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Make a garden before you build a house: Difference between revisions
Make a garden before you build a house (view source)
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I decided to use a system of ‘raised beds’, a soil layout designated to cultivate a dense population of plants and accumulate organic matter. The system is e.g used in urban farms in Cuba known as Organopónicos. | I decided to use a system of ‘raised beds’, a soil layout designated to cultivate a dense population of plants and accumulate organic matter. The system is e.g used in urban farms in Cuba known as Organopónicos. | ||
One simply digs out pathways in-between growing beds, and naturally the soil bed will ‘rise’ as more soil is added. The bed has a fixed width of 75 cm – a good working width for a | One simply digs out pathways in-between growing beds, and naturally the soil bed will ‘rise’ as more soil is added. The bed has a fixed width of 75 cm – a good working width for a gardener/farmer. The benefits of the raised bed infrastructure is that it enables a better drainage and a fixed indication for where the cultivation is happening, which means that the soil on the beds will not be compacted as persons will use the pathways for walking, so there will be a good build-up of topsoil year after year. I like the functionality of the raised beds, but I also find their composition really nice because they make the garden more accessible and open up the layout of the garden. | ||
I had intended not to use machines ones the soil had been aerated and tilled once before establishment. The idea behind the method adapted from no-till farming methods and permaculture is that you leave the soil as undisturbed as possible but keep adding compost year after year in spring time. The important thing is to ensure that the soil is covered with plants which will retain the nutrient from leeking off. | I had intended not to use machines ones the soil had been aerated and tilled once before establishment. The idea behind the method adapted from no-till farming methods and permaculture is that you leave the soil as undisturbed as possible but keep adding compost year after year in spring time. The important thing is to ensure that the soil is covered with plants which will retain the nutrient from leeking off. | ||
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I learned from working with Wim that due to the ….. he cannot grow certain kinds of heirloom seeds and with the farmers protest happening across India early 2021 and the struggles for seed sovereignty across Africa and so many other places, made me think that caretakers of heirloom seeds are entangled with real acts of resistance, and that even tiny gardens hold a potential for safeguarding our seed cultures and knowledges of sovereignty that is carried from palm to soil to mouth. | I learned from working with Wim that due to the ….. he cannot grow certain kinds of heirloom seeds and with the farmers protest happening across India early 2021 and the struggles for seed sovereignty across Africa and so many other places, made me think that caretakers of heirloom seeds are entangled with real acts of resistance, and that even tiny gardens hold a potential for safeguarding our seed cultures and knowledges of sovereignty that is carried from palm to soil to mouth. | ||
I wanted to use ancient varieties also known as heirloom seeds, so I received some from private seed savers in Denmark, I also bought some from various places listed below. The thing with ancient seeds is that their germination rate is much lower than hybrid seeds, which means that sometimes only a few emerged. It was still very exciting when those green sprouts came up. | |||
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*Yvonne Velthuis – Wilde Planten Kwekerij has a lot of special heirloom varieties specific and regional for Limburg | *Yvonne Velthuis – Wilde Planten Kwekerij has a lot of special heirloom varieties specific and regional for Limburg | ||
Plants that adapdted well to the conditions of the garden: | |||
*Leafy greens | |||
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* | *The garden took a long time to grow into a lush green place, this is particularly as effect of the lack of long sunny hours. Beans and plants from the nightshade didn't do well. | ||
*tomatoes died early because of the moist summer. I would recommend also trimming the wine a bit during summer if tomatoes are grown outside. | *tomatoes died early because of the moist summer. I would recommend also trimming the wine a bit during summer if tomatoes are grown outside. | ||