Jeff Reiland

Stephen B. Thomas wrote:I don't intend to steal John's thunder (udm=14 really is phenomenal!) though I do want to make a shout-out for the search engine I use:

Mojeek

It kinda-sorta ignores typical SEO tactics so that worthwhile results show up on the first page. It also scrapes other search engines when doing an image search, allowing you to pick and choose which one/s you want to reference.

I found out about it in the middle of last year and have been using it as my default search engine since then.

Dang, I tried this "permaculture iowa" "edible landscapes iowa" "edible landscapers iowa" and got nothing about us for several pages...
We always hit on Google & DDG but maybe because I manage our Google page in that same browser (?) or maybe we rely on SEO with our new website. It's frustrating with the economy headwinds, and wanting to get in front of potential customers at this pre spring rush time when people are thinking of landscaping projects.

Are you overflowing at the ends or do you have constructed overflows (lower, compacted, armored)? That protects from washing out the berm in less-than-ideal places.
For the mulch filtration, chunks of limestone can help. We will use some larger stones to some extent but just make sure the trapped mulch won't clog the spillway causing overflows in the wrong places.  
Planting the inner swale will keep mulch more or less in place and we'll use taller grasses or sedges like switchgrass, or palm sedge, near the spillways to filter the water through and slow water moves less mulch around.
If you are getting gushing waterflow you could increase the number of spillways to minimize concentrated flow, or make the swales bigger increasing the holding capacity if you want to infiltrate more water there.

We've done a few for very small yards, lots of maintenance at first to keep growth regulated, more fruiting buds and trained in the desired shape.  Basic espalier is more forgiving but not as dense as a rule.


https://abundantdesigniowa.blogspot.com/2019/08/labor-day-tree-sale.html

The mountain ash you can probably replace from a local nursery.
If you are patient you should try grafting for the Cherry and Apples. Take several cuttings of the year old sticks now, and keep them in a ziplock bag in the fridge.
Order some rootstock, most is picked over by now unfortunately so good luck, from Raintree, Cummins Nursery, Treeco, etc. Then graft onto the new rootstocks per the videos above.  (I  did a couple videos on YouTube, and Stephen Hayes is good too) Abundant Design on YouTube
If you are impatient, you can buy bigger trees from your local nursery in varieties of your choice.
If you want to try to save the trees you can try bridge grafting Bridge Grafting on YouTube

Check out a blurb on Guerrilla Gardening and a how-to video for Guerrilla Growing Paw Paws on public land by Quad Cities Edible Landscapes' Chris Rice.

Guerrilla Gardening is planting where you don't actually have permission, whether road ditches, along bike trails, abandoned lots or public parks & open spaces.  Guerrilla gardeners often see these spaces as neglected and ply their trade as a way to improve the space.  Sometimes vegetables and fruit trees are planted for food, while other times sunflowers and other flowers are used to beautify a space.  Fruit bearing branches can be attached to ornamental pear and crabapple trees by Guerrilla Grafters.  Even moss can be used as a form of "Green Graffiti."  Guerrilla Gardening can be used as a political act to encourage local food production, bring attention to urban blight or promote changes in land use policies.


Read More here-
Guerrilla Gardening Weekend

Its like a May Basket that lasts longer

    What are you guerrilla growing?

A few elderberry on the inside of the bank might be a good addition.  Pollinator benefit, stabilize soil, and an edible/medicinal berry (and flowers too) that makes a great pancake syrup.  They do grow ~6-10' tall so take that into consideration.  Easily propagated from cuttings if you can find a patch nearby.

Thank you for your contributions to Permaculture and this site!
Glad you can be home and with family.
Peace to you and your family,
Jeff

Definitely try rooting cuttings and grafting, so fun to learn!
Late fall and winter are great for trying hardwood cuttings-


Late winter is great time since they are dormant but soon to wake up.  Get some rootstocks from ^Raintree and try it out with some cuttings/scion of your old tree.  
Here's 2 videos but there are so many available-



Good luck!

You could definitely try some hardwood cuttings this winter. I haven't had the best of luck (low %) with softwood cuttings under IM mist but am trying a bunch of hardwood cuttings this winter too.

Here's a link, several other methods to try too... http://fruitandnuteducation.ucdavis.edu/fruitnutproduction/Stone_Fruit_Propagation/sfcuttings/

Healing gardens are becoming more and more popular as ways to help patients reduce stress, feel at ease and actually improve recovery rates and shorten hospital stays.  

"Roger Ulrich was one of the first to promote a patients "View through a window..." can effect patient outcome - patients had fewer negative evaluative comments, took less medicine and averaged a day quicker post-operative recovery stays.  His influential work in the early 80's has been cited thousands of times and continues to influence healthcare facility design.  

Some of the documented benefits of Healing Gardens include:
  •Shorter post-operative stays
  •Less use of potent drugs
  •Better attitudes
  •Contribute to feelings of:
       -wholeness & health
       -calm, relaxed
       -the ability to think & cope
       -being refreshed
       -improved strength

More and more hospitals are adding healing gardens, especially for their Oncology and Alzheimer care units."

I am thrilled to be working on one in Des Moines and am incorporating many permaculture principles.
http://abundantdesigniowa.blogspot.com/2016/10/the-power-of-healing-gardens.html