Zeph Zhang

I've been growing potatoes in containers for a few years now, it works well and makes harvesting so much easier. I'm looking for better choices of containers.

My criteria is that they must be

a) inexpensive,
b) durable,
c) portable,
d) storable (think: in the shed in winter.)

I've tried those cheap grocery bags. They fall apart at the end of the year due to UV. I've tried the bags that feed (such as chicken feed) come in, same problem. I've tried 5 gallon buckets, which at the moment is my preferred choice, but they're a bit unwieldy to store. I've tried recycling boxes, which, because they are lower and larger provide more sunlight, but evaporate more quickly and tend to attract weeds, and take a lot of storage space. I've tried those synthetic bags that one gets when one buys onions in but they are a nightmare to keep irrigated.

What do you recommend that will last me 5 to 10 (or more) seasons?

Thanks!

I've updated the folder with the images: https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B4tOeWhpeET2aEFVR0RibW0tQW8&usp=sharing

If I understand your responses correctly, you're saying that it is possible, but that it would require modification of the current chimney. That, at least is a start. As far as the local laws, I live in Québec, which means they are just short of Nazi's on regulations. I do have to look into them, but I don't want to trigger their awareness. The same with insurance. As far as home value, doing this might disable the actual (and useless) fireplace should the next buyer want to use it. I'm just being very cautious, it's a home in a reasonably high end neighbourhood, and the mortgage isn't paid off yet. I'd hate to make a mistake that would cost me in the long run, so I'm moving very slowly.

Question: does the fact that this mass's area is at least 50% on the exterior of the house (heating the outside) affect the equation in any way?

I think that I'll buy the DVDs to have a better understanding of it all before making a commitment.

Unfortunately, Satamax, I cannot put a hole in the 10 inch cement + 6 inch stone chimney. Part of it is local law, part of it would be insurance and home value, another part is that I'm just not skilled enough to mess with that kind of job. What I was hoping is that I could replace my woodstove with a thermal mass rocket stove, independent of that giant hunk of cement, or next to it, which, incidentally, is also on the outside of the house (the exterior walls were built around it.) The floor is a giant cement slab, which I hope would also absorb some of the heat.

@Cj Verde Québec, Canada. Our winters are not unlike Russian winters: long, cold and f'ing miserable. -20C is not uncommon. By the way, the 10 chords are for a very small house, 10-20 is average for my area, based on discussions with neighbours. If the thermal mass rocket stove is not doable, my next step is a high efficiency wood stove.

Thank you. I think that what I'm going to do is to read up on their breeding cycle first, it's springtime here. I wouldn't want to separate a mother from it's offspring (What are chipmunk offspring called? Kits?) Once I'm there, I'll try and speak with my neighbours, speak with them about my plans. I think I should also learn about how big their territory is. Not much point in moving them from one half of their territory to the other half if they spend their whole time on all of it. Such a simple thing, so many things to think about.

Last winter was long, cold and hard, and I burned though my 10 cords of wood by February. I've had enough with paying $1000 worth of heat in the winter (would be $2400 in electricity). I'd like to build a rocket stove mass heater, but I don't know if I can fit it in this space.

Side to side, I've got 92 inches, but there's a 32 inch door, with a 9 inch space that I could turn into a wide step (where one sees the ramp). It would have to exhaust out of the same spot. I've got 36 inches of depth. Here's the irony: the stone wall is a massive fireplace chimney that is indoor/outdoor. What a waste! Perhaps good news is that the grey floor is a garage cement slab, and could act as some form of heat sink... maybe(?)

Based on the images found below, do I have enough space to setup a thermal mass rocket stove? If so, then I imagine that the 4 DVD set would probably tell me what I need to know (would it?)

Also, and I'm sure none would have a precise answer, but might have some general guidelines, how is this presented/dealt with with municipal building codes and insurance? Any suggestions as to things to look up? I'm quite sure that my semi-rural small town doesn't have Thermal Mass Rocket Stove under section 2 sub-paragraph3

Woodstove - https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B4tOeWhpeET2aEFVR0RibW0tQW8&usp=sharing

What are your thoughts?

Thank you. I would have thought that my habitat would be superior, but they come, basically steal all of the food, then run across the street into my neighbour's planter box. I do know that they have a trap. I don't have a cage. Are you suggesting that I keep them in the house? Or do you mean keep them in a safe outdoor cage? And how to trap the pair? No ideas.

I love chipmunks for no reason other than that they are cute and I like to watch them. My yard is fairly forest-ish, has bramble piles, sheds to live under, etc., yet for some reason they live across the street in my neighbours' pristine golf-course yards. They trap them and move them away.

Is there a way that I can attract them away from their yards into mine? This would serve us both.

I've taken the images already, I'll post them sometimes toward the weekend. I had a bunch of dry, crispy wintered leaves on the ground and decided to mulch them. What I learned from this cursory work is that my soil is compacted hard and powdery. It most certainly is not from lack of water, but it is under trees. On one end of my property I have 7 or 8 conifers, and on the other, a dozen deciduous trees. I really want to cut down the pines. I hate conifers. Then I was thinking of going ape-ship and grow clover (probably white dutch), primarily to start reconditioning the soil. I'm wondering if I should do a once-in-a-lifetime rototill and go around stealing everyone's organic junk and mix it in. If so, I'd do it after I have felled the evil pines.

I have a LOT of moss growing in my yard. I am less than 50 meters away from a very large river, in a highly humid zone (5A or 5B, I believe). I've just purchased a property and now that the snow has melted, I can see that the earth is largely covered with a form of moss that I can't identify. I'm totally new to the whole Permaculture thing, and so instead of taking a flamethower to it all, I thought I'd ask the following questions:

See images here: http://picasaweb.google.com/mr.zeph/20120415MossInYard

1) Moss: friend or foe?

2) Does it have some practical utility, if my intention is strongly geared to producing a food growing environment?

3) What is it's "purpose"? (I know plants don't have an actual purpose, but listening to PC videos, I got into that mindset, for example: plants with tap-roots grow in compacted soils, and their "purpose" is to loosen it, whereas in soft or sandy soils, plants with wide and shallow root systems have the "purpose" or holding the soil together so that it isn't blown or washed away).

4) Just what kind of moss is this, anyway? I can't seem to find good matches on the web. [Later: I was struck with a successful keyword ah-hah moment, I've found that this type of moss is known as "Bryum gemmiferum"]

Thanks.

Hi,

I'm a permaculture newbie, living in Quebec Canada, zone 5, I think. I've recently acquired a small-to-mediumish property alongside the St-Laurence river. I'd like to create an environment that is basically a giant food garden, and honestly, while I'm good with plants and love critters, the biggest garden I've ever had was in a box by a window. I now have the space to create something beautiful and healthy and up my self reliance, but honestly, I'm not sure where to start.

My knowledge of permaculture is limited to the basic principles, that which can be found on the net, essentially. I guess these are some basic questions I hope that some might want to take the time to guide me with:

1) Sun is important. Is there a good way, perhaps some online tool that would permit me to map out where the highest levels of sun will be according to the time of year?

2) I live in zone 5, otherwise known as the 137 day growing season and 228 day freezing you butt off, plowing under 80 feet of snow environment.

3) What is a good, simple, and effective way to start off on a full-sized, but smallish-learning size garden plan that will not only feed me, but start improving the soil?

Really, I'm at the basics. I know about the concept of making stuff work synergetically, zones, companion planting, thinking systematically, and that top-level knowledge is about my limit. I was thinking of starting off with the traditional row-garden just to get the hang of dealing with a larger garden as a first step, but it seems that without being over-complicated, that there might be a good way to start with some very permaculture basics.

Recommendations?

Thanks!