permaculture

[Rick Valley <bamboogrove@cmug.com>]

> Another question:  how do y'all feel about pruning grape vines?
> Everyone I know says "prune them".  I was wondering how some of the
> more experienced permaculturists felt about that.  I haven't pruned
> mine since planting them two years ago, but was thinking about doing
> that for the next season.
Check Lon Rombough's new book on grapes! Here, you dont prune grapes if you
want to hear Pileated woodpeckers laughing in the autumn treetops- which is
where the grapes are. I think it's a worthy thing to do, but I also like
grapes myself, and even when I'm growing them on live bamboo, I prune them.
Which yields vines for wreaths ($ and gifts) and fuel for the barbie' or
smoker.

> I'm thinking that Extension standards are probably based on
> conventional agriculture and gardening and I was wondering how these
> soil test results compare with others of you out there who have had
> soil tests done on your permacultured gardens.
What have you done to deserve such a blessing? I would sell rights to my
soul to Bill Gates for such soil.
> 
> Third question:  I mentioned the master gardener class I am in, I was
> thinking about producing a handout to give to everybody in the class
> with a short list of food producing plants in each of the seven layers
> of a permacultured forest garden.  I have quite a bit of material, but
> I would like some more suggestions for "color".
> 
> Thus far under that I have Maximilien sunflowers (mine put on two
> separate and very showy displays of flowers this year), purple
> echinacea, rosa rugosa, purple hyacinth beans, Mexican mint marigold,
> daylilies, perennial kale, dandelions, and amaranth (which in my
> garden is self seeding).  Any other suggestions?
How about some bulbs and fungi?

-Rick 
East of Mary's Peak at the edge of the Willamette Valley in Oregon