minyamoo metzger

Nature takes care of wood, yes.
Over time.
I've only got so long and I need to speed up natures processes.
Trees take up less area than a meadow. (hay/straw)
Driving to the the big guys and buying $15 a yard X2 $30 once a year. (and that is CHEAP)
Wood is very heavy decreasing vehicle efficiency, and you need a truck, so you are already getting poor gas mileage.
That is more gas used driving back and forth than the chipper.
Chippers are starting to go electric, who knows if that's better or if they work but?

So even though I don't have one I want one, because I don't have a truck, or time to drive places.
I want to share the expense with at least one other person.
So I'm a selfish bastard, I prefer the texture, smell, and look of wood chips around trees, berries, and flowers.
Now I am growing cover crop for my veggies.

So yea, if I lived on a full fledged farm with livestock (other than chickens) and a meadow, forest, a creek, and lot's of rocks I wouldn't need chips.
I could use twigs (naturally tiny) and leaves.

And I'm pretty sure a horse, or ox is worse for the carbon output and cost than a woodchiper. Unless you are making them work or going to eat them.

I had an idea to build a hugel bed with a substantial moat around it.
Then I thought.
How would I get to the plants? Besides a good hop.
A plank! I thought. Have an old door or some 2x4s, a bridge...

Then I thought it would be cool to have a drawbridge for aesthetics (all function and no form makes Timmy a robot).
I can't wait to try this.

I would say there are two main types of horticulturist.
The lazy fare and the ocd.

I'm an OCD, I demand form and function.
I'm also only on 1 acre.
If I were on 10 I would have a zone 5 no doubt.
Weeds are what your eyes, skin and nose, doesn't like.
I love clover, black medic,I walk by and pick the seeds. I have a war on one weed at a time, if I rip it up, I toss some nitro seeds down.
I only really have two I don't like. The poky one and the ugly mat one.
That is why there are people, to kill that crap.
Paul you are right though, with unlimited mulch, covering is SO the way to go.

The problem is most people poison and kill everything around them.
Myself included.
Our lights are pollution, our laundry, our constant need for fire, our food waste attracts animals we may have to kill.

So you would need to parcel it out to permies.
Using energy and waste properly and manipulating and beautifying every square inch.

Blueberry roots are shallow, they need watered lightly about every three days.
They will grow slow but if you keep adding Sulphur and mulch every year, (pinch flowers for 2 years)
By the time for fruit, your soil will be correct and you might not have to water so often.

Fix the place you planted it.
Add garden Sulphur and peat moss. Dig a hole, in the middle put a mound of your peat, compost, natural dirt mixture
Set the plant on top of the mound
about 2" above ground level.
Fill in dirt, making sure the top most roots are barely covered.
Mulch 2" of pine straw,leave a 2" perimeter around the stem

On my property they like the roses and hostas.

You are sure looking to go pro.
I too have been here a year now and planted a few trees and rearranged many features.

To me I'm not worried about the overhead view, I use my view, cause that's how I look.

I took the first rules of permaculture seriously.
Observe.
Then zones.

I have been mapping the sun, looking how water flows, asking what my needs were.
What to I want to see, smell,capture.
I like the design to be inspired, at every square foot.
With as little money spent as possible.

Bill Mollison talked about not liking areal photos, and that we all have god given measurements.
(That little song he sings lol, his "pace")
I'm also scared to map out everything at once because then I feel that it would all have to be done RIGHT NOW!
I don't have the time, funds, or help for that, and by the time I do, I'm sure I'll think of something else.

I live here, so, I have time.

I am thinking your chop should not be your drop.

In other words if you chop roses you should drop them on an unrelated plant.
Wouldn't dead rose parts draw pests?

Your place would be perfect for terracing.
You could make a pond on one of your terraces like Sepp.
If you put a pond on the south side and make the wall high, stack rock on it.
You might be able to grow a few hardiness zones better above the pond. (Sun bounces on the wall and on off the pond onto the wall)
This might help you control the water too, plant tons of biomass on the lip of the swale/pond to absorb some of the water.