Wow. A lot has happened since the last update. We moved permanently to New Zealand in November 2019, and spent approximately 2 months visiting as many gardens, Tree Cropper events and member’s homes as possible, and learning what is growing in Auckland and Waikato. Then we moved to Charleston in late January, and began work on our forest garden. The first [and so far only] tree was planted – an Araucaria bidwillii.
I’ve finally finished the 3rd article in the modern nitrogen fixing series, which is about poplars and willows. I’m excited to share this information out there. There’s also a special mention of the disease fighting properties of willow mulch – something we’ve not even touched the tip of yet. There are many reasons to grow willows and poplars.
Two first articles of modern nitrogen cycling series are up
The first two articles in the modern nitrogen cycling series are up.
First we talk about pines:
https://agroforestry.co.nz/nitrogen-fixation-in-pinus/
The second deals with nitrogen fixation in sugarcane:
https://agroforestry.co.nz/nitrogen-fixation-in-saccharum/
Both of these plants are occasionally used in forest gardening / permaculture / agroforestry situations, but it’s relatively unknown (outside of the fields of forest ecology and horticulture, respectively) that they both can fix significant amounts of nitrogen. The picture of nitrogen cycling has changed a lot in recent decades, and over the coming weeks I will be trying to adapt this knowledge for a forest gardener audience so that we can be more effective in our work. As a result, I won’t make sweeping generalizations until the bigger picture has emerged – but for now, know that nitrogen fixing in nature is a lot more common than previously believed and the next few articles will hopefully make that amply clear.
-Jon Colyer
West Coast Agroforestry – launched!
The West Coast Agroforestry site is now up, if you can read this. There will be a lot of changes occurring while we improve things and get to work.