Collins Kids Food Forest - Phase 1

[pa_friendly_guy]

George, That is why God invented power tools, so guys like you and me would not have to work so hard. lol. Congrats on getting the pears planted. You did way more than I did today, of couse it rained here so I had an excuse,

[George Collins]

Emboldened by all this digging up and transplanting free trees, we returned to the lady's house that gave us the five fig sprouts recently (all of which are still living) to dig up some peach trees that had volunteered from the seeds produced by a tree in her yard. We got 7 or 8 and put 4 into the forest garden this morning. I immediately cut all lateral growth from the main stem of each of them.

My rationale is that even if they don't make it, they were free. And even if the peaches are of a sub-optimal quality, they were free and the Stihl still works. Besides, last I checked, hogs eat peaches. Options are beautiful things to have.

[Lollykoko]

[George Collins]

I happened upon a fellow today that had a WHOLE BIG BUNCH of garlic growing in a semi-wild state in his plum and peach orchard. I asked - He gave - I dug - It's planted. Things are starting to get dense in a few areas. In a few areas, walking now necessitates constant attention lest one step on some young thing not yet of the stature to visually assert its presence.

[George Collins]

The canopy layer is now complete for the year. The Fed Ex man dropped off the most recent purchases from Willis Orchards today and four new trees have new homes. They are:

-Tulare Cherry (this one had several desiccated leaves upon arrival)
-Brooks Cherry
-Coral Champagne Cherry
-Purdue Pear

[George Collins]

Love me some Saturday - nothing to do but for work that I enjoy. Between trips to the walnut grove, I got around to doing one of those things that has been on the important but not urgent list for quite some time. I broke out the sledge and a couple wedges and split the logs previosly placed as nurse logs.


This one has some old firewood added in to enlarge the area:



Some time ago, I conceptualized using logs as mulch. This seems to be the logical conclusion of huglekultur and using wood chips as mulch and keeping the garden permanently mulched. It don't get much more permanent than using whole logs to mulch with. By splitting them and placing the flat side down, surface area contact is maximized and thus the weed-suppressive effect and moisture retentive benefit is maximized. By placing hay between the ground and logs, the rate at which the hay decomposes should be expedited for the hay, once wet, will tend to stay that way.

Seems like this has the potential if being the best method of mulching.

Now my question - has anyone ever heard of doing this before? I never have and I surely would like to know that I have made a unique contribution.

I did an Internet search using the search criteria "logs" and "mulch.". The only relevant thing I could find on whole of the Internet was found here:

[matt walker]

Dang George, that is a great idea. I've never heard of it, but I've got a few spots in mind where I'd like to give it a try.

Ain't Saturday grand?

[Lollykoko]

I've never heard of it either, but I'm thinking it will keep the deer somewhat at bay. Great idea that I will be using when we put those Mountain Ash in the ground, George.

[George Collins]

Y'all let me know what your experiences are like using such a mulch. I may have to write a book and become famous in the Permaculture community for inventing the "Log-Mulch." Ruth Stout managed to get famous for laying hay on the ground. Why shouldn't I become famous for laying logs on the ground?

And this weekend should give plenty of opportunity to lay many more logs down as my order from Burnt Ridge Nursery is scheduled to arrive via UPS on Friday the 13th. I can't wait! I feel SO lucky!

[George Collins]

The order from Burnt Ridge Nursery arrived via UPS yesterday. We worked till darkish putting as many as possible in the dirt. We first planted all of the named cultivars which included:
- Invicta gooseberry
- Jahns Prarie Gooseberry
- Kamchatka Honeyberry
- Blue Velvet Honeyberry
- Crimson Star Goji/Wolfberry (This one probably wont make it as it was damaged upon arrival)
- Crandall Black Currant
- Jostaberry
- Rovada Red Currant
- Chernika Bilberry

We also planted a few of the nitrogen fixers which included:
- Autumn Olives
- Goumi seedlings
- Seaberry seedlings
- Siberian Pea Shrubs

Of the nitrogen fixing species that didn't get planted yesterday, we finished planting today minus 2 Siberian pea shrubs and 3 each of the Goumis, Seaberries and Autumn Olives. These few were held in reserve to give to the neighbor with the new forest garden assuming he takes delivery of them in a timely fashion. If not, surely a home can be found for them.

The planting density was such that upon completion, the system is overstacked per the model Geoff Lawton recommends as best as I understand it. Per Martin Crawford, the spacing among the desired species was ~1.3x the recommended spacing. However, among the nitrogen fixing species, the spacing was 0.75x the recommended spacing. This was done to minimize the time before canopy closure and thus the time to when pruning could commence to force a release of the plants' accumulated nitrogen to thus make it available to it neighbors.

The area that received the lion's share of the nitrogen fixers was generally uphill and, just as importantly, upwind from the desired species. The ground in which they were planted . . .well, calling it marginal would be a step up. We amended it heavily just to justify calling it dirt. I intend to fully test whether or not the information at Plants For A Future is accurate when they say that these plants will tolerate poor soil conditions for if they survive what they were put into, I will be forever impressed.