May 14, 2008
Posted on Tue, 20 May 2008 14:35:45 by Aaron
Moon in Virgo, 2nd quarter.
Wind came over today and walked over the whole land with me. Giving his advise and insight. It was great to have a knowledgeable persons view on the evolution. For the most part he affirmed and expanded upon the ideas I was already working with. His insight on the east field with Ponderosa and Cedar hedge was great. (zone 6) He talked about putting in good ground cover, and starting some bushes and shrubs in that area. He suggested adding mini swales in front and behind the pines to help water stay and penetrate can’t remember exactly the placements that he was talking about, so will have to get back to him on those. Continuing the hedge so the whole area is sheltered from the road. But lilacs in places that I wouldn’t have thought are a good start like near the Cedar tow. As well as western sand cherries and Choke Berries and elderberries -Sambucus pubens is the native species- and Sambucus nigra rates better for edibility and medicinal. Maybe adding some Austrian pine and Pinion pine into the area as they like to grow here a bit more than ponderosa. He suggested adding a cover crop like red clover hairy vetch, daikon astragalus and comfrey, with an annual rye grass. Mow after it seeds if you want it to continue, mow before it seeds to shut it down.
Behind the Ponderosa make a zone 3 use area with a few more fruit trees and edible berries, shaping the land to make a more terraced flat structure for water retention. 3-4 shelf like steps through out with a bit of stone work.
He liked my idea to turn the central area into the main zone one, adding terraces, rock walls, building slowly into a nice landscaped area with nooks and the potential for bringing the stream in and through. He suggested starting and focusing my effort on this area while I continue to care for and plant trees in the outer areas.
The hill behind the chicken coop where the recent road work disturbed it he suggested small swales in the wall of it and a planting of tough covers like fescue, grama, buffalo and rice grass, the more the better to fill niches and make sure something can survive. He liked the placement of the nettles back in there and suggested maybe the addition of burdock to help break open the soil. We observed the curly dock and he mentioned its usefulness as a soil breaker. As I researched it a little it looks to contain high amounts of oxalic acid which can be “perfectly alright in small quantities, the leaves should not be eaten in large amounts since the oxalic acid can lock-up other nutrients in the food, especially calcium, thus causing mineral deficiencies.” And “he leaves are very rich in vitamins and minerals, especially iron and the vitamins A and C” It makes me wonder if it is a good tonic plant for the plants that Wind informs me are suffering iron deficiency. The raspberries and Texas red flowering quince.- A favorite of humming birds, both of those species are showing yellowing in the new leaves, am iron deficiency, caused by the micronutrients in the soil being bound up by too much calcium. Thereby leading me to wonder if the curly dock is the perfect companion for them, with its high oxylic acid (calcium binding) and high iron content, it could lend a big hand in bringing those other plants to health. There is nothing to loose, so I am going to give it a try. The soil for those deficient plants cold also be amended with plenty of compost, planting sulfur, fish emulsion, and cotton bur compost.
He helped me identify the Hoarhound, three leaf sumac, magnolia, forsythia, cotoneaster viburnum, and Virginia creeper. He suggested planting wild 4oclocks as they are extremely tough and native, adding to the oak grove plants that commonly grow with oaks, including creeping mahonia, service berry, and currents. He also suggested Catalpa for a super flowering drought tolerant shade tree. I researched Catalpa and they are one of my favorite trees with super deep lush shade. I could imagine a big catalpa to the west of the chicken coop in that nook, where it can get plenty of sun but is very sheltered too. Wind suggested that I top the cottonwoods growing in that area to encourage more lateral growth, creating a thicker barrier to the road. They do tend to shoot up tall, and aren’t’ really thriving there except the ones directly behind the coop which get all the water run-off from the roof. So shifting to more drought tolerant species seems the way to go. Maybe the chickens will like the seeds any way. I should put a pea shrub by the chickens too, because I think they will like to eat the seeds.
There was also talk of black walnut going into the ‘Oak grove’ area at the bottom of the slope. Instead of trying to spread the oaks all over the place, I am now thinking of focusing on that area and planting them heavy and thick, to create as much shade as quickly as possible. Then start to pull them out to use in 20-30 years when they start to interfere with each other. Still not sure of the gamble oaks, as they are a native and will certainly flourish where I put them, have to look for places that might do with hedge, or just plant them into the Oaks.
Ill talk to the Gambles about that…
The area due south of the trailer is pretty much wasteland and Wind liked the idea of adding terraces and key line swales as well as the two ponds that I am considering. It will be fun then also to play with the ponds and learn about how to make them useful and functional. I think the best thing is to start with the one to the east and just shoot for a simple thing as a learning ground, and then put in the one to the west as a more developed and well thought out addition.
The alders are going to go in the north east corner and across the top to pioneer the land for some interplanted pines like pinion and Austrian. In fact I think a couple alders are going to be planted with the oaks and cottonwoods to see where they like to be. They need a lot of water, so the north east corner, the south east corner and the cottonwood grove area are good possibilities. But they can subsist on nutritionally poor soil, so they could be a perfect fit. Lets hope they germinate!!! I have 50 of them in the greenhouse. Associated plant species include Chokecherry, Arrowleaf balsamroot, Bigtooth Maple, Mountain-mahogany, Ponderosa Pine and Serviceberry.(aka, juneberry, Saskatoon.) Associated birds and mammals include Western Scrub Jay, Black-billed Magpie, grouse, deer, chipmunks and squirrels.
Im off to Boulder in a couple of days to rehearse for some Kan’Nal shows this summer. Its hard to step away from everything going on here, but only for 3 days, and probably good for me to have some perspective and though at this point it isn’t necessary build some more enthusiasm! Ill be starting a new phase when I return, as the design and plan coalesces, it is clear what needs to be done.
… And it should be time to set up my teepee soon, so I can start living in it. Right in the midst of my zone 1 garden project!
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