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permaculture - Re: [permaculture] putting the garden to bed

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  • From: Paul Cereghino <paul.cereghino@comcast.net>
  • To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] putting the garden to bed
  • Date: Thu, 02 Nov 2006 20:44:04 -0800

Two cheers for Robyns idea. Where soils are not very sandy I have also put a hose at a high point on the ground and let it run, than dug pools and channels through a future garden. Then covered in mulch to prevent erosion, knowing that a hose dumped on the original point will provide pretty good flood irrigation over the area so sculpted. Works best in perennial polycultures in zone 1 where there is less disturbance.

Paul Cereghino
Olympia, WA

Robyn Williamson wrote:

Hi Kathy

I don't like putting my plants to bed with wet feet or leaves because photosynthesis can't happen at night and the water evaporates more slowly, creating an environment that favours fungal growth. I think it's best to wake them up with an early morning drink to sustain them through the day. In general, I try to keep leaves dry especially for cucurbits and beans which are prone to fungal attack. I know one expert who grows beans and tomatoes in pots under the house eaves so the leaves never even get rained on. He told me "no rain, no fungus".

This year I am trialling a micro-flood irrigation method for corn, beans and cucurbits, the famous "Three Sisters" companion planting method, in order to keep leaves as dry as possible while still providing enough water to the root zone. Instead of preparing a raised bed, prepared earth is formed into a shallow, saucer-shaped depression with walls, similar to a turkey's nest dam. A tin can or similar with no top and a few small holes in the bottom is half-buried in the centre. Put the hose in the tin can, let it overflow and flood the "dam". Watch it drain away, if it takes longer than a couple of minutes you need to fix the drainage problem. If it drains well, plant seeds or seedlings in and around the wet patch and mulch. To water just put the hose in the tin can and flood the area. So far so good, I figure this method will also use less water than spray irrigation for example where 50% or more of the water applied can be lost to evaporation depending on the time of day you water.

Cheers, Robyn

On Friday, November 3, 2006, at 04:00 am, permaculture-request@lists.ibiblio.org wrote:


Can anyone give me pointers regarding putting the garden to bed in a permacultury way that might be different from what I usually do? Thank you, Kathy


CONTACT DETAILS:

Robyn Williamson
Permaculture Design Consultant
Urban Horticulturist
Local Seed Network Coordinator
NORTH WESTERN SYDNEY COMMUNITY SEED SAVERS
mobile: 0409 151 435
ph/fx: (612) 9629 3560
http://www.seedsavers.net
http://www.communityfoods.org.au
http://www.communitygarden.org.au
http://www.baulkhamhills.nsw.gov.au/Bidjiwong

I think we risk becoming the best informed society that has ever died of
ignorance. *-Reuben Blades*

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