For
this area we get so much water that one important strategy
for this site is to create raised hugelkultur-style beds so the plants
on site do not flood. I have already added three beds on the north side
of the house from old wood and soil from on site, and so far they are
working famously in soaking up the moisture...already flooding is
greatly reduced on the design site! This is of course very encouraging
and we are very excited to see what plants will do well in this raised
style bed type. (Picture included as well...this image has a bit of all
three raised beds on the south. Some lettuces and garlics are popping
up on the right (planted 1-2 weeks ago), kale, peas, & rosemary can
be seen in the far bed, and on the left two side of a keyhole entrance
which we just started building...it needs to be built up more yet (not
yet tall enough). (See also posts on: Raised Bed images).
For
the map, the hops guild I have planned will be located on the north
side of the property (but far enough away from the house that it
receives full sun). To the south of the house are the hugelkultur-style variation beds I
have already built and begun to plant.
The water flow from
the roof of the house drains to the four corners of the main structure,
with the largest volume of water going to the northwest corner of the
primary residence (where the water storage tank is located).
There is an abundance of exciting plants in this plan. Fortunately I have a terrific seed collection saved up from the last two years when I really
wanted to have a garden but couldn't yet. I still need to acquire
several kinds of seeds including bee balm, veronica, raspberry, rue,
savory, and mint, as well as yarrow, valerian, & borage for the
guild. I have all the other seeds on site already including hops
rhizomes for the hops guild, and many seeds already starting in pots
indoors.
I'm not certain if raspberries will work on the east
side but they will certainly get sun there. I am trying for blueberries
on the east side near the main structure...not *too* much sun, the soil is acidic, and that part of the yard gets
a lot of moisture. The mints and other companion plants help to attract
bees, and the herbs on the south side (east of the porch) and native
flower gardens are also for attracting pollinators. This is so much
fun to organize and begin to implement...I am excited for the spring to
be in full swing and watch everything grow!
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Monday, March 11, 2013
design site guild project: hops guild
Here is what I have so far for a guild out back...the one I do will most likely be much simpler but i wanted practice researching guilds. There are no major plants on
site already that I wanted to build a guild around, but we love to home
brew beer so we already ordered some hops rhizomes (Cascades & Newport varieties),
which we want to attempt to make an archway with as hops tends to vine
and trellis quickly. There are both perennials and annuals included in
this plan, and strawberries can be grown for 4 to 5 consecutive years
before I would want to switch that crop. The nitrogen fixers are next
to the hops because hops requires a good deal of nitrogen. This plan
seems to have a good deal of sage and spinach incorporated, but I love
sage and spinach. It also seems like a good deal of borage, but it does
work to make strawberries more robust. I would love any suggestions as
several of these plants I have not tried growing together.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
interesting climate data for this region
First and last average frost date:
Average first frost...October 20.
Average last frost...April 1-14.
Average annual rainfall or snowfall by month (30 yr period)January........5.40
February......4.85
March...........6.19
April.............4.23
May..............4.28
June.............3.99
July..............4.73
August.........3.59
September...4.31
October........3.26
November....4.88
December.....4.81
(Yearly..........54.5) Record 24 hour rainfall
Most Rain in 24 Hours was 9.5" from September 5-6, 2011.
Average low temperature
Average January low is 31 degrees.
Record low temperature
-10 degrees F on January 21, 1985. Average high temperature
Average July high is 90 degrees.
Record high temperature:
107 degrees F on June 30 and July 1, 2012.
Any other interesting climatic data you run across:
Most Rain in One Hour was 2.70" on July 27, 1976.
Most Rain in One Month was 16.32" back in March 1980.
Most Rain in One Year was 73.70" in 1994.
Most Snow in 24 Hours was 20" on March 12-13, 1993. (so far this year we have only seen snow 3x, and all three times it covered the ground completely within an hour and melted off within another hour...) (can you tell I am coming from Arizona, as I am impressed by all this rain!)
Average first frost...October 20.
Average last frost...April 1-14.
Average annual rainfall or snowfall by month (30 yr period)January........5.40
February......4.85
March...........6.19
April.............4.23
May..............4.28
June.............3.99
July..............4.73
August.........3.59
September...4.31
October........3.26
November....4.88
December.....4.81
(Yearly..........54.5) Record 24 hour rainfall
Most Rain in 24 Hours was 9.5" from September 5-6, 2011.
Average low temperature
Average January low is 31 degrees.
Record low temperature
-10 degrees F on January 21, 1985. Average high temperature
Average July high is 90 degrees.
Record high temperature:
107 degrees F on June 30 and July 1, 2012.
Any other interesting climatic data you run across:
Most Rain in One Hour was 2.70" on July 27, 1976.
Most Rain in One Month was 16.32" back in March 1980.
Most Rain in One Year was 73.70" in 1994.
Most Snow in 24 Hours was 20" on March 12-13, 1993. (so far this year we have only seen snow 3x, and all three times it covered the ground completely within an hour and melted off within another hour...) (can you tell I am coming from Arizona, as I am impressed by all this rain!)
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