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Dow Dominion Suburban Permaculture Project

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Commenced:	01/01/2012
Submitted:	03/05/2015
Last updated:	26/06/2016
Location:	Asheville, North Carolina, US
Website:	http://dowdominion.blogspot.com
Climate zone:	Warm Temperate

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Dow Dominion Suburban Permaculture Project

Asheville, US

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Just An Update On the Dow Dominion Gardens

Project: Dow Dominion Suburban Permaculture Project

Posted by Nathan Dow over 9 years ago

I posted a new update about my project on the Dow Dominion blog, if you'd like to check it out. In the post I talk about the improvements I've made to the garden since last year, as well as what plants I have been harvesting over the past Spring season.

You can read the post by CLICKING HERE!

Thanks, and have a great day.

-Nate, from DowDominion.blogspot.com

Comments (6)

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Corey Schmidt : I enjoyed your post. Great to hear about your efforts. Geoff Lawton said that the hydrating effect of swales increases for 7 years and then levels off at that level of moisture in the soil, something to that effect. I'm sure you know about sunchokes? (aka jerusale artichoke ) supposedly very easy to grow and very productive, and nutritious if dealt with properly to convert the inulin to usable fructose..

Posted over 9 years ago

Corey Schmidt : sunchoke http://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Helianthus+tuberosus hardy yam http://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Dioscorea+batatas sweet potato, perennial in zones 9-10 but good producing annual in much colder zones also http://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Ipomoea+batatas kangkong could probably be grown as an annual in any sort of pond with your hot summers. I'm definitely going to grow it indoors here next summer, since i have a very rampant morning glory vine this summer. put some good soil in a 5 gallon bucket, cover it with water and take a leak in there and drop in a kangkong start and voila! http://tcpermaculture.com/site/2014/01/29/permaculture-plants-water-spinach-kangkong/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ipomoea_aquatica

Posted over 9 years ago

Nathan Dow : Hey Corey, thanks for checking out my post and commenting. I am aware of sunchokes, but I have to run everything by my wife first, and she is terrified that they will get out of control. I can't say I blame her, either, as we have a Wisteria vine (and several other invasive species) that has completely taken over the west side of our yard. I tore out a wheelbarrow full of the stuff earlier this Spring, and you wouldn't even be able to tell at this point.

In any case, I appreciate the other suggestions, will look into all of them. Thanks!

Posted over 9 years ago

Corey Schmidt : it seems the view of lots of 'permaculture people' is generally that what many people consider invasives are hard workers, big biomass producers and thus soil and fertility builders. Usually if left alone , the invasives are just part of a successon leading to a climax forest. I saw it firsthand in New Zealand with the much hated gorse. gorse covered land was abandoned, trees grew up through the gorse, and the shade killed off the gorse... but generally people just keep attacking it and and its there to stay, a lot like mowing a lawn of grass...i suspect kudzu even is only really successful at the forest edge, which is all you can see from a highway. i doubt if it can take over deep forest and suspect that on the contrary if left alone it would in time extend the edge, like lantana. My sunchokes are the most successful of the new perennials i trialed this year in terms of green growth (still not much comparison to some annuals, but i'm waiting to see how the tuber yield is in this cold climate. also another one i've got is stachys affinis, a tuber producing plant of the mint family, which would probably do better in your warmer climate, but growing decently here. Mostly what we have here now is lots of salads and kale, and I am also hoping to change that. good luck and have fun!

Posted over 9 years ago

John Lee : Nathan, sunchokes spread via their tubers, so it shouldn't be difficult to confine them to a specific corner. You are working with a small space, but could certainly get sunchokes fit in.

In any case, I agree with Corey that these freak growers are prime for successive growth, also just because sunchokes are going crazy doesn't mean you can't have other crops growing in the same spot. I have oregano, bee balm, lavender, sage, thyme, and moss rose (all perennial) at the foot of one of my sunchoke plants, with annual lettuce, chamomile, peas, and peppers in the mix as well.

I have a question though: Are you composting all these "invasive" plants you pull?

Posted over 9 years ago

Nathan Dow : Hi John,

I am not specifically composting them (like in my main compost pile), but I generally remove the leaves to use as mulch for other plants, and the vines get curled up in a ball and thrown into a pile in the woods near my back yard. Mainly dealing with english ivy, wisteria, honey suckle and oriental bittersweet vines.

Thanks for your comment.

Posted about 9 years ago

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