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  • From: Robyn Williamson <rz.williamson@optusnet.com.au>
  • To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] Persimmon Guild
  • Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2005 11:08:51 +1100

The "recipe" I use for plant guilds, and I have communicated this to JB, is the following:

Firstly stack your plants for vertical edge according to height and width, i.e. use tree(s) together with shrub(s), vine(s), ground cover(s), grass(es)/cereal(s) and bulbs or tubers underground. This will enable a large amount of food in a small space.

Secondly, get to know (not easy because they are in Latin or Greek and keep changing) or search through the plant families to choose a species that does well in your area. e.g. all legumes (family Leguminosae/now called Fabaceae) fix atmospheric nitrogen in the form of nodules on their roots which becomes available in the soil for use by other plants and therefore play an important part in any guild. Garlic, onions, chives etc. all belong to the family Alliaceae (I think they have been recently re-classified from the Liliaceae) and help to deter pests. The Umbelliferae family (has a new name I can't remember) has flower heads that are shaped like little umbrellas, e.g. dill, parsley, carrots, they attract "carnivorous" beneficials who can easily stand on the umbels with their long legs and "harvest" smaller insects for breakfast. Nettle and comfrey are good companions for anything. A book about companion planting is a good idea, but be aware that myths and legends abound on this topic. According to Bill Mollison, trees will eventually overcome grasses and a deciduous tree will provide all the mulch you will ever need in situ, i.e. you won't have to cart it.

Keith is right however, your own observations are critical in the construction of guilds, have a look around other gardens in your area and see what is doing well. Talk to other gardeners in your local area to help you get started.

Robyn

On Tuesday, February 15, 2005, at 11:50 am, Keith Johnson wrote:

This guild business is consistently overcomplicated in many folks minds who seem to think it has hard and fast rules when it is really only a young science suggesting a rough outline to create a cooperative polyculture family of elements that get along with each other by including plants that provide nutrients, attract beneficials, create mulch, control diseases, suppress grasses, etc. We could, and will most likely, create hundreds of "recipes" for guilds that work with persimmons (or almonds or sassafras) and they would all be right, or not, for the region in which we are working.

CONTACT DETAILS:

Robyn Williamson
PDC, Urban Horticulturist
Hon Sec, Fagan Park Community Eco Garden Committee
Local Seed Network Coordinator
NORTH WESTERN SYDNEY COMMUNITY SEED SAVERS
mobile: 0409 151 435
ph/fx: (612) 9629 3560
email: rz.williamson@optusnet.com.au
http://www.seedsavers.net/lsn/32.html
http://www.communityfoods.com.au
http://www.au.gardenweb.com/directory/fpceg
http://www.sydney.foe.org.au/water





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