(For part one, click here.)
That’s what a permaculture garden should look like.
Of course, I say that as somebody with terminally rectangular beds in my backyard…
Do as I say, not as I do. Heh.
Beans are growing along the trellises Sam built in his permaculture garden, both traditional pole beans:
And velvet beans:
Another thing you’ll see in this garden is the use of plant “guilds;” for example, here’s a classic apple/comfrey guild:
In the mix as well is some thriving yarrow. Tucked in nearby are a few healthy summer squash vines:
And a psychopathic gnome:
Also nearby are some arrowroot plants, just emerging from their winter slumber:
If you don’t have arrowroot, come see me at the 326 Community Market; or, if you’re further away, you can pick some up online in the winter from Grower Jim.
Look, anyone can grow a garden. When you prep the soil properly and apply water regularly, plants will grow. It may take a while to figure out what is going to thrive, so do like Sam did: plant a bunch of different things and tweak as you go. This garden is just a testing ground for him before he opens up some larger acreage for a food forest.
His permaculture testing ground looks a lot better than most people’s regular gardens.
And, of course, if you’re interested in diving into permaculture gardening in Florida, pick up a copy of my book Create Your Own Florida Food Forest on Amazon for $2.99 in Kindle version or $6.99 for the paperback.
And if your soil is bad and you need to kickstart it without killing yourself or going broke, pick up a copy of Compost Everything: The Good Guide to Composting.
Whatever you do, don’t give up… even if you’re in the scrub. Sam’s garden proves the power of permaculture!
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6 responses to “When Life Gives You Scrubland, Plant an Amazing Permaculture Garden! (Pt. II)”
That's awesome! I have done the same mixing of mulches in my forest garden to delineate pathway from planted bed- thick straw in the beds and chipped trees or stolen leaves for the pathways.
"stolen leaves"
I prefer the term "liberated."
Where's part one? The link isn't working.
Two posts down. Thanks for the heads up – I fixed the link.
Thanks for this post and the beautiful photos (great website, overall!). How important is it to have soil tested before starting a garden? I’ve read that pH balance is particularly crucial. I’m starting a vegetable (with a bit of fruit) garden on a new piece of property and wondering if it’s worth a test, either from a laboratory or a home test. Do you do either? If so, how often? Thanks!
Well, pH is important… however, if you have healthy-looking trees, grass and shrubs around your neighborhood without many pines growing, chances are your pH is in an acceptable range.
I’ve had my soil tested for fun (because the local agricultural extension offers it for free) and it was right in the middle. You can check and see if there’s a free test. Generally, it’s not needed to get started, but it’s nice to know that you’re in a good range.
Thanks for stopping by. Are you the same Chelsea I grew up with?