Konstantinos Karoubas

Let's hope for the best Antonio.

We have been hearing about the unusual weather you are having. It will complicate the growth of the new trees...just observe.

It will be interesting to see the outcome.

Long term it will interesting to find what trees and shrubs are best suited for your climate/microclimate.

Did you plant any acorns or wild pear seeds?

Kostas

That is an excellent point Lorinne,

When planting near roadways we need to be aware of where the fruits or nuts may fall. They may create hazards for motorists and especially motorcycles.

Your point about wildlife crossings is important and we need to provide for it...I did a mental check of my planting sites, and I don't think there is a potential problem.

In our area wild pigs and rabbits are the resident, prevalent, wild animals; no deer or bears unfortunately.

It is imperative to create community food forests around our population centers; it's easy to do and will have multiple benefits.

There is a group, "fruitarians", that survive and lead healthy lives just by eating fruits and nuts... don't know enough about them, but it seems their footprint is very light.

Thanks


Kostas

Greeting to all,

It is time to collect apple seeds from store bought apples and to scarify the seeds we bought from an Italian seed company. We bought the apples at the local farmer's market from an apple tree farmer...the apples have 6 to 8 seeds each, and we are using the wet towel method to test that they will sprout.

Store bought apples have been in the frig for about two months. Based on past experience, if we put them on the ground soon, they will sprout in the spring, and provided we have a "normal" spring and summer, 50% should grow to become trees. And that is absolutely FANTASTIC !!!

The seeds bought from the seed company are in jars in moist sand, and will stay there for 45 days or so, before being planted. I want to test and see how this procedure will do.

I am hoping for the best. It will take a few years before we know more about how to mass propagate this great tree.

Near cities, it will feed people for 50 to 100 years, in the forest, if it self seeds and thrives it provides food for bears, deer etc. and enrich all life there.

Kostas


Love responsibility. Say "It is my duty, and mine alone, to save the earth. If it is not saved, then I alone am to blame.”
NK

Hello Jamin,

Best of luck with the seeds...keep us posted with photos.

To soak or not to soak the seeds?

It depends on the local conditions - and time will tell.

For now, under my local conditions, seeds planted in early October don't get soaked. But large seeds, like walnuts, almonds and apricots, placed after New Years, get soaked. I am concerned that there may not be enough moisture to stratify the seeds.

This year, the first full fall rains came late October - the window to plant narrows !!!

As far as land to plant, there is plenty...if you are in a city... abandoned/unused lots is one option, roadway embankments not maintained (make sure that when trees grow and produce fruits that they don't fall and interfere with the safety on the roadways).

If you are in the country...there is plenty of unused public land.

By planting this way, we are not investing a lot in time or money. In 15 minutes you can plant over 50 seeds that can cost less than a dollar/euro (or whatever) or are free to collect/save.

The returns are amazing...an oak tree for hundreds of years will provide shade, acorns etc. - an apple tree for 100 years will provide food !!!

There are very few things a person can do, that will have such a positive impact long after he/she is gone.

It's odd, but sometimes it may take 3 or 4 years before a piece of land will start growing trees. We need to be aware of this and not be discouraged.

Plant for others not just for yourself. The reward of seeing a hungry, tired person enjoy freely available fruits or nuts cannot be described.

Kostas

Hello Hugo,

"Creating edible biodiversity and embracing everlasting abundance."

This brief sentence - maybe it should become an international mission statement of sorts !!!

I am aware of the rewilding movement... it's a step in the right direction.

The sloe shrubs are amazing...goats have no chance of getting through…

Hugo, there are many fine examples around the world, of people working in harmony with nature, and how it benefits all...it needs to spread like wildfire...time is of essence...its common sense simple and not hard to do.

I am going to try planting walnuts this year to see how they do. To help them along, I cracked open one end and will soak them for 24 to 48 hours before planting...we will see how they do...I suspect they prefer higher elevations.

This year I am planting 4 new pieces of land. They vary in size from 150 square meters to 2,000. They are very strong and rich in organic matter...by far the best land I have worked with. I am curious to see how the seeds do in this soil. No wild pigs here or acidic soils (mice may still be a problem, as well weather).

They are ideal to be used as edible community forest gardens. Hope for the best.

Kostas

Kalimera Alison,
It's great to hear about Virgilia oroboides...it sounds like it can be used to reclaim depleted soils/damaged ecosystems.

Next time you are in Greece bring some.

Large areas of the Peloponnese are completely bare...just bare stone, or a very thin layer of soil...we can give it a try.

I need to spend more time in southern Greece...Sparta-Athens. Carob, oak and olive trees will form the backbone for reforesting these areas. The microclimate varies wildly in these regions...a comprehensive plan must be developed and executed to heal the land there. It will take a long term national commitment to get it done.

When the virus restrictions are lifted, I hope to travel there and see how the seeds I placed last year are doing (they were placed late, so…)

We need to redefine what a forest is and what reforestation should be. We know that it is definitely not a pine monoculture forest. The millions of pine trees planted around the world, was a huge mistake. It may have been driven by the need for fast growing timber for use in buildings and industry, with no regard for the destruction of the soil and ecosystem.

Based on what I have seen in the last 20 years, I believe the land can recover...a heaven on earth can be created to accommodate all species.

How do things look from your point of view in that part of the world?

Kostas

(All the best for the new year)

Hello Hugo,

What a great greeting.

I wish I thought of it…

Ditto to you and all of us...we need it !!!

Funny you mentioned the sloe thorn bush and its history as the mother of oak trees-very interesting-..they grow by the side of the road at 4 places, as I drive from home to the farm (30 min drive). I tried growing them by seed...but no luck so far. I may transplant some...I like this bush, thorns and all.

Your plans with the plums, chestnuts and the other trees sounds great... keep us posted in the spring and fall, as you go along.

I avoid visiting the trees in the middle or late summer... it's difficult to watch them struggle and it can be discouraging.

[i]Creating edible biodiversity and embracing everlasting abundance[/i].
Is this part of your post?

Kostas

(All the best for the new year)

More than enough for this year's projects...

I hope it's a strong productive tree and the acorns do well.

We will see.

Kostas

Happy Holidays to all !!!

Need to find a way to mass drop acorns from drones/planes and bury them in the ground.

Small grass hopper like robots that will be dropped with the acorns, then they will return to the base with the drone is one way to go.

Along way to go on this, unless large funds become available for specific research.

In the meantime a worker can plant 3,000 to 5,000+ a day.... that's plenty.

Even 25 oak trees planted today, will have a huge impact over the next 500 years.

Kostas

The continuation...



Kostas