I purposely leave brush and other plants so that they will grow back. Yes, I could just remove the brush and be done with it. But then, I'd be removing a valuable resource - biomass. Here's an example.
Dozens of small sweet guava trees line the border between my neighbor and me. They grow rather rapidly, growing through the fence. If allowed to continue over the years, this would ruin the fence. So the trees must go, right? Well, that could be one solution. But the trees also provide a visual block, giving both of us some privacy. Plus they produce fruit that can be harvested. So rather than removing the trees, I opt to use them as an additional resource - a source of biomass.
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| Overgrown guava covering the fence. |
Once a year at fruiting time I trim the trees. I'll harvest all the greenery that encroaches on the fence. Some of the developing fruits are sacrificed, but these trees produce plenty, more than enough for me and my neighbor. By trimming at fruiting time, I can also prune away undesirable branches and open up the bushes so that we can harvest the fruits.
Today I trimmed the trees and ended up with 9 trashcanfuls of trimmings. I had enough to top off the compost bin I was working on, plus extra to use in a garden bed I'm working on up by the house. And the beauty of this..... I'll be able to do it again next year. I don't have to do anything for 364 days a year to get this biomass. Nature does it for me.
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| The overgrowth pruned back off the fence. |
I have large sections of ferns, gingers, and guinea grass growing which I regularly harvest for biomass. Some is chopped up for mulch, some for compost making. My neighbor has offered to remove these plants for me, but no thank you. They have a purpose, multiple purposes in fact. Besides harvesting for biomass, they help prevent soil erosion, help to build soil and increase fertility, provide some feed for the livestock, provide visual greenery which I find to be far more appealing than bare soil, and in the case of the ginger, have wonderfully scented flowers.
Growing much of my own biomass benefits this farm, plus I don't have to drive soneplace else to go get it.
Growing much of my own biomass benefits this farm, plus I don't have to drive soneplace else to go get it.
When I lived in Oceanview Estates ('82) I saw extremely dense forests of Guava that I was told was a big problem. I couldn't see the harm, after all they produced fruit. Also, I visited a man who just arrived from WA who owned an orange orchard. The oranges were bland, no sweetness, but the trees looked healthy. I told him to try nailing a zinc piece into the trunk but he was very hard headed. He "bragged" that he was an INORGANIC grower. He was waiting for lab reports and "expert" advice. I said "thanks for the beer" and never returned, but I wonder if he ever made any money with such a closed mind. The "zinc" tip was given me by one of the most successful farmers in CA when I was 16 and he was my 74 year old mentor.
ReplyDeleteThat's a very I interesting tip. The old timers were often very observant and came up with solutions that worked for them.
DeleteBy the way, those guava trees make good poles for making trellises and hurdles. They are tough enough to last several years. I purposely grow guava as a resource for poles.
DeleteGreat post, thanks. I am often bemused to see people raking all the leaves, taking them to the tip and buying mulch, I suppose it keeps the economy going!!
ReplyDeleteNot simply bemused, I find it mind boggling. It just makes no sense to throw away those leaves.
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