Permaculture News Now ...news and tips on sustainable and regenerative green living!

Saturday, 13 December 2014

Urban Rainwater Harvesting - "Slow It, Spread It & Sink It!"

Hello! Have you ever thought about harvesting rain water in your urban property instead of draining it out of your property? How about recycling your 'grey water' in the garden?

"Why is it that we get rid of all this free - high quality, fresh rain water as quick as possible from our landscape and then we pull a distant water, with a decreased water quality, back to our use which comes with a high expense?" -Brad Lancaster

What can we do at home to harvest that high quality rain water? How can we recycle a 'grey water' (water used in a kitchen, in a washing machine and in the shower) to save energy and the environment?

"Plant The Rain Before Planting Trees" - Brad Lancaster

There are ways to save and recycle water. But there is also a way of re-hydrating the ground and keep our gardens hydrated longer.

By using earth works to slow down a flow of water and soak it into the landscape instead of draining it out of your property.

When pruning your plants in the garden instead of dumping them, 'chop and drop' plant clippings in your garden creating a mulch which protects the soil from drying out, also recycles nutrients back in the ground and creates a 'heaven' for "happy micro-organisms". Like it is in the natural forest.

After doing a little bit of research I found this interesting and informative video from Permasolutions titled with Brad Lancaster: "Urban Water Harvesting Systems".

I especially liked triple S's - the way Brad talks about re-hydrating our landscapes - "Slowing, Spreading & Sinking the flow of water, instead of Pave It, Pipe It & Pollute It."

As he says "We all can choose our story - What is yours?" Ours at the moment is 160 litres of water per day for two of us (the average water usage in our city 197 litres/person/day) and decreasing...

Enjoy the video!

http://youtu.be/WymWRDd1OOg

Hope you enjoyed this post. Do you have any water saving ideas that would benefit all of us in our home and garden? Let us know in the comment box below :-)

Heli & Allan Iso-Aho

Wednesday, 3 December 2014

How To Mulch A Permaculture Food Forest With 'Chop & Drop'

Hello! Are you planning to create a permaculture food forest garden? Then you may have heard of this method called 'chop and drop'. A way of mulching your food forest garden.

What is Chop & Drop?

It's about having a variety of so called 'support' trees (legumes and other fast growing trees) in your food forest and when time is right you prune a whole or a part of the tree in the ground around your fruit trees.

The best 'chop and drop' trees and plants are legumes (nitrogen fixing) and the trees that have a large biomass and grow back quickly after pruning. e.g Moringa , Comfrey (herbaceous plant)

Let's look at the benefits of Chop and Drop method:

In the early stages of your food forest some of your fruit trees are slow growing and need protection from elements such as the sun, wind and rain (hale). Planting fast growing legumes you give needed protection and nutrients for your young fruit trees.

You are creating mulch (nutrition) that feeds the soil microbes which feed your fruit trees

Easy and simple method - plants are already in place where the mulch is needed

You are building a soil with a good soil structure - a better water holding capacity and well draining soil

Mulch protects the soil from the elements (sun, rain, wind)

This way you save on other organic fertilizers

The chop and drop method is one of the important steps in caring for your food forest. Here is a fantastic video on Chop & Drop, it comes from EcoOasis titled with How To Chop And Drop In A Food Forest "Living Permaculture" Episode 4 .

Enjoy!

http://youtu.be/XTrc2KFp7qU

Hope you enjoyed this post. Do you have experience in chop & drop? Let us know in the comment box below :-)

Heli & Allan Iso-Aho

Sunday, 30 November 2014

What Is A Banana Circle? - How To Grow Bananas In Subtropics?

Hello Hello! I hear people talking about this amazing way to grow bananas in tropics and subtropics and many of you are asking - What is a banana circle? Why is it such a great method of growing bananas?

Well, I decided to do some research to find out. As we live in subtropics, a banana circle would work well in our yard.

This is what we found out:

First of all, what is a banana circle? It is simply a method of growing bananas (and paw paws if you wish) and other 'fill in' plants in the small area (e.g 2m diameter circle) where you can utilize water run off and overflow water from water tanks to water your produce.

Also by composting your kitchen and garden waste in the middle of your banana circle you feed and water your plants at same time.

Bananas are great plants to use in this method because they are heavy feeders and they love a 'good drink' to be productive.

Let's go through the benefits of a banana circle:

You only need a small area (2m - 3m diameter)

Much higher yield than traditional growing in the field (traditionally area 3m x 3m)

- e.g "3m diameter circle => 12 bananas => 148 punches in 18months => 50% more weight in the punch" - Bill Mollison

Less watering, less work

Hardly any weeds - bananas and other plants planted thickly and a circle is mulched

Composting area is in the middle, which feeds your plants

This is certainly one of the fantastic methods of growing fruit trees I have ever seen and so excited to learn more soon as I am attending for the PDC course in the near future :-)

We love to hear your experiences in building a Banana circle and how it's all working for you. Are you are having any problems with it? Let us know by commenting below and help us all to learn more.

Here is a couple of great videos for you: The first one is from the School Of Permaculture titled with Permaculture Tip of the Day - What is a Banana Circle? and the second video is from Sunny Rain Ecostead and Studio titled with Building A Banana Circle .

Enjoy!

http://youtu.be/oPqLimxJtx4

http://youtu.be/_T5CJkcDrJM

If you enjoyed this post, please feel free to share :-) Thank You.

Heli & Allan Iso-Aho

Wednesday, 19 November 2014

Easy Way To Grow Herbs At Home - The Herb Spiral

Hello! Are you looking for an easy way to grow your herbs at home? If you don't have much space and like to grow many different herbs, there is a way to grow them all in the same small space.

Well, have you ever heard of The Herb Spiral in Permaculture?

The Herb Spiral is a truly amazing, highly productive and energy efficient garden design that was first created by Bill Mollison. "You can get 58 running feet (approx.17mtrs) of herbs from a Herb Spiral that is approx. 6 feet across at the base and 3 feet high from the middle."-Bill Mollison

The Herb Spiral creates microclimates allowing you to grow different types of herbs in the same area. (e.g rosemary for dry conditions and mint for moist conditions). Also you can add a small frog pond at the start of a spiral to grow your watercress.

You can grow all your herbs in one small space and by building your garden next to your kitchen door or as close as possible, you can get to your herbs quickly and easily when ever you need them.

photo source: amberdc

Here are some benefits of a Herb Spiral:

You can grow more herbs in the small compact space

Different micro-climates allow you to grow a large variety of herbs

A Herb Spiral can be build on concrete or any other hard surface

Easy to maintain and harvest your herbs

Only one sprinkler needed to water whole garden

You save time and energy on growing your own herbs

You may have a small frog pond build at the start of the spiral

Always fresh herbs available and no waste

Affordable garden feature - building materials can be found from your home or by going to scrap yards. You can use any kind of material that holds your soil in e.g bricks, rocks, timber, sticks etc.

The best benefit of all, I think is that you are creating an ecosystem that serves you and a range of small animals in your home - like frogs, lizards, insects, and other bugs.

And how would you FEEL daily to see your fresh herbs growing and giving you their heavenly scent....:-)

Here is a great video from The Daedalx tittled with The Herb Spiral where Bill Mollison gives all the secrets in building his famous Herb Spiral. Enjoy!

http://youtu.be/sqiHJLj4DnI

Are you ready to set up your own Herb Spiral? Or maybe you have build one already. Let us your thoughts, we'd love to hear from you.

If you enjoyed this post, please be sociable and share :-) Thank You.

Heli & Allan Iso-Aho

Monday, 10 November 2014

Permaculture Garden - The Benefits Of Growing Your Permaculture Food Forest

Hello! Where do you go when you feel stressed out, anxious or just tired from the days work? How do you keep your body healthy and full of energy in years to come?

Growing a Permaculture garden with a Food Forest in your property gives you a peaceful environment and provides you a delicious, nutrient dense food which helps you to keep your body healthy and energetic for years to come.

What is a Permaculture Food Forest? It is a food forest that is designed the way it mimics a natural forests ecosystem. It produces food without too much human intervention when it's established. There is no need for pesticides, fertilizers and only a little watering.

Here are some benefits in growing your own Permaculture Food Forest:

You feel physically and mentally healthier by eating a nutrient dense food.

Biodiversity brings you food to eat in every day of the year. Growing annual vegetables as well, give you food almost straight away, while waiting trees to mature (approx. 4-6 years).

With a food forest you bring beneficial insects to do your 'dirty' work and there is no need for pesticides. Give a home for your 'helpers' and they stay look after for your pest problems

You can turn your organic waste into a compost and build a living soil with 'happy' microbes.

With a chop & drop method you can feed and build your soil to be healthy which keeps your plants healthy and productive.

Preserve your soil in any way you can - by having walking paths, avoid compaction of a garden beds, avoid pulling plants out instead cut off from the base and leave a root system to rot in the ground. All garden 'waste' goes back to the soil.

Planting diversity of plants which support one another is a system that gives you and a wildlife a place to enjoy many years to come. Not all the plants and elements are meant to benefit only a human but a whole ecosystem.

Energy saving methods: With plants in the right places you can passively cool or warm your house. Some other plants can form a wind break. There are plants for wet and dry spots in your garden. Even shady places have their purpose.

Creating an ecosystem for human, plants and animals which can be enjoyed by future generations. Helping to heal the earth starts in our own backyard.

Creating a Permaculture garden in your property is not hard when you know basic principles in ecological gardening and designing.

There are great courses available and learn from but if your budget is low, by reading books and watching videos on Youtube will get you started. And then take action!

Start with drawing a rough plan. Observe how the sun moves in your property in different times in the year. How can you harvest the rain water?

Start building a compost straight away. Compost any waste organic material from your home. Collect organic materials e.g ask your neighbors if they have any garden waste.

We collect leaves from the local parks. Ask juice bars their fruit and veggie scraps etc. Join your local Permaculture group to volunteer and go their workshops.

The soil is the most important part of any gardening practice. Keep taking care of the soil and it will take care of your plants :-)

Helping to heal the Earth starts in our own backyard!

Here is a great video from Johnny Mars again tittled with Permaculture Paradise: Val & Eli's Summer Abundance Part 1!

Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1BpauXRp6U

Are you ready to create your own Permaculture Paradise?

If you enjoyed this article, please be sociable and share :-) Thank you.

Heli Iso-Aho

Thursday, 30 October 2014

What Would Mother Nature Say...

Hello! Hello! What would Mother Nature say to humankind if she could speak our language? This is something that came into my mind: "Work with me and flourish. Work against me and vanish." As we all know she is 'speaking' to us - but are we listening?

I feel great sadness to see how we treat this planet earth and its inhabitants. The earth is not a home only for humans, its also a home for all other living species and organisms. We've been given a huge gift by being a part of nature and it's our responsibility to respect and conserve the environment we live in.

"The greatest thread to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it" - Robert Swan

It's about you and me as an individuals, changing our ways and asking questions to find answers instead of blaming others. Taking actions every day instead of just talking about climate change. We all as individuals have the power to change the world into a place we want to live in.

Choosing the way we live and consume is a powerful act that nobody can ignore. Being a role model to our children so they adopt a meaningful way to live so they can pass it on to their children.

And I don't mean going back 'to anything' - but choosing to live more sustainable and regenerative way, so that this earth is better place tomorrow than it was today for all living species on the earth.

What could you change in your every day life that would have a positive impact on the environment?

Would you consider to do any of these: Do carpooling or using public transport, grow some of your food, shop locally, composting, insulate your house before having an air-con, harvesting rainwater, recycle water, practising zero waste, reduce plastics, avoid buying packaged items, reduce - reuse - recycle, up-cycle etc.

There are so many things that we can do as individuals to make a positive impact on our environment and feel great about it.

Do we really need to buy everything we want? How about buying a second hand item instead of a new one? Could we swap and share items? How about start cooking at home?

Changing our ways is not hard - it's just choosing a 'habit' over another one - and it can be a lots of fun too :-)

Here is a great video from ConservationDotOrg tittled with Nature Is Speaking - Julia Roberts is Mother Nature. Enjoy!

http://youtu.be/WmVLcj-XKnM

Did you enjoyed this video? Do you agree with a message? Let us know - we would love to hear your thoughts :-)

Heli Iso-Aho