[permaculture-oceania] Help needed in planning our PC farm

[Russ Grayson]

Hi Terry...
Iinteresting plant list you describe below. Just a few questions.

On 20/6/06 11:50 AM, "Terry Leahy" <Terry.Leahy at newcastle.edu.au> wrote:

> Dear permies,
> Find it fascinating that overseas writers are still using the definition of
> permaculture from Permaculture One (perennials) rather than the replacement
> definitions (sustainable agriculture and settlement design and ethics) that
> are more current in Australia.

Slow learners? Or perhaps they are mainly rural folk and the Permaculture
One definition resonates with them.

I think it depends a lot who does the writing. As an example, in the 90s
there was funding for signage in Sydney community gardens, so a sign about
permaculture was installed in one or two although many of the gardeners
would probably not have been familiar with the term. Whoever wrote the sign
- I think it was a 'sustainability' consultant - only described permaculture
as an agricultural system and not as a design system for human habitat.
Small thing maybe, but goes to show that the knowledge base of the person
doing the work determines what comes out.

But sorry to harp on
> The edible leaf taro is really good in a damp spot in the shade.

This really is a worthwhile plant. Years ago, I brought some back from Seed
Savers in Byron Bay and grew it, when we had a garden. Chooks are very fond
of it - I have seen them skeletonise a leaf in a minute or so. Likes the
shade in warm temperate coastal areas.

> I also have a loquat which is finally fruiting and has a lot of fruit... The
> feijoas have been doing nothing... The guava is gradually going ahead... the
> fig in the shade a bit lack lustre

How do you cope with fruit fly on these species? All, we have found, harbour
that little nuisance insect, especially if fruitfall is not cleaned up. We
recommend avoiding these in our organic gardening classes. Maybe people with
horticultural knowledge can cope, but that's questionable for most home
gardeners. There's more chance of dealing with the fly in community gardens
however I have seen community gardens with plenty of affected fruitfall on
the soil. For our climate, we recommend citrus, avocado and fruit fly free
species.

Loquat used to be planted as an ornamental in Sydney home gardens of the
vintage you find in Randwick and the Eastern Suburbs. They, of course, act
as fruit fly vectors as the householders do not seem to harvest them. Take a
look at the ripe fruit when you next walk through Randwick and notice where
they have been stung by the fly.

I also notice loquat fruit is being sold in fruit and veg shops - nicely
contained in a polystyrene box wrapped in plastic. Great thinking mkarketing
guys and girls - nice fruit, pity about the waste and landfill.

> I am also getting good growth on bananas and pawpaw in the shade

These are good value in warm temperate gardens. Plant plenty. With pawpaw,
there is a good argument for planting bisexual hybrids where space is scarce
in small urban gardens as you do not need the numbers as for non-hybrid
trees. 

We have a list of fast fruits that we recommend for permanent planting and
as fill-in crops in warm temperate climates while slower-growing fruit and
nut trees grow up - babaco (a natural pawpaw hybrid, centre of diversity
South America), banana, berry fruits (eg. blueberry), cape gooseberry,
midyim berry, passionfruit, pawpaw, pepino, tamarillo
(www.communitygarden.org.au). Pepino, a low-browing shrub that produces
juicy, purple-white fruits to egg size eaten raw and in salad, can sometimes
get fruit fly.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
RUSS GRAYSON
journalism, online content production, photojournalism, instructional
manuals, media services for overseas aid

PO Box 1045, Manly, NSW 1655 AUSTRALIA
info at pacific-edge.info
P: 0414 065 203
www.pacific-edge.info

TerraCircle international development team, Oceania
www.terracircle.org.au

Australian City Farms & Community Gardens Network
www.communitygarden.org.au
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^