Applegater Winter 2009 5 DIRTY FINGERNAILS AND ALL Full-life living BY SIOUX ROGERS Right up front, my shameful grouped together by similar watering apologies for using this column to conditions. I personally am falling in rearrange my brain cells. Gardening, love with some beautiful succulents that, even for the simplest of posies, is not after enjoying a snow-covered nap, come always so simple. Like, do you know why forth smiling in the spring. But I would a marigold is never purple? I don’t! Ok, not plant them in the shade with thirsty so who really cares? Grandma certainly hydrangeas. Two other important points didn’t. for maintaining a xeriscape landscape: (1) Now, because I loathe to be left Water when the plants need it, i.e. they behind, here is an entirely new vocabulary look droopy, and (2) Mulch heavily and Credits: All photographs from Midwest Permaculture. for the chic gardener. Hence my latest appropriately wherever you can. This last educational focus. Anyhow, some of suggestion is how I justify coveting thirsty that can cause long-term damage to Whether it be thousands of you at least must be tired of the “touchy- hydrangeas. I plant them in shade in very soil include excessive tillage (leading to commercial acres, a small family-run farm feely” stuff. humus soil with an abundance of mulch. erosion) and irrigation without adequate or a private garden, one must practice Do you have a clear focus I rarely need to water them. drainage (leading to accumulation of responsible long-term, not shortsighted, and uncluttered understanding of Next, “permaculture” and salt in the soil).” (Source: Wikipedia.) ecological community maintenance. This “xeriscape,” “sustainable agriculture,” and “sustainable agriculture” philosophically Notice the overlapping definition with bespeaks to me of local farmers’ markets, “permaculture”? The more I read, the and practically sound related, although permaculture. growing your own food, bartering local more overlap I see in the philosophical are given different Wikipedia definitions In 1990 FACTA (Food, food for local goods and services, and meanings and viewpoints. and not lumped together. Agriculture, Conservation and Trade being vigilant not to purchase products Wikipedia is often my step-off “The word permaculture, coined Act) also addressed sustainable agriculture made in, say China, rather than local or spot for definitions. So let’s begin by Australian Bill Mollison and his as the following: at least in the United States. I call this with “Xeriscape” per Wikipedia: “. student David Holmgren during the consciousness “full-life living.” landscaping in ways that do not require 1970s, is a portmanteau of ‘permanent • “Satisfy human food and fiber needs Xeriscape, sustainable agriculture, supplemental irrigation. It is promoted agriculture’ as well as ‘permanent culture.’ • Enhance environmental quality and permaculture and the vagueness of in areas that do not have easily accessible This last phrase, ‘permanent agriculture,’ the natural resource base upon which edible landscaping is as much about supplies of fresh water…” The root word a workable philosophy was first developed the agricultural economy depends land stewardship as it is about social and “xeros” actually means “dry” in Greek. by Franklin Hiram King in 1911. • Make the most efficient use of economical community integration and Even though the definition refers to The only ethical decision is to take nonrenewable resources and on- sustainability. There is nothing in nature water needs and the availability of water responsibility for our own existence and farm resources and integrate, where that does only one thing. that, at least for me, is not substantive or that of our children.” (Mollison, 1990) appropriate, natural biological cycles inclusive of the entire scope of “xeriscape.” Mollison has been teaching and speaking, and controls For the Love of Dirt First, all new plantings need water until and is the philosophical disciple of King’s • Sustain the economic viability of farm Sioux Rogers established. If, “well, duh” is your original work. operations 541-846-7736 response, good! At least, that was easily In his book Introduction to • Enhance the quality of life for farmers [email protected] clarified. Most of the plants used by Permaculture: Concepts and Resources, and society as a whole.” the landscape architects and promoters Steve Diver says, “A central theme in of xeriscaping are quite similar; that is, permaculture is the design of ecological per a given region, such as our Pacific landscapes that produce food. Emphasis “For the love of dirt, can you tell me…?” Northwest, compared to say southern is placed on multi-use plants, cultural Florida or Iowa or Boulder, Colorado. practices such as sheet mulching and 1. Q: Is this the time to feed and trim my roses? They look awful. RJ, As a very brief example, consider for our trellising, and the integration of animals Ashland area abella, artemesia, buddleia, lavender, to recycle nutrients and graze weeds. A: In this climate (zone 7 on the USDA chart), most all roses look “However, awful in winter, especially if the weather is its usual cold. Many years ago p e r m a c u l t u r e I was told never to prune my roses until the last frost was gone. For me, at e n t a i l s m u c h 1,400-foot elevation with skimpy sun exposure, that means Memorial Day. more than just A few years ago a friend who lives a few hills away in the Rogue Valley, said food production. she always prunes her roses on St. Patrick’s Day. She came over and pruned Energy-efficient all my roses! I saw no difference in their health or flowering. This earlier date b u i l d i n g s , seems to be the recommended norm for the Rogue Valley. w a s t e w a t e r Another indication as to when to prune is when the buds start to swell. t r e a t m e n t , Also, I heard it is time to prune your roses when the forsythia are in bloom. recycling, and So experiment and see which works for your exposure, elevation, frost land stewardship date and type of roses you grow. in general are other important 2. Q: I am brand new to the gardening world. I am embarrassed to components of ask, but what is the difference between an “annual” and a “perennial”? CM, p e r m a c u l t u re . Jacksonville More recently, A: Let me answer this very easily and simply. No need to be rosemary, ribus and rosa rugosa. These permaculture has expanded its purview to embarrassed. Think of annual as once a year. An annual, once again depending same plants could be used in other areas, include economic and social structures that on the weather, usually has a short life cycle beginning with planting a seed in but differently, perhaps as a treasured support the evolution and development late winter or early spring. The plant “does its thing” of producing a flower, houseplant. A reverse example might be of more permanent communities… edible (broccoli) or non-edible (lobelia), then is gone, as in dead, when the the jade plant, which grows all year long “Sustainable agriculture refers weather once again is too cold. Annuals can be started indoors or in hot houses with minimal water and care in southern to the ability of a farm to produce food in late winter or very early spring. Many people just buy their annuals at the California. In a colder climate, it is a indefinitely, without causing severe or local nursery. coveted houseplant. irreversible damage to ecosystem health. Perennials have a much longer life cycle than an annual. Some last A basis for successful xeriscaping Two key issues are biophysical (the long- for many, many years, some for several. Often perennials “die” down to the is to begin with the fauna natural to term effects of various practices on soil ground just for the winter. They really have just gone to sleep or become that area. That part is easy; check with properties and processes essential for crop dormant. In spring or early summer, they are refreshed and come back bigger your local extension service. For more productivity) and socio-economic (the and better. elaborate landscaping, it is necessary to long-term ability of farmers to obtain do research on what grows well in the inputs and manage resources such as Hope these very brief responses clarify a few of the wonderful “zone” where you live. labor). mystics of gardening. For the love of dirt, keep the questions coming. When maintaining xeriscape The physical aspects of sustainability [email protected] design, it is essential that plants be are only partly understood. Practices .