I would recommend Chris Evan´s system- it worked great for us. I think you will find it in the archives of this list. Basically he plants out seedlings of longer-season crops (cabbage, peppers, etc.), beans at every half foot, throws out seeds of salad greens calculated to occupy the space and then fills the cracks up with quickies like coriander, fenugreek. The key is to keep harvesting, making way for the next generation. It worked great for us with a twist: adding adzuki beans to the mix, they make tiny little umbrellas which protect the new seedlings from our tropical sun.
I will be getting big into polycultures this year ( with the rains in May). Will keep this list posted of the new combinations.
One that worked especially well last year: amaranth, radishes, rocket, scattered over the surface ( also buckwheat but the ants ate that!) planting squash every 2 meters with compost and one sunflower. We planted late so the squash only produced flowers ( but vast quantities) but the rest produced well.
We hoed the seeds in with bonemeal and goat manure ( which comes naturally pelleted!) and a bit of clay as our soil is so sandy. We covered it all with long cane grass which let enough light and space for the seeds to come up among the canes- something I highly recommend! Did not hoe or weed- just returned to pick! And that field today is clearly richer and more fertile than the land beside it which has never been worked.
I just received the DVD of Sepp Holzer- an astonishing example of polycultures in a near-siberian climate ( median temperature 4.5 degrees...) in the mountains of Austria.
Marsha --- On Tue, 2/10/09, cory8570 <cory8570@...> wrote:
From: cory8570 <cory8570@...> Subject: [polyculturepeople] Introduction To: polyculturepeople@yahoogroups.com Date: Tuesday, February 10, 2009, 1:37 PM
Hi, I'm a permaculture designer who recently relocated to Florida from LA. I had a food forest in LA that I was just starting to experiment with regarding polycultures. Mostly I've done them in my veggie beds.
I worked with Adonijah Miyamura at Crenshaw High food forest and have seen a number of examples of food forests that had lots of interaction going on.
I'm interested in discussing successes with tropical/semi- tropical polycultures in food forests. I've studied the coffee plantation version and also some of Marsha Hanzi's work in Brazil (which is amazing stuff!) Just from what was happening in my forest, it seems that there are many potentials for polycrop in semi and tropical areas. I've found that permaculturists often don't record their experiences with polycropping - I know I haven't and no one I know has either. That would be a good project for somebody.
I'm also helping organize a
permaculture course at the first Earthship in Florida starting at the end of Feb, more info at thepermacultureguil d.com - it's going to be a really good course with lots of extras above and beyond the 72 hour requirements, including workshops on native plants and other things.
Hi, I have just joined the group so thought I would introduce myself. My name is Linda Shewan - my interests are mainly in permaculture and natural farming...
Thank you for accepting my membership application. A father of two sons, both of whom work in the public sector, allow me to take a wholistic view to the...
Hi, I'm a permaculture designer who recently relocated to Florida from LA. I had a food forest in LA that I was just starting to experiment with regarding...
Actually you are in my old stomping grounds! I was raised in Lakeland, and often went to Clearwater. Sorry to use the list- your permacultureguild address...
Hi, Those of you in the states of Washington and Oregon may be able to attend one of Sepp Holzer's lectures scheduled for February and March of this year....
Marsha!!! I should have guessed you would be on a list like this! Wow, I am going to be getting the best info here... Yes, I moved to Florida, had friends out...
Cory, Have you experimented with raised beds? Like Sepp? How big is you yard? My 5c worth is to hire a mini-digger for the weekend, dig big trenches and bury...
Thank you Eric for helping me elaborate on this point because I imagine others on this list also misinterpreted the situation as you have. We must be very...
Thanks for this advice - Dan Hemenway, Florida permaculturist also recommended to dig a pit and fill it with organic matter. It makes sense, a sort of flat...
We also had no clay until I bought another property with clay, so we used bits of bricks and broken clay tiles. But well-decomposed organic matter has its own...
Laf! I have heard more people complain about how hard it is to grow stuff here than anywhere I've ever lived. And I'm looking around, at the rainfall, the...
Hi Cory! Sorry! Don´t accept invitations any more- am too happy planting my own paradise... It´s now up to the next generation (you!) But if I should...
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