I really enjoy our conversations and learning about everything you are doing and your environment also buddy, Thank you!
Do you guys have any seed exchanges or programs like that? Some of these they will give you seeds you grow them and then return 10x what you were given. Usually its for annuals and vegetables but good programs for sure.
These guys are trying to distribute breadfruit everywhere to help end famine (its very high in protein and other minerals most fruits/vegetables are lacking) and maybe even if they dont have seeds for you they may know of a good way for you to get some breadfruitinstitute@ntbg.org https://ntbg.org/breadfruit/institute.
Guavas are really important for fighting pests do you have any of those available as fruit that you can collect seed from or get people to save seed?
The main goal of the mulch in containers is to water undearneath it and use the mulch to shield the sun it can absorb some water but ideally not too much. I try to water in one spot where the soil is close and the water spreads through the pot but not much on the top side of the mulch alot of times say 5cm thick or so for containers, when mulching to conserve water in ground they say like 10cm to 15cm deep. Its mainly about blocking sun and stopping weed or other plants water consumption. I think what you did will definitely help.
I have no idea how well those bags actually work since they are not breathable, yet I actually use 3 gallon grow bags to germinate some seeds with my own homemade citrus growing medium, they do better that way, they are sort of like round deep beds with very light soil that is full of air, the trick is to not put the seeds too deep. Actually some types of seeds rot if the pot/container is not big.
Hi Richard.
Not officially we donāt but people are generous with their seed or seedlings. One thing most of our activities lack is some form of organization.
We are trying to change all that. One main problem we hear over and over is goats are a problem hence we plant nothing.
I have or am going to have guavas very soon.
Iāve been researching seed banks and seed exchanges. We will try set up an official one in lago. Well already exchanging some this weekend so it s the start of one.
Yep this keeps bugging me every day. We are quite close to the rainy season and because of a lack of ground cover, it all goes into the lack which provides 90 percent of our water needs.
I think that grow bags are mainly a USA thing, when I was visiting my family in Europe recently they seemed to have no idea what I was talking about. They are something manufactured, yet still cheaper than buying plastic pots if you stay away from getting the fancy looking ones!
This is a photo of two of my Loquat seedlings in one pot, that I took mid October, I started germinating the seeds May 6th. Minus the feast that something(s) had on the leaves of the 6 Loquats, which I germinated from 6 seeds, despite that they are all healthy, 4 out of 6 are doing the best and as time passes there is less difference between them. I am now trying to germinate some bitter orange seeds from the Island of Malta in one of them.
My dude it sounds like you have already started a seed exchange!
Maybe there would be a way for you guys to set up some yurts or outbuildings or something of that sort as a vacation spot?? Mainly i think we need environmental tourism to create a financial incentive for people to clean up and care for there environment and something as amazing as your lake! If we donāt make our environment valuable (Which farmland is) some rich people are just going to turn it into a mine or other environmental disaster.
Well I suppose depending on time zones it could be afternoon or evening.
Am excited about potentially setting up a formal seed exchange. Will have a chat with my mate once am on the island. Sadly there is the ferry ā¦
Just no staff this morning as they are on strike. I tell I ve travelled this route a million times and every bloody time it s always something. The joys of Mozambique adventures though.
So I used to manage high end lodges before I checked it all, became a hippie. Most notably a beautiful place called nkwichi lodge. Have a look - www.nkwichi.com. it was well run if I say so myself. Richard maybe a nice holiday break for you and if you mention me, deffo will get a discount. It s special place and they have an agricultural project which you would love.
That looks super beautiful and very fancy! What does it cost to stay there for like a week? I have always wanted to go to South Africa / Zimbabwe for a nature vacation but where you live looks so much nicer. I really love all your wildlife and respect how much more able your cow (Water buffalo) horse (Zebras) ants and everything are!
I imagine that makes planning and things much more difficult and you just need to stay flexible and not get upset about things so easily. I have always heard africa is different and the āthis is Africaā saying but i assume you donāt always understand things until you live or experience it. You are ten hours ahead of me so when its 630am for you its 830pm for me!
Doesnāt look like you have much organic matter in your soil which looks sandy. After you clean up the surface trash, begin to collect scraps of wood for bio char, wood chips, leaves, grass, manure, anything vegetative for compost, and start some worms. When your compost is finished ācookingā add your worms and the when the rains come again get this all on to your garden plot. Donāt till, just keep building on top. Then begin growing cover crops and when fully grown, but before going to seed, lay that down on top of your mulched garden plot and repeat yearly.
I would go on-line and buy to humus and mychorrizal fungi to kick start the decomposition and get healthy soil biology started.
Once established, the mycorrhiza will bring nutrients and water to you plants and reduce the need for watering; soil biology, aided by a growing population of earth worms and other critters will keep you soil healthy, your plants healthy, and you healthy.
I was thinking about companion plants for your area there and also had some questions
Do you guys have any Neem Trees? Azadarachta indica? This is an amazing medicinal tree and can also makes a good pest control for insects and has moderate anti fungal qualities. Its great for people and plants and does a good job at getting rid of parasites and fleas when used topically and after you press the neem seed for the oil it makes a really good slow release high nitrogen fertilizer that for whatever reason seems to stimulate more beneficial bacteria. The ownership of these trees in ancient India made a lower caste in India become one of the highest.
Also i wonder if you can grow ceylon cinnamon as a shade understory plant for your mangos? It needs alot of water and i donāt know if sri lanka has any prolonged drought periods.
Have you thought about tea tree - Melelauce Alternifolia. Usually you grow them out a few years then chop them back every other year to keep the growth fresh and continually harvest them for oil. They are a amazing anti bacterial and they seem to keep animals away in australia
How do you grow your moringa? chop it down like once or twice a year or do you let them get huge?
What kind of pest pressure do you guys have there? I used to have Guinea hens and while you would have to fence off seedlings they are just super amazing at finding and killing ticks and grubs, they did not seem as destructive as chickens and just ate every insect they saw (Its my understanding they actually can sense the insect vibrations) and there eggs are much better with bigger and richer yolks. I am told 4 can clear out ticks for 2 miles. The hard part here is you have to steal there babies away from them because they suck at parenting and wont lay on there babies at night and give them to the chickens who are happy to sit on any young bird, they then steal there babies back the next day walk them somewhere dumb and at night you gotta go yank em and give em back to the chicken until they get there 2nd feathers. Supposedly a strong chicken would raise the babies but my guineas were the top of the pack and mean they would peck at you if they did not know you but they were the best guard alarms, they learned all my friends, most of my friends dogs (Hated some) and neighbors that would come by and would barely raise a alarm, however if a predator or some person they didnāt know come in you would think it was a warzone (They would alarm then my dogs would go nuts and they would stay up in the trees there with this aggressive turkey hollar right at people)
We do have been trees, would need to research where I can get some. It s mad here trying to get anything. Actually worked with a guy who was into his neem but he was love rival so obviously did not learn anything off him. Choices when you are young hey.
We can grow cinnamon, One of the places I worked, had to one. Am due to visit there sometime in the next few weeks. Should get some advice of on it.
Tell me more about Melelauce Alternifolia , sounds amazing. We have a vervet monkey problem and if this can work would be wonderful. I will look it up on the internet a bit later.
Lizards and all sorts of reptiles. Have not been here in the rains so looking forward to dealing with that. We canāt have hens where we are unless we build a really strong pen. Loads of snakes and pythons. Donāt know why I live here.
Here is some info on melaleuca alternifolia, it is a heavy nectar producing tree so it does a good job at attracting beneficial insects in Australia. The plants have both male and female flowers on one tree so you only need one and they are a evergreen with a turpentine like oil smell and it seems to discourage some aussie animals? I really donāt know much about there growth habit and if they would discourage monkeys, just love it for its anti bacterial and anti fungal oil is an amazing medicine and topical antibiotic replacement. I was thinking that planting them, hot peppers, black peppers and other plants to discourage problem animals around the edge of the food forests you are going to start cultivating.
Man i freaking hate poisonous snakes, they are just no fun whatsoever, do you have any snakes that eat other snakes other than cobras? That being said raising cobras for cobra venom is very profitable in america and one of the latest Multiple Sclerosis drugs was made based off cobra venom as well as a whole host of new drugs are coming from cobra venom.
I was going to ask you what your challenges for the wet season was going to be, i was thinking you may need to raise your seedlings up on pallets and try to get some lean to to keep water off them?
I would like to say i would keep my composure around one that was free roaming at me however Iām positive i would scream like a girl and back away facing it as fast as possible. If i was in water and one was coming at me i would just flail and drown.
