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Comment by Megan Arndt on April 23, 2012 at 10:29am

I am working on two projects and hoping I can get some advice on a few issues.

The first project is a family garden. The issue is the root structures from nearby trees grow into the garden and are believed to be "sucking up all of the water" from the garden area. Therefore the owner is insistant on tilling every year to cut up the roots in the soil. Has anyone encountered this? Is there a way to work with nature on this one?

For my second project I am looking for advice on how to start. The land has recently been cleared of small brush species and the goal is to build a fruit guild for birds. What is the best way to start? Is it important to ensure the brush stumps are killed? Is there a layering technique that will work best here?

 

Comment by Bryce Ruddock on October 13, 2010 at 8:35pm

After a couple of years the sheet mulch will have rotted down and the earthworms will have mixed it into the soil. The level at that time will be only a little higher than originally as the earthworms will have "fluffed"up the soil somewhat.
I'm unsure about the wall being a problem but you could always not sheet mulch near the wall but instead grow a ground cover that will act as a living mulch beneath the espaliered tree.

Comment by Ellen Cronin on October 13, 2010 at 8:25pm

I am planning my first sheet mulch in the back portion of my "postage stamp" yard and have some questions.

First, it appears I will be raising the ground level by about a foot (more/less?). As the material decomposes how much will it settle?

Second, the area to be sheet mulched has a brick garage on the north and a chain link fence on the south. My plan is to espalier a fruit tree along the brick garage wall but I am concerned about sheet mulching too close... I don't want to damage the brick wall by allowing moisture from the sheet mulch to seep into the wall. Do I apply a moisture barrier to the wall? or do I need to keep the sheet mulch away from the wall?

Thanks for reading my questions. Any advice would be appreciated.

Ellen

Comment by si bremar on June 15, 2010 at 6:55am

Trying to link with Heidi Lubowicki....I'm enrolled in the August Columbiaville design course...Just wanted to stay in touch....

Thanks!

Comment by Bryce Ruddock on June 10, 2010 at 7:31pm

Rebecca is the plant in question the Eurasian milfoil or Myriophyllum aquatica the South American version usually sold at garden centers for ponds? Either way the best control is pull it out with a rake and compost it. Milfoil is a submerged oxygenator which means that it can put the oxygen into the water for your fish without the use of pumps. We have tried the aquatica version here and it has a record of not always making it through the winters of Wisconsin.
Better oxygenators as in native to North America are Elodea, Coontail , and Common Hornwort.
Any plant can be invasive in a controlled environment such as a pond. The best thing to do is to turn the excess into either mulch/compost or to critter feed for poultry, fishes. or rabbits.
By the way barley straw is not going to work for parrot feather. What barley straw does do is to modify thepH of the water and then the algae will sink to the bottom, The straw acts as a medium to support the growth of beneficial bacteria that break down sludge and thereby control algae and chemical imbalances in the pond.
Rake out the milfoil/ parrot feather. In permaculture the problem is the solution. Everything has a use. Bryce Ruddock

Comment by Rebecca Fischer on June 10, 2010 at 9:53am

Does anyone know of an organic and simple way to control parrot feather taking over my small pond now? Does barley straw control parrot feather?

Comment by Rebecca Fischer on May 2, 2010 at 8:57am

Started my first batch of chicks in March in my garage under lamps. Birds have feathered out and are doing well for the most part. I have 14 Aracunas and an assortment of others. I have a araucuna hen who has become anti social and very lethargic. I now have her separated from the rest of the flock and have put a heat lamp on her. She seems to be hanging on but is terribly weak. he buffalo gnats were a nuisance this week but she was slowing down before they appeared. I need advise as to what to do or not to do for her. If she is seriously ill I want to keep her totally away from her and my family. Any advise? She is still alert but very weak and does not flinch when disturbed. This group is about six weeks old now. Any advise would be helpful as the internet is not helpful at all and offers me nothing for answers. Thanks

Comment by Bryce Ruddock on March 29, 2010 at 8:06pm

Some helpful books on gardening that I've used are Gaia's Garden by Toby Hemenway which is devoted to permaculture methods and the following books which are not strictly permaculture but contain many of the same concepts:
Best Ideas For Organic Vegetable Growing by the Editors of Organic Gardening 1969; How to Grow More Vegetables than you ever thought possible on less land than you can imagine by John Jeavons 1974; Fresh Food From Small Spaces by R J Ruppenthal2008; The Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening; and for fruits Uncommon Fruits Worthy of Attention by Lee Reich.
Its important to remember that the basic requirements to grow a garden are the same regardless of the name tag of organic, biodynamic, permaculture or whatever. What does differ is the relationships between the species in a system with permaculture incorporating elements of other systems to enable a more resilient garden ecosystem. There are no definitive books yet on a permaculture backyard garden. There are a lot of books and university bulletins out there that do deal with elements of permaculture design but which do not call it by that name. If you need some designs go to the photos page of this ning group. I have a few designs posted among the earliest photos.

Comment by kotkoda on February 25, 2010 at 4:30pm

Could someone recommend books or other material on permaculture (gardening) for small gardens in urban setting? It needs to be very practical, with helpful designs etc... Thanks!

Comment by Thomas Bowes on February 3, 2010 at 10:55am

Oops, here's the link (hopefully).

http://www.4hydroponics.com/nutrients/neptunecrabshell.asp

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