Antonio Hache wrote:
TREE SEEDS: One part of the project is to connect all the planted trees with lots and lots of tree seeds in “seed cocktails”. I planted some, but I made two calculations. First is that, at that pace, it would take me years to end connecting trees. Second, planting bit by bit meant lot of shipping costs. So in order to save time and money, I ordered 30.000 tree seeds. My calculation is 40 seeds per square meter, only in the tree rows. As Mark Shepard says, I want to play Yahtzee with all the dices. 25% was reinforcing the fruit trees that I already had, 25% of support trees, 25% specific for berries and 25% of many species of fruit trees, shrubs and other “nice to have” that I want to see if can grow in my place, my soil and my conditions. I will sow them before Fall ends, not all in the same day (I guess that might be pretty difficult) . I have to think on logistics, as many of them might need some previous work (scarification), but in order to prepare the muvuca I have to think in the less taxing approach to this.
Semi-arid warm mediterranean. 800m2 shared urban no-irrigation food garden.
Abraham Palma wrote:
Antonio Hache wrote:
TREE SEEDS: One part of the project is to connect all the planted trees with lots and lots of tree seeds in “seed cocktails”. I planted some, but I made two calculations. First is that, at that pace, it would take me years to end connecting trees. Second, planting bit by bit meant lot of shipping costs. So in order to save time and money, I ordered 30.000 tree seeds. My calculation is 40 seeds per square meter, only in the tree rows. As Mark Shepard says, I want to play Yahtzee with all the dices. 25% was reinforcing the fruit trees that I already had, 25% of support trees, 25% specific for berries and 25% of many species of fruit trees, shrubs and other “nice to have” that I want to see if can grow in my place, my soil and my conditions. I will sow them before Fall ends, not all in the same day (I guess that might be pretty difficult) . I have to think on logistics, as many of them might need some previous work (scarification), but in order to prepare the muvuca I have to think in the less taxing approach to this.
Last week I learned a wonderful word: ALMÁCIGA (*)
That's a humid plot of land where you can seed all your seedling, and transplant them later. Maybe you can have this 'almáciga' somewhere safe from ants. Since seeds require high soil humidity to sprout, it's a good idea to have them sprout in the same place, where you can water them comfortably, then move them to their final location when they are big enough to endure some weeks without watering. I think this is easier than having a myriad of seedling plastic pots inside a plastic greenhouse with controlled humidity and temperature.
Once your seeds have sprout, ants should not bother them unless you have aphids (pulgones), which come when your plant received too much nitrogen from manure or excessive irrigation.
(*) Seedling plot, in English.
Creating edible biodiversity and embracing everlasting abundance.
Antonio Hache wrote:Forgot the picture
Semi-arid warm mediterranean. 800m2 shared urban no-irrigation food garden.
Semi-arid warm mediterranean. 800m2 shared urban no-irrigation food garden.
Abraham Palma wrote:Whoever calls this 'trébol' is mistaken. It is 'vinagretas', 'sorrel' in English or oxalis in its latin name.
It's an invasive species, it spreads wildly. But it requires shade and humidity.
Unlike the clover, the sorrel does not add nitrogen to the soil.
But it is a nice little plant that does little harm, in my opinion.
Unless they interfere with your crop, I say let them be. That's what we do in our garden.
Contemplation is the first act of disobedience...
Susanna Hammond wrote:Hi Antonio.
I just wanted to pass on something I read about how ants are dealt with in the tropics of the South Pacific, where I guess the ants could carry a small house away if they wanted.
Every morning as an "offering" someone places a small dish of cooked rice outside each of the 4 corners of the house. This is to keep the "gods" happy and these natural forces could very well include the ants! I'm not sure if this kind of offering, of rice or grain etc, nearer to the ants nests or away from your planting area would give them something better or closer to carry away.
In the south Pacific, this ritual apparently keeps the ants from entering the house and seeking food inside, as all they want is available outside it. It takes them roughly a day to empty each of the dishes and they are refilled every morning. I like this idea of making it a "ritual" to be in a supportive relationship with the ants too.
If you're not in residence there all the time, perhaps you could find someone with some spoiled grain or corn that is no good for planting and leave a huge pile of it near any ant nests you can find. Enough that it will keep them busy for a long time!
Just a thought.
Blessings on all your seeds!
-- Wisdsom pursues me but I run faster.
This is all just my opinion based on a flawed memory
Crt Jakhel wrote:Hi Antonio,
this is a late thought since I've only just come upon your thread but you've already had your big planting stage.
You've mentioned Alnus along the way. This might not be a great fit because normally the trees in this family like to grow in a wet spot.
Regarding goumi and its relatives (eleaeagnus sp), what I've noticed that although a fully grown bush/tree is quite robust, they do require some babying in the first 2-3 years. There's a also a special caveat in case you're using them in a shelterbelt against the wind: they can grow "too fast" in the sense that strong wind can rock the bush the loosen the roots. We've had to stake several elaeagnus at our place.
Maybe one more thought - figs and especially mulberries will drop a lot of leaf mass that you can then hapilly use to mulch around young plants etc. This is actually also true of hazel (I mean corylus, not hamamelis). You know what they say about hazel - "a plant so good people started naming their daughters after it"but I don't know whether it will grow well in your very warm climate.
This is my small input, can't be of much help because your growing zone is so different than ours.
Ben Zumeta wrote:Chickens would make quick work of the ants. If that’s not an option, bird feeders, bird houses, brush piles for shelter for birds and reptiles. I might even start spreading bird seed around the ants while calling birds in. It may sound and feel silly at first, but it works with song birds and fowl alike (learned it from Joseph Cornell, the author of “Sharing nature with children”). To do this, make “psht” sounds imitating a mother song bird in a pattern of either 3 rhythmic calls, a 1-3-1 rhythm (psht..psht psht psht..psht) or a 2-3-2 rhythm, ideally while giving out food. I have gotten local wild birds to come to my call even when I don’t have food. Of course the ants will eat some seed, until the birds come in and realize the bird seed is an appetizer and the ants are the main course. All birds, including hummingbirds, eat insects, especially when raising young. However, birds will then think those seeds you are planting in neat rows are a buffet for them, and will dig them up, and maybe this is just giving you smarter, flying version of your previous problem!
Creating edible biodiversity and embracing everlasting abundance.
Semi-arid warm mediterranean. 800m2 shared urban no-irrigation food garden.
Semi-arid warm mediterranean. 800m2 shared urban no-irrigation food garden.
Creating edible biodiversity and embracing everlasting abundance.
Hugo Morvan wrote:Happy to hear the Siberian temperatures did not happen where you are. Minus 38 degrees Celsius (-36,4F) in the Pyrenees ain't no fun and it's bad for trees in Scandinavia, let alone Spain!
Do you have something like a strategy for climate chaos?
I'm gonna teach you a lesson! Start by looking at this tiny ad:
Simple Home Energy Solutions, battery bank videos
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