Permaculture Plants: Chicory

Chicory is a plant with many faces.

http://www.malag.aes.oregonstate.edu/wildflowers/images/05_ChicoryMcCallAug14_03.JPG

Common Name: Common Chicory
Scientific Name: Cichorium intybus
Family: Asteraceae (the Aster, Daisy, or Sunflower family)

The "wild" Chicory is an unassuming plant and a great addition to the Forest Garden.

http://www.malag.aes.oregonstate.edu/wildflowers/images/05_ChicoryMcCallAug14_03.JPG

Belgian Endive is just one of many forms of Chicory.

http://michaelweishan.com/gardenblog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/endive.JPG

Description:
In a similar way that Great Danes and Chihuahuas are very different forms of the same species (Canis lupus familiaris) the Chicory plant (Cichorium intybus) has been developed for a variety of uses. It may be a leaf vegetable in green, red/purple, or white/yellow that comes in a head or a dandelion-like leaf, a root crop used as a coffee substitute, and a forage plant for pasturing animals. It is a pioneer plant, a beneficial insect attractor, and helps build the soil. There is not much more we can ask from one plant!

Cichorium intybus

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cc/Illustration_Cichorium_intybus0.jpg

History:
Well known throughout recorded history, the Chicory plant was prevalent through ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. Over the years, it has spread and naturalized over the world. There is likely a variety well suited to almost all but the most extreme locations on Earth.

Trivia:

• The Common Chicory (Cichorium intybus) has many varieties of leaf vegetable including Radicchio, Sugarloaf, Belgian Endive (aka French Endive or Witlof).
• True Endive (Cichorium endive) is a closely related plant, but is a separate species.
• Root Chicory (Cichorium intybus var. sativum) is a variety of Common Chicory cultivated for its root which is used as a coffee substitute.
• Some forms of Chicory will form heads, but these are usually annual or biennial varieties and not perennial species.
• Some perennial species of Chicory will form a head in the first year, but after that the plant ceases to form tight heads.
• The tight heads of Chicory are called "chicons".

Radicchio, a type of Chicory, comes in many varieties.

http://www.bookschlepper.com/marketblog/uploaded_images/091212radicchio-vertical-782598.jpg

Grilled Radicchio (here with goat cheese and balsamic vinegar) is one of my favorites!

http://thekitchykitchen.blogspot.pt/2011/02/grilled-radicchio-with-goat-cheese.html

USING THIS PLANT
Primary Uses:

• Edible Greens – some varieties are developed for commercial production of salad leaves; a great, bitter, nutty-tasting leaf – perfect addition to mixed green salads; leaves can be cooked as any other green (just don't cook too long), and this reduces the bitterness. 
• Edible Roots – roasted, ground, and used as a coffee substitute

Secondary Uses:

• General insect (especially bees) nectar and pollen plant
• Insect shelter plant (especially hover flies, spiders, and parasitic wasps)
• Dynamic Accumulator – Especially potassium and calcium
• Pioneer Species
• Dye Plant - blue-ish dye from the leaves
• Pasture/Forage Species for ruminant animals

Yield: Not applicable
Harvesting: Year round. Greens are most tender and less bitter before flowering (Spring), but can be harvest through the growing season. The roots are best harvested Autumn through Winter.
Storage: Use fresh, may be stored as lettuce for up to a week. While there is no reliable information on storage of roots, I would imagine that roasted roots should last for some time before needing to be ground for coffee, although the flavor likely diminishes with time.

Chicory flowers are typically blue, but white and pink are possible.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Chicory_flower_001.jpg

Chicory flowers attract many beneficial insects like this Hoverfly.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-S77RHRcEObo/UBgrNtLSxnE/AAAAAAAAEas/gc_QvUvpWEQ/s0-d/CichoriumIntybus&w=2048&h=1365&ei=3T-zUKe5Far44QSshYH4Cw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=2&vpy=443&dur=2652&hovh=183&hovw=275&tx=170&ty=157&sig=108726296347081610177&page=4&tbnh=171&tbnw=232&start=64&ndsp=20&ved=1t:429%2cr:15%2cs:64%2ci:345

DESIGNING WITH THIS PLANT
USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-9
AHS Heat Zone: 9-1
Chill Requirement: Not likely, but no reliable information available.

Plant Type: Small to Medium-sized Herbaceous Perennial
Leaf Type: Deciduous
Forest Garden Use: Herbaceous Layer
Cultivars/Varieties: Many varieties available.

Pollination: Self-Pollinating/Self-Fertile. Also pollinated by bees.
Flowering: April - October (varies tremendously on the variety and zone)

Life Span:
No reliable information available, but as this plant self-seeds so easily, life span for an individual plant is not very relevant. Keep a patch healthy, and we’ll always have some available.

The roots of some Chicory (Cichorium intybus var. sativum) are grown as a coffee substitute.

http://nutrivize.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/explow1.jpg

The "wild" Chicory leaf strongly resembles the Dandelion.

http://www.florafinder.com/LargePhotos/D3/Cichorium_intybus-217E3B15A3.jpg

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS PLANT
Size: 1-4 feet (30-120 centimeters) tall and 1-2 feet (30-60 centimeters) wide; not typically very small, but the flower spike can climb to 4 feet (120 cm).
Roots: Tuberous
Growth Rate: Fast

Some Chicory, like Puna II picture here, are used for animals on forage.

http://tuckers-seeds.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=2861

GROWING CONDITIONS FOR THIS PLANT
Light: Prefers full sun
Shade: Tolerates light to moderate shade
Moisture: Medium moisture requirements
pH: tolerates a wide variety of soils (4.5-8.5)

Special Considerations for Growing:
Consider cutting back the flower stalks to extend the harvest of greens.

Propagation:  
Typically from seed. Self-seeds easily.  Large plants may be divided.

Maintenance:
Almost none. Consider cutting back the seed heads if you don’t want seedlings to spread. Although, this is a plus in a Forest Garden almost all the time.

Concerns:
Spreads easily through self-sowing of seed.

Another Great Geoff Lawton Video

Geoff Lawton

Here is yet another great video from Geoff Lawton, the director of the Permaculture Research Institute of Australia. You need to follow the link below and sign-up. The 30+ minute video is well worth it. Very inspirational!

http://www.geofflawton.com/sq/15449-geoff-lawton

Permaculture Plants: Blueberries

The Blueberry, one of the most perfect fruits!

http://www.immortalhumans.com/wp-content/uploads/Blueberry__23651_zoom.jpg

Common Name: Blueberries
Scientific Name: Species in the Vaccinium genus and the Cyanococcus section
Family: Ericaceae (the Heather family)

There are so many species and varieties of blueberries available

Here is a patented variety of Southern Highbush Blueberry named Jewel.

http://www.floridahillnursery.com/images/JewelBlueberry.jpg

Common Species:

• Lowbush/Wild Blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium)
• Rabbiteye/Southern Black Blueberry (Vaccinium ashei or Vaccinium virgatum)
• Northern/Alpine Blueberry (Vaccinium boreale)
• Highbush Blueberry (Northern) (Vaccinium corymbosum)
• Highbush Blueberry (Southern) (Vaccinium darrowii)
• Creeping Blueberry (Vaccinium crassifolium)
• Velvet Leaf/Canadian Blueberry (Vaccinium myrtilloides)

Kids love to help pick blueberries - a great way to get kids in Nature

http://benhewittvermont.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/blueberry-kids.jpg

Description:
The Blueberry is one of the most well known fruit around the world. It is highly nutritious, highly flavorful, and used in a variety of ways. Primarily used for its fruit, there are blueberries that can be grown in almost any Temperate Climate around the world. A little work is needed to get their acidic soil needs met, but after that we are left with a moderately long-lived, productive plant needing very little maintenance. Blueberries are on my list of mandatory plants in the Forest Garden.

Vaccinium corymbosum

http://wisplants.uwsp.edu/bigphoto/VACCOR_.jpg

History:
Native to North America, blueberries were used my Native Americans for thousands of years before Europeans took this plant around the world. The first cultivated blueberries (Highbush Blueberries) were introduced in Europe in the 1930’s.

Trivia:

• The Bilberry, aka “European Blueberry” (Vaccinium myrtillus) is closely related to the North American blueberry species, but it is not in the Cyanococcus section of the Vaccinium genus, so they are not true blueberries. Bilberries have red flesh unlike the white or light green flesh of true blueberries.
• “Huckleberry” refers to a plant that is either a true huckleberry in the Gaylussacia or Vaccinium genus like the Blue Huckleberry (G. frondosa) or Red Huckleberry (V. parvifolium). The name “Huckleberry” is often a local name given to plants, typically in the Appalacia area of Eastern North America, that are really true blueberries.
• "Half-High" Blueberries are a cross between Highbush and Lowbush types. They are very tolerant of cold weather, but reportedly are not too flavorful.

Blueberry Tart... enough said!

Here's the recipe

USING THIS PLANT
Primary Uses:

• Fresh Fruit
• Cooked Fruit
• Baked Goods, Pies, Tarts, Pancakes (!), etc.
• Preserves, Jams, Jellies, etc.
• Dried
• Frozen (place washed and dried fruit in a single layer on a wax-paper lined baking sheet and place into the freezer for 20-30 minutes before placing in a container – this will keep the berries from freezing together into one large chunk)
• Juiced
• Used as primary or flavoring agent in beers, wine, liquors, cordials, etc.

The Creeping Blueberry (Vaccinium crassifolium) is a great, evergreen ground cover

http://www.briggsnursery.com/assets/photos/Original/VAC_cWellsDelight.jpg

Secondary Uses:

• General insect (especially bees) nectar plant
• Wildlife food source
• Hummingbird plant
• Ground cover plant (mainly the Lowbush Blueberry in cooler climates and the Creeping Blueberry in warmer climates)
• Edible Hedging
• Tea Plant – dried fruit and leaves
• Dye Plant - purple, from fruit and leaves

Yield: 3-8 quarts (3.5-9 liters) or 8-15 lbs (3.5-6.8 kg) per mature plant
Harvesting: Late Summer – Early Autumn (July - September). The best fruits are ones that fall from the branch with a little shake. Most blueberries in grocery stores were harvested once the fruit turned blue (and sometimes not even quite blue!). Blueberries to not "ripen" after picked, so harvest the berries when they have been blue for a few days.
Storage: Fresh fruits will keep for 1, maybe 2, weeks in a cool, humid location

Lowbush/Wild Blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) is a small, cooler weather shrub

http://nhfruitgrowers.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/wild-blue-1.jpg

DESIGNING WITH THIS PLANT
USDA Hardiness Zone:

• Lowbush/Wild Blueberry: 2-7 (Deciduous)
• Rabbiteye Blueberry: 7-9 (Deciduous)
• Highbush Blueberry (Northern): 2-8 (Deciduous)
• Highbush Blueberry (Southern): 5-10 (Deciduous)
• Creeping Blueberry: 6-9 (Evergreen)

AHS Heat Zone:

• Lowbush/Wild Blueberry: 8-1
• Rabbiteye Blueberry: 7-9, said to “love the heat”
• Highbush Blueberry (Northern): 7-1
• Highbush Blueberry (Southern): No reliable information available
• Creeping Blueberry: No reliable information available

Chill Requirement:

• Lowbush/Wild Blueberry: 1,000-1,200 hours
• Rabbiteye Blueberry: 350-700 hours
• Highbush Blueberry (Northern): 800-1,000 hours
• Highbush Blueberry (Southern): 150-800 hours
• Creeping Blueberry: No reliable information available

Blueberry bushes in Autumn... beautiful

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-vTM5aR38hs/SwPysBWXstI/AAAAAAAAAQk/HI3K6kexoeI/s1600/FallBB.jpg

Plant Type: Small Shrub (including prostrate forms) to Large Shrub
Leaf Type: Most are Deciduous, few are Evergreen
Forest Garden Use: Shrub Layer, Groundcover/Creeper Layer
Cultivars/Varieties: Wide variety of species and varieties available – there will be at least one type well suited to your location. Most blueberries available for purchase are hybrids of multiple species.

Pollination: Most are Self-Fertile; however, Blueberries will produce significantly more fruit if another cultivar/variety is in the immediate area. Pollinated by bees and other insects.
Flowering: Late Spring-Early Summer (May-June)

Life Span:
Years to Begin Bearing: 3-5 years
Years to Mature Bearing: 6-8 years
Years of Useful Life: Average 10-15 years, but some plants have been productive for over 50 years

Blueberry flowers attract beneficial insects, like this Mason Bee

http://blueberrytalk.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/may-6-2012-011.jpg

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS PLANT
Size:

• Lowbush/Wild Blueberry: 18-24 inches (45-60 cm) tall and 2-3 feet (60-90 cm) wide
• Rabbiteye/Southern Black Blueberry: 6-18 feet (1.8-5.4 meters) tall and wide
• Highbush Blueberry (Northern): 6-12 feet (1.8-3.6 meters) tall and wide
• Highbush Blueberry (Southern): 3 feet (0.9 meters) tall and wide
• Creeping Blueberry: 3-6 inches (7.5-15 cm) tall and spread up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) wide

Roots: Relatively shallow and flat. Most have a suckering or stoloniferous growth habit… sending up new plants from underground roots or putting down roots from creeping stems.
Growth Rate: Slow

Blueberries can be used as an edible hedge

Rabbiteye Blueberry (Vaccinium ashei or Vaccinium virgatum)

http://www.acuffirrigation.com/files/QuickSiteImages/Rabbiteye_Blueberries.JPG

GROWING CONDITIONS FOR THIS PLANT
Light: Prefers full sun
Shade: Tolerates medium shade, but reducing sunlight also reduces yields
Moisture: Dry to moist soils, depending on the species/variety
pH: prefers more acidic soil (3.5-5.5)

Special Considerations for Growing:

• The acidic soil the blueberries love can help be maintained with pine needle mulch if available
• Blueberries can be early-, mid-, or late-season cropping which provides a longer harvesting season
• Does not tolerate juglone (natural growth inhibitor produced by Black Walnut and its relatives).  Consider using another plant as a buffer between your blueberries and walnuts.

Propagation: From seed. Up to 90 days of cold stratification may be required. Cuttings are possible but take some skill - softwood cuttings in Summer. Division of suckers are easier and can be taken in Spring or Autumn.

Maintenance:

• Minimal. 
• Cut back the “twiggy” branches at planting to encourage good initial root development. 
• Prune after 3 years or so to open up the plant; blueberries can develop into less productive, thicket-like shrubs if left un-pruned. 
• Yearly pruning of older woody growth will encourage new growth and larger berries. Remember that berries grow on wood that is one year or older, so don’t get too carried away every year.
• Netting may be required to protect the harvest from the birds
• If the leaves start to yellow, then the plant likely needs more acid.

Concerns:
None.

Permaculture Plants: Monkey Puzzle Tree

The prehistoric-looking Monkey Puzzle Tree

http://hellochile.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/p1030288.jpg

 

Common Name: Monkey Puzzle Tree, Chilean Pine

Scientific Name: Araucaria araucana

Family: Araucariaceae

The large cone of the Monkey Puzzle Tree

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oH7YVmRWh-s/SrPFmxrZCkI/AAAAAAAAEN0/2h1P9G8J6wA/s400/Araucaria+araucana+cone.JPG

 

Description:

The Monkey Puzzle Tree is one of those trees that remind me of the long-lasting investment of planting a tree. These funky looking evergreen trees, with leathery leaves that cover the branches, can take 30-40 years before they will give their first harvest of nuts, and they have the potential to live for over 1,000 years! What a gift to our descendants. How many actions in our lives have that much forward thinking involved?

I had read of the Monkey Puzzle Tree for many years, but it wasn’t until about three years ago that I ever saw one in person. It was growing in Washington State at the Meerkerk Rhondodendron Gardens on Whidbey Island. It was a single specimen about thirty years old. Unfortunately, this isolated plant will never produce a nut crop. While I have yet to taste a Monkey Puzzle Tree’s nut, I have tasted the nuts from the very closely related Paraná pine (Araucaria angustifolia) when I was traveling in Brazil. These nuts are massive and tasty. It is common for groups of people to sit around talking for hours slowly eating through a pile of freshly roasted cones and drinking chimarrão, a traditional tea made from dried Yerba Mate leaves (Ilex paraguariensis).

My plan is to get these and my other nut trees in the ground as soon as possible after I acquire my land. I hope to get at least one harvest before I die… just another reason I need to live a long life!

Araucaria araucana

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m8y8uoBKGz1qgzqeto1_500.jpg

 

History:

Native to South America (central and southern Chile and western Argentina), the Monkey Puzzle Tree was a native food source and sacred plant to the Mapuche in Chile. The wood was prized for lumber, but due to over harvesting and its slow growth rate, it is now rarely used. This tree has been exported around the world due to its unique appearance and is typically used as a specimen tree in gardens; however, there has been some minimal experimentation of using this a food crop in areas with cool oceanic summers where other crops do not grow well.

Trivia:

• Trunk diameter can get to 7 feet (2 meters)
• The Monkey Puzzle Tree is the nation tree of Chile
• There are male trees and female trees.
• Male trees bear “male” or “pollen” cones
• Female trees bear “female” or “seed” cones
• Female/Seed cones take 18 months to mature and will hold about 200 seeds
• While it is commonly called a Chilean Pine Tree, it is not technically in the Pine Tree family.
• The name “Monkey Puzzle” comes from the following story: “The proud owner of a young specimen at Pencarrow garden near Bodmin in Cornwall was showing it to a group of friends, and one made the remark "It would puzzle a monkey to climb that"; as the species had no existing popular name, first 'monkey puzzler', then 'monkey puzzle' stuck.”
• When young, the tree has a typical conical “pine tree” shape, but as it matures and grows taller, the lower braches drop off. The resulting tree shape resembles a lollipop.

 

The large nuts from the female cones of the Monkey Puzzle Tree

http://www.treeseedonline.com/uploads/1/0/2/3/10233208/3013481_orig.jpg?273

USING THIS PLANT

Primary Uses:

• Seed/Nut – large, almond-sized (1-1.5 inch/3-4 cm), excellent-tasting nuts are produced in large cones. Raw or cooked.
• Specimen or landscape tree

Secondary Uses:

• General insect nectar plant
• Wildlife seek shelter in this large tree
• Wildlife food source
• Maritime plant – tolerant of salt spray
• Lumber – good quality with wide trunks; however, these trees grow slowly, so they are not an ideal, sustainable lumber crop.
• Coppice plant – although considering the slow growth rate, this may not be such a good idea unless you have a large planting

Yield: No reliable information available, but a mature tree will produce a lot of seeds.

Harvesting: Autumn. Mature female/seed cones will fall to the ground

Storage: If kept in a cool, dry location, Monkey Puzzle Tree seeds can store for over 6 months and possibly a full year.

 

The very spiny leaves of the Monkey Puzzle Tree.

http://www.aphotoflora.com/images/araucariaceae/araucaria_araucana_monkey_puzzle_shoot_tip_14-02-06.jpg

 

DESIGNING WITH THIS PLANT

USDA Hardiness Zone: 6-8 (some sources are more generous at 7-11)

AHS Heat Zone: 9-6

Chill Requirement: Likely, but no reliable information could be found

Plant Type: Large Tree

Leaf Type: Evergreen

Forest Garden Use: Canopy Layer

Cultivars/Varieties: Single species

Pollination: Monkey Puzzle Trees are Dioecious – have male and female plants. Male and female cone will form on the respective plant. Wind pollinated. Both are needed for fertilization.

Flowering: Summer – yes, I know that pine trees don’t technically have “flowers”, they have strobili, but this will suffice in the common vernacular.

Life Span:

Years to Begin Bearing: 15-40 years (plant it now!)

Years of Useful Life: Reported to live over 1,000 years!

A relatively young Monkey Puzzle Tree

http://www.bomengids.nl/lente/pics/Apenboom_slangeden__Araucaria_araucana__Monkey_puzzletree%40img_2117.jpg

 

A bit older specimen just starting to lose some of its lower branches

http://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/02/24/75/2247564_d40bfd1e.jpg

 

A mature tree with characteristicly absent lower branches.

http://www.gymnosperms.org/users/kcn2/toupload84/Araucaria2.jpg

  

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS PLANT

Size: 100-130 feet (30-40 meters) tall and 50-60 feet (15-18 meters) wide

Roots: Relatively shallow and fibrous, but not a lot of information available

Growth Rate: Slow

The rough, scaled bark of the Monkey Puzzle Tree

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8fdAjWGnOxY/TAnV7j3CElI/AAAAAAAAA9I/xs9Lkjn_mEQ/s1600/Araucaria+araucana+trunk.jpg

GROWING CONDITIONS FOR THIS PLANT

Light: Prefers full sun

Shade: Tolerates light shade

Moisture: Medium

pH: prefers neutral soil (6.1 - 7.0)

Special Considerations for Growing:

• Grows well in areas with abundant rainfall – an oceanic location with cool summers are ideal. However, it can grow in a variety of environments, just not in a location with a lot of pollution.
• For optimal nut crops, plant one male plant for every five-six female plants. However, it is not possible to discern male and female plants until flowering. Consider planting more than required and thin after flowering using the excess male plants for lumber.
• Plant this tree where the spiny leaves will not cause a nuisance.

Propagation:

From seed. Germination takes 30-60 days. Propagation from cuttings is possible, but not easy. Monkey Puzzle Trees have sensitive root systems, so getting the plant in place as soon as possible is a high priority.

 

Maintenance:

Almost none. Pick up occasional branches as they are shed.

Concerns:

None.

 

Permaculture Plants: Asparagus

Asparagus is my favorite perennial vegetable

http://www.tendertips.co.nz/images/asparagus.jpg?613

Common Name: Asparagus
Scientific Name: Asparagus officinalis
Family: Asparagaceae (the Asparagus family)

Asparagus comes in three color options.

http://www.seriouseats.com/images/20120425-spring-risotto-3.jpg

Description:
Asparagus is another one of those vegetables people either love or hate. I absolutely love fresh Asparagus and believe that they are one of the most delicious vegetables created. They can be green, purple, or white. These are the best known perennial vegetable, and can produce shoots every Spring for over 20 years. The “ferns” are quite beautiful and used as ornamentals, and the flowers attract beneficial insects. One of the best tasting vegetables for the Forest Garden.

Asparagus officinalis

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/Illustration_Asparagus_officinalis0b.jpg

History:
Native to Eurasia, Asparagus has been cultivated for over 2,000 years. It was used in ancient Egypt, Syria, Spain, Greece, and Italy. It was cultivated in France in the 1400’s and England and Germany by the 1500’s. It wasn’t until the mid 1800’s that it was cultivated in North America.

A wild asparagus species (A. prostrates) on the rocky ocean cliffs of England

The cultivated or "domesticated" Asparagus (A. officinalis) can still thrive in maritime conditions.

http://ars.els-cdn.com/content/image/1-s2.0-S0960982210008110-gr1.jpg

Trivia:

• There are over 300 species in the Asparagus genus.
• Most Asparagus species are grown as ornamentals, but there are a number of edible species. These are not well known except by locals.
• Most Asparagus plants are either male or female.
• Male plants produce the best shoots.
• Female plants produce hard red berries that can easily spread new plants all over the place – one reason most growers do not grow female plants.
• Often grown as a companion plant to tomatoes as the tomato repels the Asparagus Beetle (Crioceris species), and the asparagus may repel nematodes.
• Asparagus shoots are typically green, but purple varieties have been developed.
• White Asparagus is not a variety – any shoot can be blanched by covering with mulch, soil, dark buckets, or black plastic tarp tunnels. White Asparagus is less bitter and more tender than green Asparagus.
• When Asparagus is digested, certain compounds found in the shoot are metabolized and excreted in the urine. These compounds have a strong smell which gives urine a distinctive post-Asparagus-eating odor. The compounds can be found in the urine in as little as 15 minutes after ingesting the vegetable.

Grilled Asparagus... by far my favorite way to eat Asparagus!

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_hHpDl5HdUyA/TBvf53AWC3I/AAAAAAAAAZ4/2WCzITK0qqs/s1600/DSCN5757.JPG

USING THIS PLANT
Primary Uses:

• Edible Shoots – raw or cooked. Can be blanched, steamed, poached, sautéed, fried, stir-fried, grilled, used in soups and stews. Can be pickled.

Secondary Uses:

• General insect (especially bees) nectar plant
• Maritime plant – can tolerate salty conditions
• Ornamental plant – the “fern” is highly regarded
• Roasted seeds have been used as a coffee substitute

Yield: About ½ pound (0.23 kg) per crown or 20-25 spears per crown each year once established.

Harvesting: 
Spring. Cut or snap the shoots off at soil level. Once established (after year 3), the harvest can last for 3-8 weeks in the Spring. Less harvesting of weaker plants will allow it to grow stronger for next season.

Storage: 
Use right away. Asparagus does not store well. The flavor difference in freshly picked Asparagus and the stuff you buy at the grocery store is vast… makes eating store bought Asparagus rather depressing.

The small Asparagus flowers are popular with beneficial insects...

http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/biohires/a/hasof--fl35270.jpg

...especially honeybees!

http://sticktoplanbee.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/bee_pollen_aspargus2.jpg

The Asparagus berries are considered poisonous

http://uglyberry.com/content/files/2011/06/PoisonberryAsparagus-26.jpg

DESIGNING WITH THIS PLANT
USDA Hardiness Zone: 2-9
AHS Heat Zone: 8-1
Chill Requirement: Yes, see Special Considerations for Growing below.

Plant Type: Herbaceous Perennial
Leaf Type: Deciduous
Forest Garden Use: Herbaceous Layer
Cultivars/Varieties: Many species and varieties available.

Pollination: Most Asparagus are Dioecious (male and female flowers are on separate male and female plants). Needs both male and females within relatively close proximity for viable seeds to be developed. Pollinated by bees.

Flowering: Summer

Life Span:
Years to Begin Bearing: 3 years before a significant harvest can be taken. No shoots should be harvested in the first year. We can harvest a few shoots the second year (6-8 spears per plant). By the third year, we can start to harvest in earnest (20-25 spears per plant). Things start to boom during the third year in a typical Asparagus patch. This delay in harvesting allows the plants to become firmly established and healthy.
Years of Useful Life: An Asparagus bed can be healthy and productive for 20+ years, although 10-15 years is more typical

Using Asparagus crowns are a great way to get your patch started.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1WSXq4-qZKk/T-oZ94Zyb7I/AAAAAAAAIVA/8n_-csMAowo/s1600/asparagus%20grow%202.jpg

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS PLANT
Size: 3-5 feet (0.9-1.5 meters) tall and 1-3 feet (0.3-0.9 meters) wide
Roots: Rhizomatous – underground runners that send up new plants
Growth Rate: Medium

The standard way to grow Asparagus.

Permaculture Forest Gardens let us break away from this unhealthy monoculture.

http://pantry.blogs.pressdemocrat.com/files/2011/04/asparagus_field-1.jpg

Incorporating Asparagus into the Forest Garden is significantly better.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Asperge_planten_Asparagus_officinalis.jpg

GROWING CONDITIONS FOR THIS PLANT
Light: Prefers full sun
Shade: Tolerates moderate shade
Moisture: Medium moisture soils that are well draining
pH: prefers neutral soil (6.5 - 7.5); however, it can grow is a wide range of soils (4.3-8.2)

Special Considerations for Growing:

• Asparagus can be grown from seed or one year old plants known as crowns. If growing from seed, you will need to remove the fruit bearing female plants to avoid the seeds from spreading, along with new Asparagus plants, everywhere around your property. Growing from seed is cheaper, but adds another year to wait for a significant harvest. Growing from crowns is simpler and faster, but costs more for the plants.
• Asparagus needs a period of dormancy every year. This dormancy can be induced with cold weather or dry conditions (i.e drought). This rest period is essential for good shoot production.

Propagation: May also be divided in the early Spring. May be planted from seed. Germination takes 3-6 weeks.

Maintenance:
Moderate. At the end of each season, the dried brown plant can be cut back and thrown into the compost pile. During the growing season, pests and diseases do like to attack Asparagus. Careful monitoring and intervention are needed to avoid, treat, or intervene with this. As I do not plan to grow Asparagus commercially, some disease and insect loss will be part of my expectation. I will intervene when I come across diseased plants, but by planting more than needed and losing some to disease and pests, the strongest will survive and produce better for me in the long run. Also, if you want White Asparagus, a lot more work is needed in covering the shoots to blanch them.

Concerns:

• Poisonous – berries are mildly poisonous (large amounts need to be eaten for this to be toxic). Consuming large quantities of the shoots has been reported to cause kidney irritation, but what exactly that means is not clear. Likely, one has to consume more than would be reasonable for a person to consume for this to occur.
• Can spread easily through seed if a female plant is present.

Here is a link to a great little video from BBC on planting Asparagus crowns. It is done in a conventional raised bed, but the same concepts can be applied to a Forest Garden.

Permaculture Plants: Horseradish

Horseradish - a root that yields strong opinions... I love it!

http://www.bumblebeeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/horseradish-2.jpg

Common Name: Horseradish
Scientific Name: Amoracia rusticana
Family: Brassicaceae (the Mustard and Broccoli family)

A well tended Horseradish patch

http://houseandgardenningaddicts.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/horseradish.jpg

Description:
Horseradish is a fairly well known condiment with its spicy, sinus-clearing, pungent flavor. This plant, with its famous roots, also has edible leaves, confuses garden pests with its scent, and can be grown in almost any location. A perfect plant for the Edible Food Forest.

"Horseradish, plate 415 from 'A Curious Herbal'" oil on Canvas

http://www.wikigallery.org/wiki/painting_333543/Elizabeth-Blackwell/Horseradish,-plate-415-from-'A-Curious-Herbal'

History:
Likely originating from southeastern Europe and western Asia, horseradish was popular with the ancient Greeks, Egyptians, and Romans. It was popular during medieval times in Europe and Britain as a food and medicine. European colonists brought horseradish to North America. Today it is used all over the world.


Trivia:

• Whole Horseradish roots have almost no aroma, but once the root’s cells are ruptured (from cutting or grating), the enzymes released will convert the naturally produced root compound sinigrin into the highly aromatic allyl isothiocyanate (a.k.a. mustard oil).
• The English name “Horseradish” likely came about through ignorance. The German name for this plant is meerrettich (meer = sea; rettich = radish). At some point this was mistakenly called mahrrettich (mahr = mare (female horse); rettich = radish). It is not a far leap for someone to mistakenly translate the mare radish to horse radish.

Processing Horseradish requires a well-ventilated location!

http://blog.khymos.org/wp-content/2010/12/HRP_grated.jpg

USING THIS PLANT
Primary Uses:

• Roots – typically grated raw and mixed with vinegar; may be sliced and cooked like other tubers or carrots/parsnips; can be dried, then ground to a powder, but it is not as strongly flavored as fresh.
• Leaves – “Horseradish Greens” are edible, and reportedly have a horseradish flavor. I’ve never tried them, but I think they could be used raw in small amounts in a mixed green salad or used cooked as a spinach replacement. Also used in pickling cucumbers to keep the cucumbers crunchy (as are grape leaves).

Secondary Uses:

• General insect (especially bees) pollen plant
• Aromatic Pest Confusor
• Pioneer Species

Yield: Variable, but roots can grow to over 20 inches (50 cm) long and 2 inches (5 cm) thick.

Harvesting:

• Leaves – smaller, new growth ideal for salads; older growth best cooked.
• Roots – As desired. The plant grows the most during late Summer and early Autumn, so waiting until just before the ground freezes (depending on your location) will give you the maximum yield. Alternatively, you can harvest in the Spring. Dig a hole or trench 12-24 inches (30-60 cm) deep along the plant, then from the opposite side dig the roots back to the hole. Grab the base of the greens and pull the roots out laterally toward the hole. Use the largest taproots for processing, and use the smaller roots for Spring planting stock if harvested in Autumn or immediately if harvested in Spring. NOTE – Horseradish roots older than 2 years can get stringy and woody. In a Forest Garden, we can harvest in the Spring and replant smaller roots immediately, or we can leave a patch of horseradish growing and harvest from the outer ring or just toss the woody roots in the compost bin or in the forest to compost in place.

Prepared Horseradish, grated with vinegar and salt

http://www.nordinfarms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/horseradish_02.jpg

Processing:

• Leaves – use as any other green
• Roots – peel the brown “skin” off the root; roughly chop; add to a food processor or blender with a little bit of water or you can use a simple vegetable grater or food grinder (whatever way you choose, do so where you have a breeze to blow the fumes away!); add a tablespoon of white vinegar (white wine or distilled vinegar) and a pinch of salt for every 10 inches (25 cm) of root (or 2-3 tablespoons vinegar and ¼ - ½ teaspoon salt per each 1 cup grated horseradish). Vinegar stops the enzymes from converting the sinigrin to the hot mustard oil, so add vinegar immediately after grating for mild and wait for about 3 minutes for hot horseradish.

Storage:

• Leaves – use immediately
• Roots – Use immediately for best flavor. Can be stored in dry sand for a few months (a cooler location will keep for longer – ideally under 40 F (4 C) but above freezing); this dry sand storage is a great place to put Spring planting stock. If wrapped in plastic and placed in the coldest part of the refrigerator, it may stay good for a few months. Light will turn the roots green. Processed, refrigerated horseradish will last about a month.

Braised Horseradish Greens with Bacon

http://www.chefsconsortium.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/horseradish2.jpg

DESIGNING WITH THIS PLANT
USDA Hardiness Zone: 2-10 (although some sources are more conservative at 5-8)
AHS Heat Zone: 12-1
Chill Requirement: Not likely, but not good information available


Plant Type: Large Herbaceous Plant
Leaf Type: Deciduous
Forest Garden Use: Underground Layer, Herbaceous Layer
Cultivars/Varieties: There are only a few named cultivars.


Pollination: Self-fertile
Flowering: Late Spring to early Summer (May-June)


Life Span: No good information available as we typically harvest roots of plants less than 2 years old.

When Horseradish blooms, it attracts beneficial insects

http://www.grit.com/uploadedImages/GRT/articles/issues/2009-05-01/OttmarBierwagen_A298M-2302X.jpg

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS PLANT
Size: 3 feet (0.9 meters) tall and as wide as you allow it to grow
Roots: Large taproots
Growth Rate: Fast

Horseradish can be grown in a wide variety of soils and locations

http://www.chefsconsortium.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/horseradish2.jpg

GROWING CONDITIONS FOR THIS PLANT
Light: Prefers full sun
Shade: Tolerates moderate shade
Moisture: Dry to moist soils, but prefers soil a bit more damp
pH: 5.1-8.5 (tolerates a wide range of soil conditions)


Special Considerations for Growing:
Reported to inhibit brown rot if planted under apple trees.


Propagation:
Typically from root cuttings or divisions in Spring; ideally at least 8 inches (20 cm) in length. Any root will likely grow to a new plant. Seed is not typically produced in plants grown in modern cultivation, but if a patch is allowed to mature, then seed will likely form. Seed is best sown in place.


Maintenance:

• Minimal.
• Root Rot can develop – just replant strong roots and compost the rest.
• Some insects can cause extensive leaf damage in traditional gardens; this doesn’t affect the roots much and should be less of a problem in a Forest Garden.
• A thorough digging and dividing of the roots every 3-4 years will keep a patch healthy, growing strong, and productive.

Concerns:

• Poisonous – Reportedly, if one consumes a large amount of fresh roots the strong, volatile oils can be poisonous. This is not well researched, nor do I think people typically consume large amounts at any one time!
• Spreading Habit – some sources state this plant can become invasive by spreading too fast, and other sources state that this rarely occurs.