Using Permaculture principles to increase yields in urban gardens

1. BIG YIELDS FROM SMALL
SPACES
by Diana Liga
www.urbanharvest.org

2. Urban Harvest- Houston
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Houston non-profit
seeking to develop
the various aspects
of the local food
movement within
our city.
Community Gardens
Education: Adults
and Youth
Farmers Markets

3. Bob Randall, Ph.D.- Founder
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Permaculture
Instructor and former
University professor
started Urban
Harvest in 1994 using
the principles of
permaculture.
His goal was to teach
Houstonians how to
grow their own food
by developing
community gardens.

4. Using Permaculture Principles
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See solutions; not problems
Everything works in at least 2
ways
Work where it counts
Minimize inputs; maximize
outputs
Use everything to its highest
capacity
Bring food production back to
the cities; help make people self
reliant
Co-operation not competition

5. Planning Questions
How much space do you have?
 How much of it gets 6-8 hours
sun?
 What garden elements would you
like
(beehives, orchard, chickens, co
mpost, pond)?
 How much time do you want to


6. Site Considerations
6- 8 hours of
unfiltered sunlight
 Nearby Water
Source
 Raised Beds
 A. 8” tall minimum
 B. North / South
Orientation
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7. Raised Beds: Bio-intensive
Gardening
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More surface area for
planting
Control of soil quality
& drainage
Naturally maintains
paths
Easy to set up
structures
Easy to install row
cover

8. Windsor Retainer Wall
12” length x 10” width x4” height; available from Home Depot

9. Solid Concrete Blocks

10. Rough Cedar Fence Slats
5 ¾ ” height x 6’ length x ¼ ” to ½ “ thick:
use this to maximize space

11. Plastic Wood or Hardie Plank

12. Logs for Habitat Beds
These were collected from the neighborhood

13. Building Your Soils
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Increase
production>increases root
system & soil
microorganisms
Soil Type: Sandy Loam with
25-50%organic matter
No-tilling: Fukuoka
Avoid compaction
Maintain moisture

14. Soil Food Web

15. Fertilizers & Foliar Sprays
Balanced organic
fertilizer
 Contains materials that
also feed your soil
organisms
 Usually has a low N-PK
 Granular for initial
planting
 Foliar spray to
sidedress
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16. Vertical Gardening
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Minimizes your foot print
Maximizes space that is
often unused
Increases the productivity of
a square foot; decrease
disease
Facilitates harvesting
Minimize work: watering is
close, harvesting and
managing weeds is easier
Creates microclimates: due
to increased density and
moisture

17. Vertical Garden Structures

18. Vertical Garden Structures

19. Vegetable Selection
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Think in “pounds per square
foot”
Separate annuals from
perennials
Indeterminate tomatoes
Perpetual Harvesters:
kale, collards, chard, spinach,
eggplants, peppers
Varieties that can be trellised:
Cucumbers, legumes, melons,
squashes

20. Succession Planting
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1. Plant quick producing crops every 2-3 wks
(cucumbers 6wks)
2. Plant in succession/ be ready to plant new
crop (transplants and sprouting seed will
produce faster)
Choose diverse crops with different ripening
times
No empty beds; if the plant serves a purpose
(attracting pollinators, living mulch, going to
seed) leave it

21. Spacing Vegetables
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Read packets for
mature plant size
18” dia. peppers
18” dia. Broccoli
2’ dia. Cabbage &
cauliflower
2’ dia. Indeterminate
tomatoes
1’ cucumbers
8” bush beans
1’ chard

22. Include Fruits in a Food Garden
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Select regionally appropriate
rootstocks (possibly
dwarfing)
Choose appropriate varieties:
Chill hours, planting Zones
Plant for year around
production
Intensive plantings: Needs
training & pruning
High Density: 4 trees 1-2’
apart

23. Interplanting/ Mixed Planting
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Maximum Diversity: both
in species and varieties
Plant annual herbs and
veg. together
Plant perennial herbs and
vegetables with fruit trees:
plant guild
Plant shorter shade
tolerant crops with vertical
crops
Incorporate native & edible
flowers into your garden

24. Ecological Pest Control
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Starts off like IPM
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Create healthy plants that resist
attack
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* Encourage creatures that eat
pests *
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Make it difficult for pests to find
food
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Trapping and Biological Controls
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Use organic pesticides

25. Cultural Practices and Healthy
Plants
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Region appropriate vegetable varieties
Plant at the appropriate time (get a planting
calendar from Extension)
Sterilize pruning tools
Harvest before watering!
Air circulation
Regular watering: lessens plant stress
Proper fertilization
Weed – directly around crops

26. Crop Rotation
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Make it difficult for pests
to find food
Learn the vegetable
plant families
Do not plant the same
vegetable family in the
same bed year after
year
Rotate vegetable
families from one bed to
another

27. Attracting Beneficial Insects

Most insect species are
beneficial or neutral
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Many of our garden pests
are insects that can be
controlled by other insects
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Insects are a vital part of the
ecosystem and our lives.
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Create an Insectary

28. Create an Insectary or Hedgerow
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Permanent
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Water source
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Nectar/ pollen source
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Diversity of plants
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Year around blooms
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Various plant heights
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Hedgerows for larger areas
Easy to do with an Herb garden!

29. Mulch, Mulch, Mulch!!!
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Regulates soil
Temperature
Maintains moisture
Suppresses weeds
Should be from a diverse
group of trees never a
singular source
Should be composted
down not “green”
Alfalfa hay for Vegetables
Never use coastal hay
from an unknown source

30. Tips for a Successful Garden
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Check water temperature before watering
Harvest before watering
Water the soil not the leaves
Trellis vines
Harvest frequently
Fill fallow beds with cover crops or mulch
Add annual flowers for pest control
Mulch, Mulch, Mulch

31. An addiction to gardening is not all bad
when you consider all the other choices
in life . . . Cora Lea Bell
Thank You!