permaculture

["L. Santoyo Designs" <santoyo@earthflow.com>]

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
> From hseaver@gmail.com  Fri Feb  8 19:26:55 2008
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Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2008 18:26:47 -0600
From: Harmon Seaver <hseaver@gmail.com>
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Subject: Re: [permaculture] reed beds
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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