Block · one region of the page, as the scanner read it. It may hold a whole story, part of one, several, or an advertisement; stitching blocks into articles is the next step. Text is supplied OCR.
Page 16 · column 2 of 7 · from the scan, no model involved
flood waters Agw slow down and soak the soil and where wild plants stay VpP* green and the soil r cool in the dry sea- \ sons. \
In practical terms, here are two good exam- ^ pies of “wild-minded” gardening. The first employs polyculture (multi-cropping instead of monocropping), intensive planting and what permaculturists term stacking, which is layered plantings of various heights and root depths inhabiting the same plot.
The result resembles a complete plant community with canopy, shrub and ground cover in microcosm.
The second example illustrates the wisdom of locating plants in naturally supportive and appropriate areas so as not to strain natural resources or the gardener’s energy. Both examples commonly show observing nature well and cultivating accordingly.
Great! So how would that apply to a vegetable garden? Since I grow lots of salad greens, I’ll draw a picture of what happens with my salad ecosystem.
The salad greens are planted in moisture-retentive areas to mitigate the ample volume of water these plants require to grow well. Several beds are located in a damp north area to the side of my house, giving them afternoon shade, which they prefer. A mixture of lettuces, arugula, chicories, etc., provide the “shrub” element.
“Canopy” elements are taller plants., sometimes edible flowers such as borage, calendula, violas and shungiku.
Other canopy plants may be bronze fennel, orach, broccoli, kale, mustard greens or peas.
Underneath it all, I allow chickweed to grow, which forms a dense, living mulch. A whole range of height, root depth, fertilization and plant function is thus represented.
In addition to keeping the soil moist and cool, salad’s preference, I shear the chickweed as necessary to a few
94.8%