Companion Planting Information and Chart

Companion planting at it's best -corn, climbing beans and squash form the ancient Three Sisters Guild

We recently received an e-mail from a gentleman in China looking for...

"what plants you may have in your garden that you can transplant next to your Rose or your Apple tree to see how they nurture each other over time"

I thought I would post our own updated list of companion plants for him and anyone else interested. While I would love to say this plant or that plant are "best" I feel I must remind folks to keep in mind your climate, soil and many, many other factors that determine how well these plants cooperate together.  Trial and error is the best choice to begin companion planting but the chart below should lead you in the right direction...

THINK GLOBAL - SHOP LOCAL Give the Gift of a Garden

How many times have your family and friends said to you,

“If only I had more time to spend in the garden!” or

“I wish I knew more about growing fruit trees.” or even

“It would be great to have an expert over to consult with me about my gardens.”?

If your answer was "A LOT!" then give the gift of a garden or garden advice to your friends and family. Simply contact us today at 530-828-6390 and we’ll set you up with a beautiful gift certificate that can either be directly mailed to the garden loving people in your life or we can meet in person to discuss details.  You’ll be supporting an 11 year old Chico business while caring for the planet at the same time! 

Gift Certificate Example

Urban Permaculture Project -2 years in progress

My husband and I have been actively working on an urban 2/3 acre permaculture project for 2 years this month. We began the design and subsequent installation at a residence in October of 2009 and it continues in multiple phases today.  As we complete the swimming pool to aquaculture pond conversion and reflect upon our progress thus far we would like to share our experiences -the trials, corrections and successes made along the way and to basically let more people know about this Mediterranean climate permaculture project.

Permaculture Student Intern turned Assistant and Upcoming PDC with Robyn Francis and Cathe’ Fish

Poster I created for the PDC

I've been marketing an upcoming Permaculture Design Course (PDC) for my own PDC instructor and mentor Cathe' Fish.  Cathe' and world renown permaculture educator, Robyn Francis of Australia, will be co-teaching a 13 day PDC intensive this October. (Seriously, someone pinch me!)

Cathe' and I have been utilizing an internship/work-trade system since we met 2008 and it's been an incredible experience learning from someone as dynamic and experienced as Cathe'.  I highly recommend permaculture students find a way to study under an accomplished permaculture designer for a few years after taking their PDC; the knowledge, hands on experience and self-confidence one gains from working with an experienced permaculturist is priceless.

An Elderberry Volunteers -Applying Permaculture Principle Number One in Our Backyard

Work With Nature Rather Than Against It: We can assist rather than impede natural elements, forces, pressures, processes, agencies, and evolutions.

Observe and Interact: By taking the time to engage with nature we can design solutions that suit our particular situation.

Elderberry volunteer 4-25-08

This beautiful California native shrub (photo above) is a volunteer plant.  He sprouted up a few years ago, probably from the seed of a passing bird, and staked his claim on what our family had planned to be a sunny Zone 2 herb garden… and we let him take over.  Once we did our due diligence of his habits and functions, that is.  What we found are shrubs like the native Elderberry (Sambucus mexicana) are insectary plants and provide pollen, nectar, shelter, as well as undisturbed habitat, for beneficial insect predators and parasites. 

From grass to habitat garden... our front yard 2005-2011

Our rural 1/3 acre of land in Northern California has been our home and office as well as a continual experiment in ecological land care and permaculture for over 6 years.  Our decision to relocate to the 'city' this month has us pondering just how much we've improved this particular piece of land in the short amount of time we've been here...  so I decided to take a journey back in time. 

Rope swing 2011

Unbeknown to us in 2005 we moved into a chemical dependent neighborhood; neighbors who rely on pest control companies, Round Up and weed/feed for regular property maintenance.  Within our own property we found enamel paint had been washed out on the back lawn and evidence of recent herbicide and pesticide spraying around our new house (pest company sticker in the garage with the date of application).  Gardening ecologically for a long time we have learned a lot about how to make the transition from a chemical dependent landscape to an organic and biologically based one and how to do it with little time and effort.

Growing Blue Oyster Mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) in a Box Kit

I have to hand it to my husband and business partner, Brian, for trying new things all the time.  He loves to branch out and learn new practical skills.  In his spare time of late he’s been growing Blue Oyster Mushrooms for food and loving every minute of it. 

Mushroom Box Kit results 2011

He’s always loved mushrooms while I’ve never been a big fan.  I love mushrooms for their mycoremediation ability allowing contaminated land to regenerate and for their knack of creating the soil conditions my perennial plants prefer: fungal dominated soils.  But Brian, he just loves to eat them so why not start growing them too.

Volunteer plants in a Feijoa arbor guild

I love plants that volunteer in the garden.  Some of my favorite and most cherished plants have been volunteers.  They’re almost always sturdy and very healthy having found an ideal niche to germinate and grow in.  Two volunteers I found this year are equally useful and beautiful -Borage (Borago officinalis) and English Plantain (Plantago lanceolata).  Both volunteered in our Feijoa arbor guild.

This particular guild’s central plant is the Feijoa (Feijoa sellowiana).  Actually 2 Feijoas create the arbors’ archway between two of our gardens and each has a nestling of plants at the base which spread outward.  The Feijoa started out with only Lavender and Calendula for companions but this spring they have many, many more friends; loads of which were volunteers (or spreading volunteers, like apple mint).

Feijoa arbor guild plants early Spring 2011

Books -a reliable resource

We recently had a friend ask us for a list of good, easy to read permaculture books.  It got us thinking about the fact we've never cataloged our "library" of books.  They are such a wonderful resource and don't succumb to electricity outages...

Part of our "library"

While the "library" as it stands is comprised of several bookshelves, some tabletops and a lot of wandering to find the one you're looking for, we are in the process of relocating our family and business so it seems fitting to take inventory.  

We've listed 35 permaculture, gardening, sustainable living type books below; some we own and have read, some we don't own and have read, some we've read only bits and pieces from and some we've never read at all but have been advised to read.   We also put them on the side bar to check out as you read other blog entries.

Spring Mulch on Site aka Chop and Drop Mulching

It’s important to consider our unique Mediterranean climate this particular time of year. Getting a basic understanding of how our seasons, the hydrologic cycle and your gardens all interact is not only fascinating but essential for healthy plants and soil life.

chop and drop wheat and other grasses for green mulch

 

Precipitation exceeds evaporation in the Spring*.  Air and soil temperatures gradually rise with increasing daylight hours, critters become more active, plants begin to grow again and everyone thrives with the moisture and additional warmth of early Spring.  How we can utilize this seasonal activity to our benefit and ultimately the health of the whole landscape? 

Mulch-on-Site 
aka Chop and Drop mulching

Random photos of Springtime in Northern California

for your enjoyment...

Akebia quniata

Ladybug eggs next to aphids

Chard and mint

Turkey tail mushrooms

EARN YOUR PERMACULTURE DESIGN CERTIFICATE!

Earth Care - People Care - Fair Share

PERMACULTURE OFFERS POSITIVE SOLUTIONS TO A PLANET IN CRISIS

PERMACULTURE DESIGN COURSE

with Cathe’ Fish & Neil Bertrando

March 12- March 20, 2011

BLUEBIRD FARM – SUSTAINABLE FARM IN NEVADA CITY, CA

Learn how to design for stability, resilience, and abundance at a farm that is dedicated to sustainability and community health. Gain hands-on skills in sustainable systems design and application.

Permaculture provides a framework for consciously designed landscapes that mimic the patterns and relationships found in nature. These systems yield an abundance of shelter, water, energy, and food for the provision of local needs that provide diversity, stability, and resilience for local populations.

DISCOVER SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR FARM, RURAL LAND OR SUBURBAN BACKYARD 

Planting for Seed Saving

ADAPT YOUR PLANTS, INCREASE DIVERSITY

Calendula seed

Here are a few tips for planting success:

•       If your intentions are to save seed from certain plants -grow more plants than you think you need.  This allows room for error and the unexpected and also ensures there will be enough plants from which to harvest all your seed.

•       Saving seed requires you grow plants to maturity.  This means they get a lot bigger when not harvested or deadheaded, so leave more room around them.  The plants you let go to seed will most likely be growing in random places so be fairly flexible in your overall garden design and subsequent plantings.

•       Think about isolation.  This means in space (location) or in time (month of seed harvest) or both.  By doing so you maximize the chance of maintaining the specific variety you're after. Look up recommended isolation distances or choose early and late varieties that flower at different times. Remember to try and check with your neighbors -they might be growing something that will cross!  If they are, you will need to isolate yours with physical barriers to prevent pollen transfer.  If it’s a GMO, ask them to buy open pollinated seed instead!

Chive seedhead

EAT YOUR GREENS!

Shown below are several types of edible leafy green vegetables you can grow easily (and over winter!) in your gardens...

bok choy, borage, broccoli, cabbage,  hollyhocks, cilantro, dandelions, kohlrabi, red mustard, spinach

bok choy -a bit more tender than other winter greens.  we like it as a lettuce substitute in sandwiches.

CHARD

Beta vulgaris (many varieties)

Native to Europe’s Mediterranean climate chard is a delight for any Northern California winter garden.

Chard is a tall leafy green vegetable in the same family as beets and spinach.  Without a significant edible root like beets, chard instead has a thick, crunchy stalk which can measure almost two feet in length.  The stalk and mid ribs can be white, red or yellow with either smooth or curly green or red leaves -depending upon variety.

red chard