Subject: [permaculture] Balkan Ecology Project : Nitrogen Fixing Species for Agroforestry Systems
Date: Tue, 2 Nov 2021 17:04:43 -0700
Balkan Ecology Project : Nitrogen Fixing Species for Agroforestry Systems https://balkanecologyproject.blogspot.com/2014/07/nitrogen-fixing-species-for.html
Tuesday, 1 July 2014
Nitrogen Fixing Species for Agroforestry Systems
I am currently working on a Regenerative Landscape Design
<http://www.balkep.org/regenerative-landscape-design-course-aug-31st---sep-13th.html>
for a site in Todorovo, Bulgaria. The plan is to establish an Agroforestry
system known as Alley Cropping wherein rows of mixed species edible trees
and shrubs are planted at intervals with spaces for herbs, forage and/or
grain crops to be grown in between. It's a dynamic system which is
inherently diverse, providing multiple yields and excellent habitat for
wildlife while at the same time being relatively resilient to a changing
climate.
When selecting plants for the Nitrogen Fixing component of this design, I
was looking for species that could withstand record lows of -28 (Zone 5),
tolerate some shade, were fast growing, tolerant of trimming and coppicing,
able to grow in clay soils, known to provide significant quantities of
nitrogen, easy to propagate from seed and provide some food for humans and
other animals. The following plants fit the criteria.
We are planning to grow the nitrogen fixing plants for this site from seed
and to involve the local community in doing so. Many local people,
particularly the older generation are skilled horticulturalists with many
seasons of experience behind them. We hope to include a number of these
people in the process of propagation, each one functioning as a individual
unit. This will keep the propagation process small scale, making it far
easier to use biological methods. The propagation will begin in the autumn
as *Elaeagnus spp*. all require cold stratification unless they are sown
immediately after they are picked. *Caragana aborescens * will be sown in
the spring 2015.
[permaculture] Balkan Ecology Project : Nitrogen Fixing Species for Agroforestry Systems,
Lawrence London, 11/02/2021