Learn2part2, Xeriscaping, food security and Dry Gardens, Sustainability

While I love container and sack gardening, and mobile-cart-gardening, I have also done some XERISCAPING projects, to augment soil health, diminish or prevent soil erosion, and to enable propagation of drought resistant berries, trees, and pollinators requiring greater root expansion areas than container gardening allows. I have also xeriscaped using herbs, gra****, local plant varieties, and climate-hardy and/or drought resistant vegetable varieties. Depending upon the space and location, XERISCAPING projects can be used in combination with container gardening and tree cultivation to maximize land/space yields.

XERISCAPING

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xeriscaping

http://www.wikihow.com/Xeriscape

Xeriscaping, (Greek: xeros, dry; Dutch: landschap—schap, ship—view of natural inland scenery): a beautiful water-conserving landscapes which correspond to existing environments. Xeriscaping techniques can be applied to any climate or environment—the concept is to utilize the water-supply and retention characteristics of each targeted environment, local or locally-sustainable plant species, and topography/soil (or water-culture, for swampy/bog areas) features to produce sustainable food-supply, pollinator-supporting, and/or ornamental/green-space gardens/landscapes.

For a good file explaining worm culture, xeriscaping and composting, see:

http://www.sbcounty.gov/dpw/solidwaste/pdf/20091105_dpw_backyard_compost_guide.pdf

You can use xeriscaping techniques (plant groupings for drought tolerance and similar soil maintenance conditions) in a variety of containers, or in raised-bed gardens, or xeriscape the existing landscape with appropriate plants and soil management techniques. Preserving and protecting existing plants, as possible, helps conserve soil structure and enhance water retention through building upon the established sub-soil root structures.

Beneficial pollinator-attracting flowers, insect repellant varieties, and cutting-garden flowers that may be xeriscaped (they will be smaller in size than well-watered plants) include: marigolds, daisies and chamomiles, verbenas. Perennials like lavender, Echinacea, yarrow, and tansy can thrive in dry conditions, as can herbs including rosemary (creeping or tall), sage, thyme, and oregano. Ornamental and useful gra****, including lemon grass (citronella) can also do well in dry conditions, as can some types of lotus root. Varieties of grain, beans, tomatoes, bush melons, squash and other vegetables also tolerate drought conditions and can be included in a xeriscaped garden.

Xeriscaping techniques can make life better for communities living with the challenges of insufficient water supplies to sustain agricultural efforts.

http://hopeinaction.org/Drought-TolerantVegetables.shtml

HOPE IN ACTION provides drought-resistant plants and seeds to orphanages, to help fight underlying causes of food insecurity, malnutrition and financial insecurity. Plants and seeds are drought-tolerant and highly nutritious, and children learn valuable gardening and infrastructure-building skills.

Some more useful sites include:

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/story.php?S_No=977&storyType=garde

site presents some drought tolerant beans and vegetables

http://www.harvestwizard.com/2009/07/drought_tolerant_vegetables.html

site lists some drought tolerant and indigenous/organic grains, beans and vegetables suitable for xeriscaping, including Amaranth, Garbanzo bean, Tepary bean, Snake bean, Black Aztec corn, greens, tomatoes, melons, seminole pumpkins, squash. The site also recommends planting guidelines to maximize soil and water conditions.

Another site presenting guidelines and simple practices to improve plant production in dry-farming and xeriscape gardening is:

http://www.harvestwizard.com/2009/02/dry_gardening.html

Best practices include:

· digging organic matter into your garden soil;

· mulching around maturing plants (use aged compost, do not touch stems with mulch);

· surface cultivation (to loosen soil, capture and retain water—dust mulching and other techniques)

· reducing number of plants, increasing spaces between plants (you could add container plants in spaces)

· protect garden soil with windbreaks (Sunflowers provide shade if needed, and natural “poles” for climbing bean vines; Jerusalem artichokes, Echinacea, tansy can also be grown as natural windbreaks).

Another useful link is to fellow EVOKE Agent Pradip Dey’s (http://www.urgentevoke.com/profiles/blogs/evoke-farm-problems?commentId=4871302%3AComment%3A36667&xg_source=msg_com_blogpost) Act2 Food Security blog information link http://evokefarmproblems.wordpress.com/ on farm problems, soil conservation and maintenance techniques. And, of course, fellow EVOKE agents’ links to container and sack gardening information sites.

I hope this sparks some more creative solution development--thanks for reading!