permaculture

[neshura <neshura@gmail.com>]

Yes, building up was already in the plan, I've done a raised bed herb
garden (costly due to the compost), but the rate at which our
household generates compostables is not very high, and low-cost
resources for mulch are now closed for the year. That is why I was
asking if there was any way to keep from writing off direct
improvement of the existing soil re possible techniques for planting
and protecting cover crops.

I will see what the leaf fall is like this autumn -- I'm not certain
of the type of maple but despite being huge trees, the canopy is tiny
-- they don't grow any side branches (perhaps not maples, they may
have been misidentified to me). Covering 8,000 square feet to any
significant depth would take many many cubic feet of material, and the
wallet shrieks in terror at the prospect of trying to do that without
waiting for several years of leaf fall. I will resign myself to
gardening in the 6 sq ft raised bed herb garden for the next few
years.

Thanks.


On 9/14/05, margi <oaksong@peak.org> wrote:
> 
> All those maple leaves can be added to the soil used to "uppen" it!
> 
> 
> 
> William Genest wrote:
> 
> >"Uppen" it !
> >
> >Don't dig down, build up - Raised beds - lots and lots of mulch and
> >organic matter...
> >
> >On Sep 14, 2005, at 1:08 PM, neshura wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> >>Hello all!
> >>
> >>I rent a suburban property in hot-and-humid Alexandria, VA. There are
> >>four beautiful maples in the back yard and a cypress in the front, and
> >>the property is largely covered in lovely dappled shade for most of
> >>the summer. It is ideal for gardening except for one factor -- the
> >>tilth, or rather lack thereof. The soil is completely impenetrable by
> >>normal human effort.
> >>
> >>I have tried denting the soil with:
> >>
> >>* a shovel
> >>* a spade with a sharpened edge
> >>* hand tools
> >>* a garden "claw"
> >>
> >>and finally, an earth auger hooked up to a power drill.
> >>
> >>The net effect of all of these methods, across several test spots in
> >>the yard, was merely the generation of a few small puffs of
> >>light-colored dust with absolutely no penetration into the soil. The
> >>established grass grows fine, the established daylilies struggle
> >>along, and the virginia creeper and morning glory do just fine around
> >>the edges of the property. There's plenty of water; the house has an
> >>active sump pump and we have to carefully redirect gutter water away
> >>from the foundation because the water table is so close to the surface
> >>here.
> >>
> >>I don't want to rototill, not least because it would risk damaging the
> >>tree roots. I had some thought of using cover crops or daikon to try
> >>to break up the soil, but the thriving urban wildlife (birds and
> >>squirrels) are quick to jump on broadcast seeds. Hand planting
> >>individual seeds by hammering a nail into the soil to make holes, over
> >>about 8,000 square feet, is doable but daunting.
> >>
> >>Does anyone have any suggestions for elegantly and inexpensively
> >>improving the soil? It is a permaculture challenge right now.
> >>
> >>Thanks,
> >>Amanda Gilbert
> >>_______________________________________________
> >>permaculture mailing list
> >>permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
> >>http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/permaculture
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
> >Best Regards,
> >
> >  William Genest
> >
> >  - Founder  Green Mountain Permaculture Institute of Vermont
> >Solutions, Sustenance, Sustainability
> >www.greenmountainpermaculture.com
> >
> >- Creator  "Regeneration - The Art of Sustainable Living"
> > From "Something-Must-be-Done" to Something we can do !
> >www.regenerationshow.com
> >
> >- Ecological Coordinator
> >Club St.Paul Ecological Golf Course
> >
> >- Vice-President  Green Party of Quebec "pour nous et nos enfants"
> >www.pvq.qc.ca
> >
> >- National Spokesperson Green Party of Canada
> >"The Future is Now ! "
> >www.greenparty.ca
> >
> >
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >permaculture mailing list
> >permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
> >http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/permaculture
> >
> >
> >
> 
> 
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