List of Bryant RedHawk's Epic Soil Series Threads We love visitors, that's why we live in a secluded cabin deep in the woods. "Buzzard's Roost (Asnikiye Heca) Farm." Promoting permaculture to save our planet.
mark carter wrote:Austrian winter peas, or other living mulch to eliminate weeds and build soil fertility. Not bad to eat. Less of a problem with mice and voles with live mulch, a lot less work to install. I had to use cages to protect trees until there above the browes line for deer. Peas fix nitragen does wonders for my trees, feeds soil life. Good luck.
Bryant RedHawk wrote:Sounds like a great start Dean,
How old are those pawpaw trees? pawpaw tree leaves tend to sunburn the first two years, they start in nature as an understory tree, shaded until they grow tall enough to reach sunlight.
pawpaw trees are pollenated by flies, the flowers have an odor that attracts blue bottle and other species of flies so they can be pollenated.
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Dean Moriarty wrote:
mark carter wrote:Austrian winter peas, or other living mulch to eliminate weeds and build soil fertility. Not bad to eat. Less of a problem with mice and voles with live mulch, a lot less work to install. I had to use cages to protect trees until there above the browes line for deer. Peas fix nitragen does wonders for my trees, feeds soil life. Good luck.
Thanks Mark. I will do some more research on field peas as a living mulch, but while I have your attention, I'll just ask a few questions. My plan was to do a one time till on the strips of land where the trees will go in, would I just broadcast spread those seeds (mixed with something else like a cereal rye?) in the Spring? Are there any negatives to this strategy I should be aware of? Will these plants steal water or any other inputs from the trees and shrubs? And last, will this approach work as well for low growing shrubs as it does with taller growing trees?
I'm buying over $1000 in trees, so I would like to do this successfully the first time.
Its better to establish the mulch ahead of time to suppres weeds, however you could try buckwheat and do a chop & drop around your trees. Add other mulch as needed until trees or shrubs are established. Also can under sow peas thru your mulch, the peas collect dew that helps keeps the mulch moist. May want to try an expirmental plot first to refine your system, its not just money but time. Good luck.
Thanks again!
"The rule of no realm is mine. But all worthy things that are in peril as the world now stands, these are my care. And for my part, I shall not wholly fail in my task if anything that passes through this night can still grow fairer or bear fruit and flower again in days to come. For I too am a steward. Did you not know?" Gandolf
Sasparilla and fresh horses for all my men! You will see to it, won't you tiny ad?
Sepper Program: Theme Weeks
https://permies.com/wiki/249013/Sepper-Program-Theme-Weeks
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