[permaculture-oceania] Swales - high side or low side (trees)

[len organicpc]

g'day matthew,

the berm or mound of dirt goes along the bottom side of the trench swale, 
they do say to plant the trees on the berm or below the berm, but a lot 
depends on how wet/dry your area is or what your actual rainfall is going to 
be. they also say that if the swale is cut into clay you should gypsum the 
trench then cover with mulch.

we found a more efficient and economical way that did not impact on the 
landscape in a very visible or even permanent way was to rip swales along 
the contours, another way was to plant trees along the contours (especially 
fruit trees) and create mulch hay swales by mulching around and along 
between the trees, this method kept us in fruit with only available rain 
fall over 5 years app' 800mm, the mulch (usually hay/lucern) fed the soil.

swalling can be achieved by laying hay bales along the contours end to end, 
a short tomato stake will help each bale in place until they settle.

keep in mind when you cut a channel or hole into heavy clay you create a 
dam, once clay soaks and expands then no more water permiates, if it did 
then all the dams that are built properly would be dry hey.



With peace and brightest of blessings,

len

--
"Be Content With What You Have And
May You Find Serenity and Tranquillity In
A World That You May Not Understand."

http://www.gardenlen.com





>From: "Matthew Bond" <mjbond at gmail.com>
>Reply-To: permaculture-oceania <permaculture-oceania at lists.cat.org.au>
>To: permaculture-oceania at lists.cat.org.au
>Subject: [permaculture-oceania] Swales - high side or low side (trees)
>Date: Tue, 3 Oct 2006 13:03:04 +0800
>
>Hello all Swale experts,
>
>I'd just like to clarify whether or not it's important on which side the
>dirt that is coming out of
>the swale (i.e. to create it in the first place) is placed.  Does it have 
>to
>be on the higher or lower
>side and do the trees being planted have to be on a particular side of the
>swale?
>
>Much appreciated,
>
>Matthew.


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