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  • From: "L. Santoyo Designs" <santoyo@earthflow.com>
  • To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] reed beds
  • Date: Fri, 8 Feb 2008 14:37:08 -0800

Josh Robinson <rolling_stone123@yahoo.com> wrote:

I think in these instances you have step back into the
bigger picture and assess what you are really trying
to achieve with a reed bed. One technique does not
work for all circumstances. If the water is just used
for irrigating perennials, shrubs, and trees then why
not just send the water out to them to begin with. My
favorite is to send the greywater into a series of
mulch basins as recommended by Art Ludwig and then
plant fruit trees in or around the basin depending on
the tree preference and soil conditions.

Thanks Josh,

We too have a greywater "reed bed" at our home/garden on California's Central Coast -(12 inches of rain annually).

We didn't design for (or expect) to have surplus water coming from the beds. The beds have Juncus patens (a california native), Tarro, Equisetum, Canna edulis, mints, banana, sugar cane, celeriac, celery, hedychium and strawberries on the edges.

I much prefer a "direct deposit." We have also installed some direct drain systems from the washing machine to mulch pits, trees and lined garden beds. I would highly recommend Art Ludwig's pamphlets on simple grey water systems. http://www.oasisdesign.net/
Question...
Todd Ecological Design Inc. gave a presentation nearby last night. (One of the towns in our county is involved with a 30 year design decision "process" about a sewer). Has anyone recently worked with John and/or Jonathan Todd recently? I hope this can work. -Our firm worked with them 12 years ago -and I'm wondering about any recent first hand dealings -please contact me off-list if you have any info -thanks.

Also...
We have tried to design "floating" gardens before... but this one, from a company in Florida, looks like it could be especially useful for existing detention ponds... http://floatingislands.info/

L. Santoyo
<http://www.earthflow.com/index.php>www.earthflow.com
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Robyn Francis wrote:
Have you ever worked with phragmites? The stems have an exceptionally hard
and brittle wall with hollow centre - to use in cob would be quite
impractical - it doesn't have the same or even vaguely similar qualities to
straw. The leaves, possibly, but it would be very labour intensive to
separate from the stems and you'd need to spend some time curing and
preparing it to a suitable size and texture for such use.
robyn



Not cob -- claw/straw as is used for wall infill in timberframe
buildings. I've done claw/straw, but with wheat straw, not with
phragmites. The only thing I've used phragmites for is pipe stems. But I
think you could harvest it with a forage harvester and it would be great
for clay/straw walls.

--
Harmon Seaver




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