I'm new to gardening. Did and still do lots of research on the topic trying to find the best way to do it. Made my first garden earlier this year and am very happy with it. I like the back to eden garden method. Seems to me that the best way to garden is to pile up organic matter year after year in a spot and the more you do this the fertility would get better and better as the matter continues to break down. Wood chips might require a chipper, which would be modern and need modern equipment, but if we have wood chips, I think is ideal for a number of reasons. There is so much to think about with permaculture. Here is a list of things that I consider when I buy a plant:
1)Are both a male and female needed for fruit production?
2)Are different varieties of the same plant planted nearby needed for maximum fruit production and do the varieties I am considering flower at the same time so cross pollination is able to occur?
3) Chill hours required for fruiting? (need to find average chill hours for my area)
4)Problems with humidity?
5)Pest/disease sensitivity?
6)Season it bears fruit?
7)Age it bears fruit?
How big of a hole must be dug for transplant and what is the root structure of plant, shallow or deep?
9)Recommended companion plants?
10)Required Lighting (full sun, partial shade, etc.?)
11)High, low or medium yield?
Probably more I should consider and it seems nursery plant descriptions don't usually answer most of these questions so I have to look them up. I know with apples, chill hours are a concern for southern areas.
I read the Dorsett Golden only requires less than one hundred hours of chill time so maybe that's a candidate for more research.
http://www.davewilson.com/home-gardens/fruit-variety-recommendations/toms-picks-winners-low-chill-southwest
Thanks for the link.
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