Don Komarechka

You're welcome!

The project still is not complete as we immediately switched to +30C weather and the final round of plants couldn't be shipped and heavy manual labour moving stones/soil in the heat isn't a fantastic idea either. Will resume in the fall, but I can report that the plants are loving it.

One bit of advice I'd give you is cut the trench as narrowly as possible. Really helps the stones stay vertical against the undisturbed compacted soil around them.

Thanks!

All the plants appear to be doing well. Interesting that the plant can do alright in part shade, though I've found mostly-sunny spots for them.

At a mature size of 8 feet tall and 6-8 feet wide, the hope is that we will have a zero-maintenance plant with novel fruit. I don't think we'll get any fruit this year, but I'll report back if we do.

Tina Wolf wrote:What a creative idea! They look fantastic, artsy, and functional! You could always add in a dry stack seat using the same technique Tim did in his dry stack moon gate. Or, maybe a bench?

Thanks! Here's the updated progress. Nearly there. A few rainy days have slowed me down.



I have one giant piece of stone I'd like to make into a table, I know that much. Will see what's left over from this load of stone. The yard I bought it from has some super thick stuff that would work better for benches - might need to pay them another visit.

And, if we are able to buy one of the neighbouring abandoned properties, we fully intend to install a moongate as the accessway.

I took deliver of five Debregeasia edulis "Elite" plants today, after they made me ever-so-curious about their tiny orange mulberry-like balls of fruit that reportedly taste like strawberries: https://onegreenworld.com/product/suhosine-mulberry/

They are in small 9cm pots but the stems look like they've had a few years of growth on them. I honestly don't know what to expect other than a mature height and spread of 6-8 feet. How long does it take them to produce fruit? What is the mature yield per tree?

I did a search here for the names (common and Latin) and the search results showed no mention of this interesting plant ever. The "Elite" cultivar claims to be self-fertile.

Does anyone have experience with these cool, weird trees? One reference online suggested that the leaves were also edible, but I couldn't find any authoritative source to confirm that.

Sher Miller wrote:Hi, Sherri here, commercial tea grower. Might I offer a few tips?

WOW. Such a wealth of knowledge and super helpful - thanks Sherri! We are just trialing the tea plants now but you make an excellent point on moisture. To that end, I'll install a moisture sensor at the base of the plant to keep a close eye on it. We're looking at a RainPoint Smart+ ( https://www.rainpointonline.com/en-ca/collections/smart ) system that can automatically water the gardens based on certain criteria, including soil moisture. I also have some pH Down soil modifier on order for the blueberries I planted this year, so it's good to know I can use it for these tea plants as well.

It's our hope that we can purchase a plot of land neighbouring us (has an abandoned house, but getting ownership details here in Bulgaria is extremely difficult) and using the land to grow many things. Once I get a successful year or two with the tea plants we currently have, I will likely get more. :)

Here's the nursery link: https://www.achat-vente-palmiers.com/en/camellia/322-10695-camellia-sinensis.html#/23-container-2_litres

While it only labels it as Camellia sinensis, it also indicates frost/cold hardiness down to -15C. We never get that cold here, so I believe it to be the right variety for our region - but that won't stop me from reaching out to confirm. :)

Thanks for all the feedback!

Damper cooler summers. Nancy, thanks for this, which indicates that the plant would do well in an area that is not blasted with heat all day to dry the soil out - moisture is a factor that I hadn't considered.

Greg, we have a spot that gets afternoon sun but that stays more moist, due to the proximity to the house and the slope of the landscape. I think that might be the better spot for it, taking into account the primary focus on moisture coupled with a lack of sun at least for some part of the day.

Also, I bought the Camellia bokuhan for the flowers, coupled with some accounts of people making a satisfactory tea with it. I figured, why not try?

Finally, judging by the label I have a Camellia sinensis sinensis, since there is no other indicator on the label (see below). The plant looks healthy (minus a few bumps a bruises) and came to us from France. I usually leave potted plants in their pots for a few days after transport to inspect and ensure proper watering, but it'll find a place in the garden in the coming week.



Thanks so much for the help!

Ok, so I'm trying to decide where to place a few Camellia plants in our garden.

Most resources online say partial shade, that the plants prefer afternoon shade. Fine, but... what about all those photos I have seen of tea farms in Asia that are on hillsides or in fields with zero shade? If tea has been farmed in such a manner for millennia, one would imagine that the farmers have figured out the optimal formula for hours of sunlight. Just an example stock photo: https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photo-herb-tea-plant-camellia-sinensis-field-mae-salong-mountain-chiang-rai-northern-thailand-image46621831

I'm divided. Do I place the plants in an area with shade or not? It seems like the plants will do fine in full sun based on traditional agriculture, but that does not negate the potential benefits of a healthier plant that receives slightly less light. Maybe the idea is to mimic the natural climate - tropical to subtropical - in which case more light would be beneficial in our Zone 8 environment.

Anyone who has grown any Camellia species (I have a Camellia sinensis and Camellia bokuhan), advice would be appreciated. Does full sun cause any harm?

Nancy Reading wrote:That's looking great Don. You can really see it coming together.

I'm wondering whether the reflective nature of the stones give opportunities for some really hot microclimates? That could be a good or a bad thing depending on your climate. I'm not sure how hot/cold your weather gets, but something to consider perhaps.

Thanks! Two more beds and some of the stone have been placed around, and a herb spiral from old bricks is halfway constructed beyond what you see in these photos. Updated photos to come soon.

For the micro-climate, you may be right that the stone will increase the heat absorption. That can be a good thing as many of the plants can survive in higher USDA hardiness zones, though some are sensitive to too much heat; one of the beds is filled with haskap berry bushes, and I have some netting to cover it during the summer months as a bit of reprieve from the heat.

I am surprised how quickly the clay soil drains in the beds (everything around here is clay-ish). With the irrigation system in place, it's easy to add water and good to know that I won't have to deal with rotting roots - though it's important to monitor things. I've just purchased a soil moisture sensor that will make that task easier.

Update! Getting there. It's really coming together nicely, but a heck of a lot of work: