My mom was gracious enough to allow me a corner of her property to use as an experiment in food gardening. However, the stipulation was that I am not allowed to remove any of the existing trees from that corner. So... That means I have to include quite a number of (indigenous) trees in my planning.
The other problem with that particular corner is that the soil is clayey and compacted and as hard as concrete. That means that most of my plantings would have to happen in raised beds and containers if I don't want to rent a pneumatic drill to break ground. As it is, I shall probably have to struggle to dig a few holes, anyway, to set fence posts and to plant the odd fruit tree that I don't want to keep in a pot. That all needs to be planned out well in advance as I do not want to struggle unnecessarily later on.
To give me some idea of where to start, I spent some time on Google yesterday, and came across a really informative blog, Daily Harvest Designs. It is run by Rachel, a rare breed of person who has both formal horticultural and Permaculture qualifications, but who also has a heart for helping other people succeed in their own Permaculture endeavors.
With Monday the 17th being a public holiday here in South Africa, I shall drive over to my mom's place with a clipboard, pen, paper and tape measure and take careful triangular measurements of every existing tree's placement on that bit of garden. I'll borrow an old tent peg as well, to mark off the exact area where I shall be working.
I'll also take some altimeter readings. It being my mom's place and considering the hard soil, I doubt that I'll be digging swales, BUT then that's pretty much a part of Permaculture so that's also something to plan for.
In the meantime, I'll do some research on tree canopy sizes, to see how and where to put my raised beds and vertical garden structures and if there would be a good space to place an aquaponic system and a small greenhouse.
I am also waiting with bated breath for my Amazon orders to arrive. My late dad always said that if one could read, there isn't much that one couldn't do. None of these books will replace the practical knowledge that I plan to pick up on my journey, but it will be good to learn from the mistakes of people who have done what I am planning to do. Some mistakes can be expensive and I don't have money to throw away needlessly. And tips and tricks are always welcome.
The other problem with that particular corner is that the soil is clayey and compacted and as hard as concrete. That means that most of my plantings would have to happen in raised beds and containers if I don't want to rent a pneumatic drill to break ground. As it is, I shall probably have to struggle to dig a few holes, anyway, to set fence posts and to plant the odd fruit tree that I don't want to keep in a pot. That all needs to be planned out well in advance as I do not want to struggle unnecessarily later on.
To give me some idea of where to start, I spent some time on Google yesterday, and came across a really informative blog, Daily Harvest Designs. It is run by Rachel, a rare breed of person who has both formal horticultural and Permaculture qualifications, but who also has a heart for helping other people succeed in their own Permaculture endeavors.
With Monday the 17th being a public holiday here in South Africa, I shall drive over to my mom's place with a clipboard, pen, paper and tape measure and take careful triangular measurements of every existing tree's placement on that bit of garden. I'll borrow an old tent peg as well, to mark off the exact area where I shall be working.
I'll also take some altimeter readings. It being my mom's place and considering the hard soil, I doubt that I'll be digging swales, BUT then that's pretty much a part of Permaculture so that's also something to plan for.
In the meantime, I'll do some research on tree canopy sizes, to see how and where to put my raised beds and vertical garden structures and if there would be a good space to place an aquaponic system and a small greenhouse.
I am also waiting with bated breath for my Amazon orders to arrive. My late dad always said that if one could read, there isn't much that one couldn't do. None of these books will replace the practical knowledge that I plan to pick up on my journey, but it will be good to learn from the mistakes of people who have done what I am planning to do. Some mistakes can be expensive and I don't have money to throw away needlessly. And tips and tricks are always welcome.
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