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Today is an episode of TSP Rewind, commercial free versions of past podcast episodes. Today’s episode was originally Episode-1120- Designing Small Scale Forest Gardens and was originally published on April 30, 2013.

The following are the original show notes from that episode…

At the presentation I just did at the Self Reliance Expo there were two main things people had major questions about when it comes to food forestry. The first was “what trees and plants work in Texas” and that really is what will work in most of the US. The second is how does this all apply to a small back yard or smaller piece of land.

The Jujube or Chinese Date – A Great Small Tree for Forest Gardens

Now the new video Geoff Lawton just released shows what can be done, including with trees in small backyards. This videos leads off with a back yard that is only 640SF. Of course the first thing people ask then is, but what about our climate that is in the sub tropics. Um, did anyone but me notice the main trees in the system where apples?

That said I understand, it does often seem that many of the guilds (plant groupings) in Permaculture are geared to the subtropics and tropics. Ironically the first work on Permaculture “Permaculture One” is actually geared almost 100% to temperate climates. Today I am going to try to take this all down in size and simplify the concepts and explain how they really will work anywhere.

Join Me Today As We Discuss…

• Small Land Holding Advantages
  • Can be irrigated
  • Easy to intensively manage
  • Contain their own micro climates (easy to create more)
  • Most work can be done by hand (build and manage)
  • Are the most productive per square foot on the planet
  • Do not attract attention and easy to secure
  • Nitrogen fixers are not as critical (still a good idea)

• Things that are different from typical food forestry
  • The layers are scaled down
  • The number of support species are reduced
  • There are few “sacrificial plantings”
  • They don’t require swales or chickens but both are welcome
  • Small ponds and barrels are easily fed with roof catchment

• Special Considerations that Open Your Options Up
  • Shape isn’t critical, do what works
  • Solar aspect is a major concern, but work with it
  • Put in more irrigation then you think you will ever need
  • Consider ponds, please consider ponds
  • Think about power (solar first but grid is better then nothing)
  • You can plant a LOT closer and a LOT more dense then you think
  • If you have animals design in their nutrient flow
  • In a larger space build “glades” and maximize the edges
  • Build structures for your vines they can otherwise dominate a small system
  • Fertilize (organically) a lot early on
  • Mulch and chop and drop like crazy

• Trees to consider for North America
  • Apple
  • Plumb
  • Peach
  • Filbert/Hazelnut
  • Chinese Chestnut
  • Almond
  • Jujube
  • Persimmon
  • Edible Dogwoods
  • Pears
  • Cherry
  • Paw Paw
  • Medlars
  • Mulberry
  • Figs

• Bushes and Shrubs to Consider
  • Blueberry
  • Blackberry
  • Raspberry
  • Wolfberry/Goji Berry
  • Elderberry
  • Gooseberry
  • Currants
  • Goumi
  • Autumn Olive
  • Sea Buckthorn
  • Blue Honeysuckle
  • Aronia
  • High Bush Cranberry

• Ground Covers
  • Strawberry
  • Sweet Potato
  • Wintergreen
  • Salal
  • Emerald Carpet
  • Thyme (trailing)
  • Cranberry
  • Plant Anything Dense Enough and it is Ground Cover

• Vines
  • Grapes
  • Kiwi
  • Hops
  • Porcelainberry
  • Magnolia Vine
  • Maypop

• Other Plants to Consider
  • Large Hip Heirloom Roses
  • Chilean or Pineapple Guava
  • Herbs of all types especially Parsley and Basil
  • Flowers of all types
  • Plant annuals directly into the sunny spots in and around this system
  • Bamboos
  • Honestly anything you want

Resources for Today’s Show…

• Join the Members Brigade
• Join Our Forum
• Walking To Freedom
• TspAz.com – support TSP when you shop on Online
• Granddaddy’s Gun Club
• Biltong for Breakfast
• TSP Android App
• TSP iPhone App
• Raintree Nursery – A source for most of the plants mentioned today
• The new video by Geoff Lawton on Micro Space Permaculture

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