THREE SISTERS GUILD

This ancient system of growing corn, beans and squash illustrates how companion planting has been practiced with much success over the ages. Native American peoples planted them in different patterns depending on what region they lived in but overall the inspiration is based on Mother Nature. The method draws upon nature’s cycle of nutrients and flow of energy to create growing conditions that favor all three plants throughout their life cycle.

The corn provides vertical support the pole beans require to climb as well as a little shade for the squash. The squash shades the ground for the corn allowing moisture to remain in the soil longer. The pole beans provide nitrogen fertilizer by absorbing nitrogen from the air and converting to soluble nitrate in the soil. Microscopic nitrogen fixing bacteria live in small, often visible, nodules on the roots of legume plants (like beans and peas) enhancing the plants ability to absorb nitrogen.

How Native American peoples knew this I don’t know but they seemed to know a lot more about living sustainably than we do today. For more information about this planting Guild contact us today!

GARDEN DIVERSITY!

Over 300 different species of plants thrive on this 1/3 acre property in N. California. 4 humans, 2 dogs, insects, birds, lizards, even moles co-exist in harmony within these gardens. Next animal needed: CHICKENS!
Expected food crop yield this season is approximately 1000 lbs!


Plants Shown in Picture

• 10-30 year old fruit trees/vines: apple, fig, pomegranates, almond, grape, pepper, pecan
• 3 Sisters Spiral + clover: Sweet corn, 7 types squash (spaghetti, 3 types pumpkin, yellow crookneck, scallop bush, zucchini) and 2 types pole beans
• Elderberry with grape vine
• Potatoes interplanted with Yin Yang and Blue Lake bush beans and Nasturtiums: 6 varieties potatoes planted vertically: purple, red, Yucon gold, yellow finn, banana fingerling and russet
• Scarlet Runner bean Phaseolus coccineus
• Joe Pye Weed Eupatorium purpureum
• Costmary Tanacetum balsamita
• Garden Sage Salvia offincinalis
• Coneflower Echinacea purpurea
• English Lavender Lavandula angustifolia
  

**Not shown but growing lower down are chives, calendula, wooly and creeping thyme, oregano, feverfew and nasturtiums

Pretty fulfilling to grow your own food; it goes hand in hand with happiness.

Greywater and Praying Mantids

SHOULD IRRIGATION WATER BE FRESH DRINKING WATER?  

We think not!


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greywater, grey water, graywater, gray water….

however you spell California needs it!

Join the discussions about greywater currently underway between state agencies, professionals and the public!

Learn about greywater here:

http://oasisdesign.net/greywater/index.htm

http://www.greywaterguerrillas.com/

Praying Mantids

(over 20 species are native to the United States)

Praying mantids are voracious garden predators that wait in ambush for prey to come along. They are not picky and will eat any insect!  The CA native mantid (Stigmomantis californica) is often seen though most species seen in our gardens in CA are foreign (Chinese and European species) introduced early this century for agricultural pest control purposes.

 

Food Forests and Pomegranates

FOOD FORESTS

A food forest is exactly what it sounds like… an abundant and self sustaining forest of edible, medicinal and other useful plants. 

There are 7 layers to a food forest:

1. CANOPY: oak, pecan, walnut, olive

2. SUBCANOPY:  almonds, cherries,  dwarf fruit trees

3. SHRUBS: currants, berries, paw paw, elderberry, bamboo

4. HERBACIOUS:  echinacea, comfrey, mugwort, parsley, cilantro

5. GROUNDCOVER: strawberries, creeping thyme, some mints

6. CLIMBERS: grape (wild, table or wine), scarlet runner bean, akebia, kiwi

7. RHIZOSPERE: daikon, radish, beets, carrots, onions

The soil layer down to 6” or so is the next layer essential for all the layers above; the microsphere.  This layer consists of the soil food web; organic matter (mulch) feeding fungi, bacteria, protozoa, nematodes and the larger arthropods.

Let us design this type food system for your property!  Contact us today for reduced cost!

Pomegranate   Punica granatum

The pomegranate is a deciduous tree growing to 20ft in height by 15ft wide.  A native from Iran to the Himalayas in northern India it has been cultivated since ancient times throughout the Mediterranean region of Asia, Africa and Europe. Because of the many seeds found in pomegranate fruits, they were regarded as a symbol of fertility by the ancient cultures of Egypt, Greece, and Rome.

The fruits ripen 6 to 7 months after flowering.  The fruits improve in storage if not split and become juicier and more flavorful.  The juice sacs may be frozen intact or the extracted juice may be concentrated and frozen, for future use.