I am pleased to announce that the steering committee has authorized a permaculture demonstration garden at the Golden Community Garden. I am David Braden, and I have agreed to coordinate the development of the permaculture demonstration.
The area alloted to permaculture is approximately 20' wide and 43' long with the width diminishing to the west. It lies along the north road just west of were last years gardens ended. I will outline the bed in string and rocks and post a sign as soon as the weather cooperates.
If you are not familiar with permaculture, the word is a contraction of the words permanent and agriculture, meaning that the system relies on nature's processes to build resources in the system, particularly soils – rather than non-renewable fertilizers and pesticides. It can also be a contraction of the words permanent and culture, meaning that it is a system in which humans become a contributing part of the ecosystem – rather than a threat to it.
Since we are starting with a blank slate of clay, this is an excellent opportunity for gardeners to experience first hand the principles that we will apply – starting with water management, “sheet mulching” to build soil through feeding soil organisms, companion planting and designing and installing drip irrigation systems. In permaculture, we allow the soil organisms to build soil structure which conserves hummus (and carbon) in the soil. If, instead, we plow or till we add oxygen to the soil which can decompose the hummus and allow the nutrient to leach from the soil faster than the plants can use them. As evidence that turning the soil is not necessary, see the photo of last years carrot crop, from my no-till beds, at the link above.
Because we are not tilling, we can include ornamentals and perennials in our garden design. That means that the garden can be beautiful all year long – like flower gardens and perennial beds – and we can use this system to replace resource consuming lawns with resource producing beautiful plantings.
This is also an excellent opportunity for those new to gardening and those who can not make a season long commitment to a plot of their own. There can be substantial production of vegetables, herbs and flowers from this plot and we can share that production among a number of people who agree to contribute to make it happen. Think of it as owning a share of the garden and only having to put in a share of the work. In this experimental first year, we are offering ten shares at $25.00 each. That will cover most of the cost for materials for the bed and the cost to each participant is less than what you would pay for a one day seminar on permaculture elsewhere.
Those interested in participating can contact David Braden at d-braden at comcast.net. To learn more about the process visit http://www.organiclandscapedesign.org/.
If anyone happens to see this, I will be out at the garden this afternoon doing the preliminary layout - I'm thinking I can get there by about 2:00 and plan on spending an hour or so. Feel free to drop by and pitch in.
David Ward and I delivered two 3X3X8 grass hay bales to the permaculture garden yesterday. It looks like we will be able to get the weed seed free horse manure but I want to schedule that for a time when we will have gardeners available to spread it and cover it. I have scheduled some times to be at the garden in hopes that they can be included in a newsletter and we can get the word out to gardeners who might be interested in learning about permaculture and/or participating in this plot this summer.
I will be at the Garden:
4/13/10 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm 4/28/10 from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm, and 5/1/10 starting at 10:00 am for a full work day
I was out at the garden as posted above - but I was the only one there. Hopefully the word will get out and we will have participants at the 4/28 and 5/1 events. I remarked the pathways and started the ground form work. If you go out to look at it you will see two obvious features.
1) I have marked and raised the level of those center areas that will be dedicated to trees and shrubs. These are the areas that will be hard to reach, and two selected areas on the west and north edge that will provide wind break - I have some volunteer sour cherry and nan king cherry that I will donate - we could also use gooseberries or currents or other fruiting shrubs that will not spread too aggressively.
2) I started a trench that will go around the perimeter and the pathways into the growing area. What I hope to accomplish is to capture all the water that falls on the plot and prevent water from flowing across the plot (and taking our nutrients with it).
The next step after the trench is completed is to spread fertilizer, add a layer of newspaper or cardboard, more fertilizer, 12" of the hay we have there and a final toping of compost/top soil (or more fertilizer if that is not available).
Remember, there are ten shares available in what we will produce this year - only $25.00 each. I have sold one and gotten a commitment for one more - and that is without any advertising.
I was out at the garden Wednesday and want to thank Julie for helping
out and Loren for stopping by (and taking over last year's
demonstration).
Due to the weather, we have been unable to get the materials to do a
full sheet mulch. I am still planning on being there tomorrow -
starting at 10:00 am - and, weather permitting, I will plant some
trees and shrubs that volunteered at my place. I will be happy to
meet with anyone interested tomorrow but, I don't know how long I will
be out there - so, if you are planning on coming later in the day let
me know and I will arrange to be there and show you what we are doing.
Have still not been able to get the materials we need for the sheet
mulch - but it doesn't matter much because we can't plant warm season
crops until night time temperatures are above 50 degrees.
In light of the weather, I have scheduled this coming Saturday, May
15, at 10:00 am to install the drip irrigation system. It will not
take very long, so if you are interested in see how a drip system goes
together I would ask you to be there promptly at 10:00 am.
Then, on Saturday, May 22, at 10:00 am I intend to complete the sheet
mulch, and if the weather is warm enough, plant tomatoes, beans,
squashes, etc.
There are still shares available for those interested in a hands on
education in permaculture techniques.
We are slowly but surely completing the sheet mulching and as the sheet mulch is completed I am adding the drip line and planting.
I already know how to do all of this so it will be a shame if anyone interested in how it is done misses out because we don't schedule an event at a convenient time. So, I suggest that anyone interested should contact me and we will arrange a time to meet at the garden and give you the experience of this gardening approach (particularly planting in a deep mulch).
Please feel free to contact me via e-mail d-braden AT comcast.net or call 303.549.9787.
Yesterday afternoon Rita and I completed the sheet mulch on two more
beds, installed the drip line on one more and did some planting.
There are two more beds to sheet mulch, the final drip installation
and lots of planting space. The plot is starting to take shape and
the plants we have put in are loving it. The potatoes from under
Julie's sink are showing green above the mulch and we should have
seeds sprouting any day.
As a community demonstration garden, I am interested in including your
favorite plants. Because we will not be tilling, that can include
perennials and ornamentals (although I want to be cautious about
plants that spread aggressively). We are in process of selecting
either Saturday or Sunday to complete the sheet mulching, finish the
drip installation and do some more planting. I hope any of you
reading this will feel free to drop by, ask questions, donate your
favorite plant, or get involved in the only gardening system that
builds fertility over time instead of depleting it.
I also renew my offer to meet you at the garden at a mutually
convenient time . . . Please feel free to contact me via e-mail d-
braden AT comcast.net or
call 303.549.9787.
I finished the drip system and planted the final keyhole yesterday!!!!
I planted some lettuce plants that had volunteered in my garden. If
they survive the transplant shock please do not harvest them. The
goal is to have them go to seed and next year there will be more
lettuce in that garden than the owners can possibly use - particularly
since I will have more than I can use in my six keyholes at home - all
with no work from the gardeners. This is part of the demonstration
and one of the lessons of permaculture - nature will provide abundance
if we understand and work with its processes.
We have planted all of the beds - Tomatoes, Potatoes, and view
Peppers, Basil, Squashes, Cucumbers, Beans, Sunflowers, Herbs . . .
There is still room for smaller short season crops that will fit
between the squash vines - and ornamentals - I will be planting a few
Iris next.
Finally, I was watering 30 minutes a day and there were a few plants
that looked over watered. I cut the time back to 15 minutes a day and
may try skipping some days in a week or so (when all the seeds are
sprouted. In the meantime, if you can check the bed for dry looking
plants whenever you are there - give them some extra water - and let
me know so we can adjust the water schedule.
