fedges

[John Howe]

>In a message dated 4/30/99 6:52:27 AM, you wrote:
>
><<One of the projects we are starting here is a fedge,
>and I'm trying to figure out what plants I should
>include. has anyone had any experience doing this ?
>This particular fedge should provide,
>- Deer barrier help, at least 8 ft tall. It will
>initially be between two 4ft tall wire fences 'till it
>grows up.
>- food/forage/habitat for bees, quail and other birds,
>benifical insects, people forage too
>- be fairly low maintenence once established. self
>fertile, etc..
>
>Filberts, and nanking cherries are a couple plants in
>the raintree catalog that look interesting.
>
>It is an open sunny location for most of the length,
>towards the end it meets up with existing oak tree
>area. We are located in the Santa cruz mountains, USDA
>zone 9, 2400 feet, very rainy winters, and very hot
>dry summers. 
>
>If you have any ideas or recomendations of books to
>consult, I'd appreciate it
>
>Thanks
>
>Deb>>
>
>Well of course there are very many species that will do well. I'd look 
>closely at two genera for nitrogen fixers:  Caragana and Elaegnus.  Both will 
>respond to mulch for establishment.  What are your winter temperatures?  
>Sounds like close to a Mediterranean climate and so I'd look at those 
>species. Most of the crop species (e.g. figs, olive, carob) from that region 
>like sun so would have to be on a sunny edge.  Soil pH?  Drainage? Fertility? 
> Do you want barrier plants, or just functional in other ways.  Trifoliate 
>orange might do well, again on a sunny edge, though most citrus and near 
>relatives take a bit of shade.  Do you get frost?  If not, coffee makes an 
>nice interior plant,, being shade tolerant and all.  There are species of 
>amelanchier that could do well, but these are also sunny edge species.  
>Jujube is well suited, being a good barrier plant and both flood and drought 
>tolerant.  (Most of the drought tolerant plants like irrigation while getting 
>established and really benefit from mulch, even the most tolerant of drought.)
>
>Are you too cold for the mesquite genus.  It has a number of species, but 
>I've never had the need to look into them.  Cacti will be good low in the 
>fedge, particularly opuntia spp as they make good eating as nopalis.  They 
>will fruit in sun but take a surprising amount of shade if all you want is 
>pads.  
>
>Is 8 feet really the height limit?  Or could we plunk a few olives and carobs 
>in the center than maybe go to 12 or 16 feet and build edges with lower 
>plants.  
>
>Some plants will form thickets all by themselfes--a number of plums do this 
>and, again, jujube is a good one.  
>
>How is the fedge oriented to the winter and summer winds?  Maybe we can get 
>some vines in there.  Don't neglect brambles.  Generally blackberries on a 
>shady edge (or open interior), raspberries on a sunny edge, and black 
>raspberries in mosit but well drained locations (probably not suitable in  
>your case.) The entire rosa genus is at your disposal for this.  
>
>It is not useful to become more specific than this without knowing the total 
>design.  Will the fedge be oriented to trap winter snow (if any)?  How deep 
>will it be?  How deep is the soil?  Is there water catchment and storage 
>upgrade that can help during establishment years?  What native species are 
>already present.  What zone is this with respect to the dwelling (if any)?  
>Etc, etc., etc.  Function varies as to placement.  If the fedge is on contour 
>it can be set up in a swale (assuming that the soil is sufficiently deep).  
>These little design features are wonderful because we get to use everything 
>in permaculture design in working them out.  (And if we don't, they really 
>aren't permaculture, are they?)  
>
>Best of success with your project.
>
>For Mother Earth, Dan Hemenway, Yankee Permaculture Publications (since 
>1982), Elfin Permaculture workshops, lectures, Permaculture Design Courses, 
>consulting and permaculture designs (since 1981), and annual correspondence 
>courses via email.  Copyright, 1998, Dan & Cynthia Hemenway, P.O. Box 52, 
>Sparr FL 32192 USA  Internships. YankeePerm at aol.com  
>
>We don't have time to rush.
>
>A list by topic of all Yankee Permaculture titles may be found at 
>http://csf.colorado.edu/perma/ypc_catalog.html
>Elfin Permaculture programs are listed at the Eastern Permaculture Teachers 
>assn home page: http://home.ptd.net/~artrod/epta/eptahmp.html
>
>
>-------
>
>PS  We will be teaching a 10-day intensive design workshop somewhere in your 
>general vicinity in August?  Want to host a weekend fedge-design workshp?

John Howe

<http://www.arashi.com/>
John Howe <johnhowe at arashi.com>