PASCOE VALE PERMABLITZ

September 27, 2013 2 Comments

I never fail to be impressed by how many beautiful people show up to lend a hand, for a stranger, for free!

The first hot day of Spring saw us spades in hand under the baking sun. Sunscreen formed a second skin and my main facilitating job took the form of hydration police, although yelling “I don’t want any fainters!” seemed to elicit giggles rather than a rush to icy drinks.

With the imminent arrival of a crew of 50, facilitators became team leaders with 10 bodies a piece. The metres of mulch pit path ahead of us would allow no time for a casual 50+ intro circle no matter how interesting their “favourite tree” or “how many blitzes they attended”. Facilitators Nikki, Carly and Jess got down to the the important business of stretches and back friendly spade technique; I marked out the paths.

Head facilitator roughly translates to cheer squad captain and I planned to have a hoarse voice by the end of the day, we wanted spirits to remain high, as why would you sign up for hours of labouring if there wasn’t some fun involved? The kids sure had a blast with Fuchsia making amazing birdscares including a pretty fancy scarecrow. And I like to believe lots of new friends were made, and people bonded over being “team grey water mulch pit” and “stinky decomposing cacti area” (some people are born heroes!).

After a lovely lunch, a more relaxing afternoon was spent planting out the mandala intensive garden beds and listening to Nikki do a workshop on fruit tree planting, which to her surprise (and no one else’s) had rave reviews. It’s always great when people share their knowledge, what is second nature to some is not always the case for others and people really love to take something new home with them after a long day. Team Dylan chook strawyard looked pretty pleased with themselves and their were lots of lingers way after the official day’s end, always a great sign!

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Photo credit: Kellie Gollings @ https://www.facebook.com/KellieGollingsPhotography & TheDesertEcho.

Garden

PASCOE VALE FOOD FOREST GARDEN PERMABLITZ DESIGN

July 23, 2013 6 Comments

food-forest-garden-deciduous-fruite-trees-evergreen-acacias

pascoe vale
permablitz design

design for food forest garden

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Following a near death experience Fuchsia realised that life’s too short to be stuck in the office, a slave to money. You work all day to earn an income, because you work all day you don’t have anytime so you spend that income on things you could otherwise do yourself and collapse exhausted in front of the TV. So she cut down her work hours to spend her time on what she was truly passionate about: gardening and her radio show.

When she approached us for a design we thought, this is what Permablitz is all about: helping people become more self-sufficent because they need to in order to survive. One day it might not just be those on a shoestring budget who find there is no other alternative but to grow their on food…

…until then people like Fuchsia will be the trail blazers who light the way in darker times.

So please join us on August 31st 2013 in Pascoe Vale for this exciting Blitz. Check out the Permablitz website for more details and email Fuchsia to let her know you’re coming! Like it on facebook to spread the word!

Pascoe Vale Permablitz Summary

Mandala, keyhole gardens for large crops, compost and chicken rotation to improve soil e.g. corn, potatoes, cucurbits, companion herbs surround

Bananas in mulch pit irrigated with grey water piped from house. Plants like banana and bamboo don’t mind wet feet.

Fuchsia has already done a lot of hard work in the garden, creating a beautiful pond which is the central element in our new design

Pascoe Vale Permablitz Summary Continued

Subtropical plants around mulch pit e.g. cardamom, galangal, curry leaf, tamarillo

Swale mulch path for pond overflow and natural site runoff collection to replenish ground water

Relaxation area/fairy garden

Understorey of forest garden – perennials, self-seeders, nitrogen fixers, bird and insect attractors, shade tolerant, ground covers, non-compacting root systems, fast growing

Support shrubs interplanting – nitrogen fixers to support nutrient hungry fruit trees e.g. acacia, tagasaste

Mulch paths for drainage and inhibits weeds, will breakdown after a year to form compost for fruit trees

Deciduous trees, pruned to be open allowing light to plants below

Propagation area & greenhouse/shade house on concrete north facing and close to house

Additional no-dig raised garden beds for intensive vegetable production close to house

Fox proof chicken house and straw yard 1m off boundary fence to comply with council requirements

Chook run 1m wide along boundary fence, planted with chicken fodder e.g. comfrey, nasturtiums, mugwort, wormwood

Forest garden incorporating existing trees, when garden is established selected trees will be removed

Berried and vines to grow on chook run fence and boundary fences e.g. raspberries, grape, kiwi, passionfruit

Garden

THE COBURG PERMABLITZ PART 2 – ESPALIERS & BEER

August 30, 2011 No Comments

Bluestone retaining wall and mulch path at the Permablitz in Coburg, Australia

After an incredible lunch of beautiful curry, rice and roti and a quick swig from our personalised cups we set out to get this thing done!

We had reached that satisfying point where, the really hard slog finished, things began to quickly take shape. The paths greedily gobbled barrow after barrow of mulch and garden beds brimmed with compost and a lucky few got their comforting layer of mulch.

The poles for the espalier supports went in nice and deep. A young permablitzer observed the 700mm footings and wryly asked whether we were expecting a tropical cyclone. Our numbers diminished as the day drew to a close, but the few remaining were gifted for their dedication and got to watch Adam’s espalier workshop and have a nice cold beer. Or in my case greedily devour the remaining cheese and fruit salad.

It will be amazing to see when the garden is planted out and lush. Perhaps with some mechanical help those palm roots can be put in their place and the pond canbrim with fishies and frogs. It was such an exciting experience to see our plans take shape. What a dedicated group of amazing workers!

Garden

A PERMABLITZ IN COBURG PART 1 – BRICK SOLDIERS & PALM ROOTS

August 30, 2011 1 Comment

Dylan and I arrived at Gigi’s at 8:30am, welcomed by concrete rubble and pavers erupting from the earth. The compost and mulch piles loomed ominously at the back gate, the stairs presenting a cheerful bottleneck for the wheelbarrows. The delivery men had meant to deliver half of the mountain to the front. But Dylan and I were naively unperturbed, despite or perhaps because of never attending a Permablitz before and finding ourselves in the driving seat. So I attribute the smoothness of the event to delicious beginner’s luck and the dedication of Adam Grubb of Very Edible Gardens and the lovely group of people who turned up to sweat it out digging holes and untangling the terrible mat of roots where the palm tree once stood.

Amongst the rubble we discovered a treasury of worn bluestones that my amazing team of retaining wall builders jigsawed together. In the background four grim faced mattock wielders had the unenviable job of trying to cut through the unmoving mass of palm roots to cut the path. Leaving me with the cringing feeling of being a prison guard driving a chain gang they broke through the mass with what seemed like sheer strength of will and sweat rolling down their brows. Like soldiers on parade the brick edging quickly fanned around the edge of the path waiting for its mulch filling.