Companion plants that are suitable for the lower Mid North Coast of NSW.

Discussion in 'Planting, growing, nurturing Plants' started by RodT, Dec 18, 2013.

  1. RodT

    RodT Junior Member

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    Anyone out there know of good literature on companion plants and chop'n'drop plants to grow in this region.
    Would love to hear from anyone with personal experience in this area as experience quiet often beats the written word.
     
  2. andrew curr

    andrew curr Moderator

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    Cassia seems to do well there. as does black locust,casurina,
     
  3. RodT

    RodT Junior Member

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    Thanks for the input Andrew. I will definately be taking a look at the pros and cons of the species you have recommended.
     
  4. Tildesam

    Tildesam Junior Member

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    Warm Temperate (Diggers Cold Zone 10, Hot Zone 4-6)
    Lower - mid north coast NSW.... that's a mouthful - are we talking Coffs Harbour area?

    I've got a place in the mountains there - and I've had a few years to watch the succession of species after fire... I've noticed, like what's been said above; Casurinas do well and also Acasias come up around the new eucalypts and quickly eclipse them in the beginning (this is around the brackenfern stage so nitrogen levels are increasing in the soil).

    I have noticed these species grow much denser around areas of water capture (EG old dams, gulleys, dips etc)

    As for chop and drop... I'm not sure. Hope I help at least partially!
     
  5. helenlee

    helenlee Junior Member

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    I live west of Bowraville - right at the top of the Nambucca Valley. Where, approximately, are you?
    :)
     
  6. Tildesam

    Tildesam Junior Member

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    Oh well I'm a ways from you then - I'm north-west of Dorrigo, off the Armidale/Grafton road.

    We're about 700m above sea level, so if you're in a valley heat and humidity may mean different species will do well.

    Have you had any bushfires recently - like in the last 12 months? - if so, take a look at the land that's been burnt and note what trees are coming up first. Are they casurinas? Accacias? Ferns?
    Compare that to your "old" unburnt land, and ask yourself if they've dropped off somewhat. That'll tell you they're a support species and give you a guide as to what to pick yourself. :)
     
  7. helenlee

    helenlee Junior Member

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    That's a beautiful area :)
     
  8. Tildesam

    Tildesam Junior Member

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    Apart from perhaps the Daintree - I think the plateau is the nicest place I've found in Australia yet!!
    (I'm hoping nobody else thinks that though - I'm praying everyone prefers cities so I can have it all to myself)
     
  9. helenlee

    helenlee Junior Member

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    The top of the Nambucca Valley is pretty nice - & I also have it (almost) all to myself. People are fairly thin on the ground up here too :)
     
  10. RodT

    RodT Junior Member

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    Hi Sammy,
    I am further down the coast at Pacific Palms.
    Oh how I would love to watch the succession of species after fire on my property as it desperately needs burning off, but unfortunately I live in an area where the local council beleive they know what is best for everyone.
    I think it was around 5 years ago that they decided to declare all of the properties in my area conservation zones.
    Its got to the point where you nearly need a permit to fart.
    Oh well such is life.
     
  11. RodT

    RodT Junior Member

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    Helen,
    Girralong looks like a beautiful area.
    My better half and I are looking for a new property and have been very interested in a couple in your area.
    The only problem is my wife is a city girl and thinks it is too isolated.
    As we have only veiwed these properties online at this stage maybe you can help me out.
    Approximately how long does it take for you to get to town from the top of the valley and what sort of condition are the roads in?
     
  12. helenlee

    helenlee Junior Member

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    Hi Rod :)
    Girralong is a really beautiful, & it's a very special place :)
    I'm not sure if you knew my property is for sale? Here's the link:
    https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-girralong-112719743
    The roads are good, although some sections of the dirt on North Arm Road are corrugated. The grader is here doing it up at the moment, & the council is quite regular with maintenance. The views as you climb up the valley are simply gorgeous, day or night, summer, autumn, winter or spring, rain or shine. Each reveals a different facet of her beauty. I was driving home at 4.00 a.m this morning & the moon (just a fraction off full) was absolutely breath taking. I was going to write "It's like living somewhere magic", but the truth is, it simply IS living somewhere magic :)
     
  13. Bananarama

    Bananarama Junior Member

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    I love pigeon pea as an easily managed, short lived chop and drop plant
     
  14. RodT

    RodT Junior Member

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    Helen,
    May I pry and ask why you would want to leave your own peice of heaven?
    When I get out of this hell hole (Port Hedland) for my 7 week break starting mid Feb, we will be doing a bit of touring around looking at properties.
    Yours will definately be one of them if it is still on the market. Although our plan is for me to complete an online PDC with Geoff Lawton and then find a property that naturally lends itself to permaculture.
    This approach may just be a pipe dream in reality and realistically we will probably end up buying the property we fall in love with and then make the most of it as far as permaculture goes.
    I truly hope that wherever you call home next is as beautifulas where you live now.
     
  15. RodT

    RodT Junior Member

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    Pretty new to this and have limited time to research.
    May I ask what pidgeon pea is?
     
  16. Bananarama

    Bananarama Junior Member

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    RodT .. Pigeon Pea is a legume that I have found to be amazingly versatile. It's abilities as nurse maid, protein source for me and my chooks, and chop and drop mulch. If you get the proper inoculant it is nitrogen fixing too. It's easily pruned with hand tools.
    Here is the wiki for it https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pigeon_pea
     
  17. helenlee

    helenlee Junior Member

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    I don't want to sell it. I'm having a total breakdown about it. I've been 'not selling it selling it" for 3 years now ... :(
    However, my adult kids live a long way from here - one lives 4 hours & 2 live 7 hours (but opposite directions!) away. I almost never get to see them. It has taken until I realised you really & truly can die of a broken heart for me to be willing to let go. I won't be getting anything as beautiful as where I live now next time. Unless I had a million dollars, I'm not going to get anything anywhere remotely like this, & I don't have a million dollars :( I truly have struggled to come to terms with it, & I'm still not sure I'm making the right decision, but time is ticking away & I miss them so much I feel like I've died.
    I have always believed someone who truly loved & valued the place would come along, & that would make it OK for me to go. Somehow, I'd be happier if I knew this magic place was going to be part of someone else's spiritual journey. It really is magic up here. It's sacred women's country. And strange & wonderful things happen :)
    I have a lot more photos on my facebook page thingy in an album called Girralong. (There are also other random photos under cows & sheep & things.) If you're a facebook user send me a friend request & you can check out the albums. (Let me know here you've sent it - I don't routinely use fb these days.)
    Helen Cairns.
    Not sure how many Helen Cairns there are on fb. In my profile pic I'm wearing a bright, multi-coloured singlet. I have dark hair.
     
  18. kimbo.parker

    kimbo.parker Junior Member

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    it's that time of year again.

    madness is eating away at the edges.

    i'm going through it again,,,,the only saving grace is that one little bit of the mind is watching the rest of the mind loose it....
    if that can be said to be a saving of grace.

    it's the same as 'herself''s....got paradise....but got little else.

    the irony, the sheer bloody irony of having more than enough of one thing ( in our case place ) but jack shit of the reasons for having place, which is people, or most correctly 'the right people, our people.

    i can ratchet it up to even one more degree of accuracy - our kids.

    we, the baby boomers that realised and quickly, decisively acted with courage to make good....are denied.
    don't believe gen y when they start on about the boomers.....

    they themselves are culpable.

    i salute HelenCairns @ Girralong

    stay put girl - else your going to have to wipe years off - as wasted.

    how can this be justice, or karma,,,,it can't.

    so we have to wait - ,,,,,,what for?

    until justice or karma clicks on.....and it might take our lives.

    but tell me, how does it serve anything - if those gutsy folk with an option - give up that option.....and become like the rest.

    all it gets them is 'alike' and of course, that translates to being liked.

    liked enough to get a decent deal from their retarded children.

    ___________________________________

    if it was just me v's the adult kids,,,,i'd back myself till death....and make sure they got zip
    but i have one small one still,,,and i will keep the place, and keep my loneliness, just to keep the option open for the little un.

    if she grows up to shaft me like the others, then i exit with zero out of five,,,,and fuck the world that does that to a man.

    i like to hear your story H.
    it provides company for mine.

    k
    ps remember, we know you for your endeavours,,,,we would not know you elsewise.....and probably would not value you as we do.




    .
     
  19. andrew curr

    andrew curr Moderator

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    Take the $
    Come live here! 2 cottages spare

    or build your own
    play win win!!
     
  20. helenlee

    helenlee Junior Member

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    I've been trying all night to think of a response to this.
    I can't.
    I'm beaten.
    All I can say, without embarrassing myself or anyone else is:
    Thank You.
    Thank You very much.
     

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