Permaculture

[slowworm]

I thought limes do flower and seed ok in the UK but the seed is often not viable, I have seen lime trees flower regularly but not where I now live.

I've got two types of comfrey, bocking 14 and a native wild one we've grown from seed which I assume will self seed. The bocking 14 is being grown in a place where I had a compost heap and is doing quite well but a native one I planted a couple of years ago has hardly increased in size, which I expect is to do with the poor soil. I am aware they may spread but as I can simply sythe them down and as the woodland was planted on old pasture I'm not worried about them spreading. On that note, whilst I'm careful not to introduce something illegal (rosa rogusa for example) I see so many people dumping garden waste about I don't worry too much.

 

[Orchard]

From what I can gather, getting the fertility back into abused pasture takes loads of organic succession plants until the system stabilises - at least according to that Geoff chap, I seem to remember him giving a lecture and explaining the quantity of succession plants that need to be planted and that something like only one-to-five percent will survive to be part of a 'stable' system. Obviously the plants won't be wasted - providing either nutrients/fodder/food/wood etc, but i'm reckoning something like an acre will probably be needed for a nursery initially to stock 5-10 acres.
I think Comfrey's the only proven 'Dynamic Accumulator' (thanks to Lawrence Hills), and i'd like to freely plant it to succeed an anual legume predominantly


Anyone have any experience with Black Locust please?

 

[Orchard]

Found the source for my previous post, hopefully the detail may be useful:

[video=youtube;TMQ8eSm92xQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMQ8eSm92xQ&feature=player_detailpage[/video]

 

[Orchard]

[video=youtube;JHIYXmGgiuw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHIYXmGgiuw&list=RDASNVqSEEk1U&feature=player_detailpage[/video]

 

[Orchard]

[video=youtube;bGK1iymrYq4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGK1iymrYq4&feature=player_detailpage[/video]

 

[spandit]

Just been watching Martin Crawford's videos, amongst others, online (on a very slow connection, so pretty frustrating). Would love to plant some edibles in my new woodland although will probably have to wait a few years before doing so to allow the trees to actually give out any shade at all (the tallest being about 60cm high at the moment!)

Will be trying some bamboo shoots too, assuming they've regrown where I hacked them back

 

[Orchard]

Just been watching Martin Crawford's videos, amongst others, online (on a very slow connection, so pretty frustrating). Would love to plant some edibles in my new woodland although will probably have to wait a few years before doing so to allow the trees to actually give out any shade at all (the tallest being about 60cm high at the moment!)

Will be trying some bamboo shoots too, assuming they've regrown where I hacked them back

Might be worthwhile getting comfrey in to help speed up your saplings ? I'm sure there must be something you can plant in there without effecting your primary crop, what about non-climbing beans ?
They all seem to love their bamboo don't they, and it does seem rather useful. Did you see the vid where Martin explains how he propogates, and his method for recording the age whilst stalks are hardening off ?

Talking of which, does anyone know how to cultivate the bacteria that helps legumes fix nitrates please? I've suspected a plant that's been growing for a year of being a legume of some sort, so i've left it , but accidentally disturbed its roots last week, and the nodes are humoungous and i'd like to cultivate the bacteria present to transfer elsewhere...

 

[slowworm]

Spandit, many 'woodland garden' plants will happily grow in full sun and are often planted along a woodland edge to catch the sun. (Something like www.pfaf.org will let you know if plants will cope in full sun). Perhaps of more concern would be the plants shading out your trees. Still, I'm sure you could squeeze something like blackcurrants or gooseberries in and they often seem to go feral in woodlands.

Funny you should mention bamboo, I've finally managed to get hold of five different cultivars that seem to produce pleasantly edible (less bitter shoots).

 

[spandit]

He did mention something about a large bamboo he grew but not sure if it would grow outside as the large culms would be very useful.

The bit about determining the age wasn't very clear, I'll have another look

 

[Orchard]

He did mention something about a large bamboo he grew but not sure if it would grow outside as the large culms would be very useful.

The bit about determining the age wasn't very clear, I'll have another look

iirc he describes how he cultivates one patch and paints and logs a different colour onto the base of fresh stems that he's keeping to harden off for stakes; but iirc he also alludes to another patch that may be even larger.
Like Slowworm implied, there's probably also a cultivar that may be suited to cool-temperate structural use

 

[Orchard]

Just found it mate:

[video=youtube;Lo5nW_prYVM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lo5nW_prYVM[/video]

 

[spandit]

Thanks, I wonder if the same is true for all bamboos as have recently cut down my river cane - be interesting to see how quickly the new shoots come up

 

[Orchard]

Thanks, I wonder if the same is true for all bamboos as have recently cut down my river cane - be interesting to see how quickly the new shoots come up

I know nothing about bamboo mate, but I imagine they must store an amazing amount of reserves to fuel such speedy growth, and would guess it'll have enough for a few more come-backs if it was healthy

 

[spandit]

I'll keep you posted!

 

[Orchard]

I'll keep you posted!

Yes please

 

[spandit]

Just got back and it was one of the first things I checked. Lots of new shoots coming up, the tallest of which is about a foot high but I still reckon we're a bit early in the season

 

[Orchard]

Just got back and it was one of the first things I checked. Lots of new shoots coming up, the tallest of which is about a foot high but I still reckon we're a bit early in the season

Good job, don't think it will take too long ! Don't forget, if they're a thin variety the edible yield's relatively poor and Martin states that they don't thicken out. Lawton shows on one of his vid's how they use woven bamboo for insulated structures if that's any use

 

[spandit]

I think it might be a bit thin for the effort - I didn't realise the outer bit was inedible, I thought you ate the lot like asparagus. Anyway, my neighbour is fed up with his and if I can dig it up, I can transplant if to where I want it to be!

 

[Orchard]

I think it might be a bit thin for the effort - I didn't realise the outer bit was inedible, I thought you ate the lot like asparagus. Anyway, my neighbour is fed up with his and if I can dig it up, I can transplant if to where I want it to be!

Sounds like a bargain mate. I'm sure you'll find plenty of uses for the thinner stuff, even if at first it's to make a structure to house a less hardy thicker variety for eating

 

[spandit]

I like that idea. I need to screen about 45m of palisade fencing and think bamboo is the way to go as don't really want a massive row of willows there