Edible Forest Garden 4: Zones 2 & 3

We transformed Zone 1 of the Edible Forest Garden (EFG) earlier in 2011 (see other post); I figured that we would take similar steps (straw, cardboard, etc.) in zones 2 and 3 in spring 2012. I wasn’t looking forward to it—all that cardboard, compost, and straw on an area 3 times the size of zone 1. But I was resigned to it.

Then serendipity struck. A friend in town learned of a winery that wanted to responsibly dispose of many tons of grape pomace—the skins, seeds, and stems discarded during the wine-making process. Beth and I figured “free organic material—our compost pile will be happy” and told him to start bringin’ it. He delivered it using a borrowed pickup and trailer, and Beth and I started piling it on top of some straw bales to develop a compost pile.

 

But then Beth had an intriguing idea: How about spreading the pomace atop the grass in zones 2 and 3, and thereby get a head start on building up the organic content of the soil? That girl is clever!

So that’s what we did. Ultimately, she and I pitchforked about 11 tons of it: about 4 onto the compost pile (which turned out not to work too well—too many seeds, not enough other stuff), and 7 onto the lawn. Not so fun for my shoulder (labrum tear etc repaired in 2007; current condition includes rotator cuff and labrum tears), but we got it done.

Some grape pomace atop the lawn

Grape pomace covering the lawn, except for future paths

I forked whatever straw we had left onto part of it, plus some oak leaves from the property across the street, then let it sit there for two months, slowly decomposing in the rain—or hibernating in mid-January under 6” of snow (the only snow we got that winter)!

Starting in late February, zones 2 and 3 underwent massive change. By the end of March, the insightful, Popeye-like Dave Shoemaker and I had done the following:
• planted about 50 new trees and shrubs (ranging in size from 1 to 4 feet high)
• transplanted 25 figs & honeyberries from elsewhere on the property to the EFG
• treated the roots of all these with mycorrhizal fungi to promote nitrogen fixing
• mulched all plants with pea gravel
• raked away all of the grape pomace (! thanks Dave!)
• put cardboard down in some areas
• sowed some cool-season cover crop in the other areas (better late than never)
• re-spread the grape pomace, then covered with straw (mostly) or leaves
• laid plastic and 3/8” minus gravel on all the paths

New plants and transplants with light-colored pea-gravel mulch circles.

Straw, cardboard, leaves.... some experimentation with mulching.

Same area as above, but with paths!

Note cardboard at front right, and green Zone 1 in the distance

By the end of June, the core of an irrigation system had been installed (see separate post).

In late spring, I sowed buckwheat seed throughout the entire EFG. In early summer, it really took off in zones 2 (especially) and 3, making the place look wild, and nearly obscuring some of the paths completely.

 

My nemesis bindweed started to overtake the buckwheat in late July, weaving its tendrils up the fragile stalks and causing them to collapse -- still alive, but growing sideways.

All the trees and shrubs that I planted in the winter were very happy this season—most doubled or tripled in height, and doubled to quintupled their above-ground mass. Here are some typical views of part of the EFG in late September, including plant names.

Some even produced a little fruit (figs & honeyberries). But I don’t expect first harvests from the others until next year or 2014.

In early October, I scythed down the cover crop, raked away all the organic-matter cover debris, pulled out surviving weeds and grass clumps, sowed the cool-season cover crop, watered, sprayed the bindweed :(, and covered everything back up. After two months, the cover crop is 6-12” tall. With luck, the bindweed will be greatly reduced next year. We shall see.