far...

- Figs (at a distance tucked near tall trees for temperature buffering)
- Daylilies
- Sunchoke
- Groundnut (up the sunchokes)
- Mint
- Sochan
- Strawberry spinach (does anyone have this plant fruiting right now)
(https://www.rareseeds.com/spinach-strawberry?srsltid=AfmBOooPn76lckURlawZoDcLZtY3-94I-TLRFIICvIU5tdVl5r2r35QO)

TIA!

Welcome to th forum?

That sounds like a great list an d I love daylilies so good to hear they are doing great.

I hadn't heard of the expression 'duke it out' (I think it may be a US thing...) It's a great term for paul's backyard food pump though! Him being the 'duke of permaculture' and all that too!

You might find our table of possible plants here of some use perhaps!

Thanks for the links, Nancy!

Yes, sounds like it aligns with Paul's backyard food pump model with the goal to create a design that yields the smallest ratio of human energy output per gram nutritional content. It's a patch of plants that favor growing in patches. Why not?! Saves a whole lot of harvest time.

Plan of action
1. get multiple dumps of free local hardwood wood chips delivered to the area (double cardboarding over any existing invasives)
2. mix with coffee grounds/urine and spread 18" thick
3. cook down for 6-12 months
4. plant seeds or a few specimens of each in a compost/soil mix in the center of their designated ring
5. observe and harvest appropriately

We will size rings according to each plants growth habit and spread rate and harvest heavy on the edges of the more aggressive species.

I've expanded the list with nutritional info.

Name Cal/100 grams g protein/100 g
skirret 268.                 2 (shoots)
burdock 88
nettles                         2.7
amaranth                 3.8
figs          249 (dried)
daylilies  214
jerusalem artichoke 76 (inulin, K & Fe)
groundnut                  25.8
king's spear 86
dame’s Rocket vitamins and antioxidants
sochan vitamins, minerals, fiber
creeping bellflower vitamins, minerals, fiber
strawberry spinach vitamins, minerals, fiber
wineberries vitamins and antioxidants
blackberries vitamins and antioxidants
egyptian walking onions vitamins and fiber
multiplier onion vitamins, fiber, antioxidants
chives vitamins & minerals
mint vitamin and mineral dense