Bryant RedHawk

gardener

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6,718 Posts 63 Threads 1376 Apples

since May 15, 2014

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Part Nakota, part Irish. The Nakota took over long ago but still lives in two worlds, the European world and the first people's world. He lives on a small (15 + acres) piece of mother earth deep in the woods. Was trained in the cooper's arts as a child, since the family owned a cooperage. He has been a carpenter, and timber wright but love all aspects of farming.He holds a BS in Chemistry and Biology and a MS in Horticulture. Worked for the USDA for 16 years. Then PHD in Microbiology defended. Redhawk and his wife Wolf are setting up to be fully self sustaining, growing all their own foods and collecting rain water. "Soon we will be self sustaining and closer to being off the grid" he said when asked about future plans. They continue their own research both in Agriculture and soils with the hope to make the world more like it used to be, before mankind began screwing up the Earth Mother. This is the only way humankind will survive, we must fix what we have broken.

Arkansas - Zone 7B/8A stoney, sandy loam soil pH 6.5

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Recent posts by Bryant RedHawk

Giving up on some of the permaculture strategies...

Changes that are happening to tbe life systems of our planet are moving faster than previously thought. This means that observation first will need to expand to an every year thing for permies. My design of buzzards roost is in yearly flux these days, because of both my work on the soil and the channges of weather patterns.

Use of heat holding structure, for sudden deep cold snaps is looking like one new change I will now need to consider. Previously it was not an issue but my records show the last four years increase in such events, enough that protecting the fruit trees during winter and spring flower is now necessary.

Redhawk

5 days ago

gardening for beginners

List of Dr. RedHawk's Epic Soil Series Threads

hau Andrea, since corn, a very heavy feeder, was row cropped there I will assume that chemical fertilizers were used. Clovers are primary succession plants that fix N, draw ammonium loving bacteria (they break down un usable ammonia compounds into plant usable forms) and they attract the nodule living bacteria that do the same, and clovers also attract certain root needed fungi. Instead of tilling a close to surface mowing ( chop & drop) might be the best choice for the first year.

Redhawk

1 week ago

soil

Reduce your garden's watering needs

hau Scott, As long as you are layering, or mixing, the leaves and grass clippings you won't have to worry about soil smothering, worms will come and help air infiltration. The mix of greens and browns will break down into humus material then sink into the soil, a great thing for the microbiome. Do not forget that gravity works, so up hill feeds down hill areas.

Redhawk

3 weeks ago

gardening for beginners

Talking to your neighbors about their use of RoundUp

Linda Lattanzio wrote:My neighbor sprays with round up to kill weeds , I have talked to him till iam blue in the face , no change still spraying . I have lived here 6 years and since I moved in 3 yrs later have lost my 6 yr old German shepherd to lymphoma and exactly 9 months later lost my 11yr male shepherd to cancer as well . My vet tells me it’s environmental and there is no way to prove it. I do not believe two very healthy dogs died of cancer a random act .
I am angry and frustrated and there is nothing I can do . I feel your pain I wish more people would understand there are alternatives. 🙁

I find it incredible, that people still use such chemicals since those who still use roundup are probably giving themselves non hodgkins lymphoma.

3 weeks ago

soil

Build abundance with chop-and-drop

Loretta Liefveld wrote:I think I'd love to get a hori hori knife. But..... how often do you need to sharpen it, and HOW do you sharpen it. I see that the one you recommend comes with a sharpening tool, but that still doesn't explain how to do it. I've tried to sharpen other gardening tools that I have - and have failed miserably. I end up just buying a new one because they are never again sharp enough.

Sharpening does take some practice and attention to maintaining the correct angles. Do a search on garden tool sharpening, you should find several sites that have good visual guides you could print off for reference.

Redhawk

3 weeks ago

gardening for beginners

Build abundance with chop-and-drop

Carolyne Castner wrote:This is such an interesting concept! I didn't realize this was a thing, but I like it!
I have three extremely large rosemary plants in our front bed, and did something like this last year (because we didn't have the money for mulch). This explains the massive growth-spurt that they (and the rosebushes) had!
I am going to have to try this with the lemon balm and my veggie beds next!

Do you think it would be beneficial to add some of the rosemary clippings to those beds too? I have a massive 6 ft pile of rosemary and rose branches.

Yes, is the short answer, the only time you would not see benefits would be alopathic plant materials.

Redhawk

3 weeks ago

gardening for beginners

Determining annual average temperature

I have a weather station that records most of the data. While an older modl, it cuts down greatly on time while being still accurate enough for my needs. It's been converted to solar power and battery back up.

1 month ago

science and research

Determining annual average temperature

The data I record is as follows;
Morning: temp, barometric pressure, wind speed/direction also rising, steady or falling for pressure, dew point(humidity). All are recorded morning, midday and evening. I also use national data for moon phase, jetstream and ground, mid and upper atmosphere conditions. I keep my data in standard compsition note books they are labeled with start and filled date and time, normally I use 4 per year. Storms data is included.

Redhawk

I use a large rain gauge that measures 5 inches.

1 month ago

science and research

Clay soil and capillary rise

Seepage will come from the horizon junction, capillary would come from saturated clay. If the clay layer is wet when you dig into it then I would say it is capillary. Where we are the clay is very slow to take up water and that causes springs down hill from water not entering the clay horizon. If trees already there are doing well, new plant outs should be fine.

Redhawk

1 month ago

soil

Clay soil and capillary rise

Dennis Bangham wrote:Looks like many of the holes I am digging, to plant my potted fruit trees, often fill up half way with water and only after a couple hours. It has not rained in days and not very heavy for a couple of weeks.

I suspect it is capillary rise and since I live on a toe-slope, I do have a high water table on top of the bedrock. I have a small 3 ft deep pond that stays full from this underground water.

Trees and plants do very well on their own in this environment so I am hopping my fruit tree orchard will also do well.

My question is, can I go ahead and plant in this?
I am mixing a little top soil into the clay in order to reduce this capillary action. Is this the right thing to do?

Are you sure it is capillary action and not simple soil seapage? If it is capillary movement, then you need to raise the root ball to prevent drowning. Gravel would be a tree friend in that situation, placed in the bottom of your hole.

Redhawk

1 month ago

soil