Justin Joy

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since Dec 04, 2012
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Northern Indiana
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Recent posts by Justin Joy

Hey Nathanael,

Have you watched Bill Mollison's Global Gardener series?
The section on drylands he speaks about living fencing material, and the purpose of termites in the landscape.

This is where he talks about planting living fences.
https://youtu.be/P1HWOQg8-L4?t=552

This is where he talks about termites.
https://youtu.be/e9QssyxOfck?t=74
Turns out termites are really good at making compost piles, and growing trees. I don't know the range they have for collecting material, but it seems like a really cool addition to a permaculture setup.
Also, is that the type of termite that can be eaten?

Also, your pit garden seems to get a lot of moisture in the bottom. If you were able to get enough mulch down there do you think it could support a mango tree?
You mentioned they needed lots of water and it looks like the wettest place on school property.

Also, do you know of any local plants with dense fine roots to hold the soil?
If you plant that on the edges in the direction of the blowout in your retaining wall they should help hold the soil so you don't have to work as hard.

I don't know any specific plants there so I couldn't hazard a guess.
Hopefully this helps you find some of the answers you were looking for.

- Justin J.
4 years ago
Nathanael,

I want to mention something that was glossed over earlier.

I know you feel like you have a lot of material to work with now, but I would urge you to strongly reconsider your position on nitrogen fixing trees, or for that matter litter trees.
These resources you have are outside sources even if they appear to be limitless, and you've even illustrated yourself that you have a shortage of carbonaceous material on sight.

Setting up trees to be coppiced to add carbon into your soils would be incredibly beneficial to have on sight.
Shade and evapotranspiration will reduce the amount of moisture loss in soils as well.
As more material builds organic matter in your soils moisture retention will also continue to improve.

Until the trees are large enough to coppice tall faster growing plants like summer grasses or bushes would fill that gap until your trees are large enough to assist.

You are doing great work,

- Justin J.
4 years ago
There are a few questions I have as I grow increasingly concerned over all the live experiments going on for plants and trees.

Can GM traits be bred out of GM crops?

Are there any growers attempting to breed GM traits out of their plants / trees?

With all the GM pollen is it possible to have ANY sort of genetic purity as these practices / genetics spread?
11 years ago