rainforest roots in a no-dig garden?

Discussion in 'Planting, growing, nurturing Plants' started by phosphorus, Oct 22, 2007.

  1. phosphorus

    phosphorus Junior Member

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    Hi all!
    I live in fairly dense rainforest of FNQ australia and im setting up a new garden bed using the raised no-dig style. i havnt started to put any layers down yet as im concerned about the nearby rainforest tree roots are going to start growing into the bed and sucking nutrient's & water from my vegetables.
    i was thinking of laying some weed-mat down first and stopping anything growing into it but that would stop the worms from coming up out of the ground..
    is this even a concern? has any got any experience growing veges in the rainforest??
    cheers!
    :)
     
  2. gardenlen

    gardenlen Group for banned users

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    g'day,

    weed mat won't do much it can't even stop nut grass from growing so it won't stop roots.

    reckon you would have to look into a root barrier between the tree'd area and where your gardens are going to be, don't think having the barrier installed is especially cheap but about the only long term result you can get.

    len
     
  3. Tezza

    Tezza Junior Member

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    Dunno mate But id love to hear of your sucsess if and how much will be interesting..

    Im doing the same, only my rain forest is a fruit forest :lol: :lol: :lol:

    Its time to grow my understory now I allready know quite a few things that can compete with trees but only in my garden so its not universally prooven yet :lol: :lol: :lol:
    Time to experiment and post your results in here for us mere mortals..

    Try quick growers and youll learn quickly veges be good try lettuces or quick growing greens

    Tezza
     
  4. ho-hum

    ho-hum New Member

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    Phos,

    Root barriers work for a while but anything actively growing will do it's best to seek nutrient.

    There are a couple of advantages to tropical growing. Firstly, you KNOW it is going to happen, and secondly, a lot of tropical crops do just fine under trees.

    It is all about 'suck it and see' and balance. Tree shade is often crucial to growing a decent vegie garden in the tropics. Fig trees are probably a no-no close to a vegie garden 'cos they just keep on keeping on.

    Tropical growing is always a war on two fronts, the 'neighbours', be they trees, grasses or animals and the elements, be they cyclones, droughts etc. Add to this mix we need to consider fertility, nematodes, bandicoots, wild pigs, wallabies, and a whole variety of insect and birdlife.

    It is not all bad unless you seriously want to try and recreate a Yates Garden Guide type of situation.

    All of the above elements are just factors to be dealt with. I assume you didnt grow up in the tropics by your question. Often these 'problems' are allayed by spectacular crops of beans, corn, yams etcetera, things that DO grow well in the tropics.

    It is a matter of balance, I have always believed, as a permie, that we have to take these considerations on board and .... either feed them too or develop strategies that will allow you to harvest your fair share.

    I believe that temperate and cold climate gardening is designed to store food for hard times. In the real tropics, we have to garden to make food available round the calender as our ability to effectively store food is restricted by climate.

    Here is a little list of things that do survive and are available throughout the year.

    Beans - nearly all varieties of climbing bean
    Peas - only the climbers
    Most of the pumpkin family
    Kang Kong
    Malabar spinach
    Millet
    Sweet potato as a yam or a green vegie
    Papaya as a green vegie or a fruit
    Pigeon Pea as a dual purpose grower
    Rice as a green or a grain
    Senposai as a long term pickable green
    Rocket [if you find this plant edible] as a green
    Sugarloaf cabbage - from about the 8 leaf stage
    Eggplant - works too as a nice windbreak hedge if fostered.
    Capsicum - 2nd year fruit are generally small - who cares!!
    Yellow or Pear tomatoes - will probably need cutting back.
    Basil
    Coriander
    Chives
    Some mints and even parsley with a bit of TLC
    Carrots - year round with the right variety, they all grow.

    This list is neither complete or authoritative but I know all of these plants have succeeded for me in my hot & dry tropical situation. This doesnt mention the fungi or trees available like Sweetleaf or Moringa/Horseradish tree. Fruits are a whole 'nother issue.

    If you are worried about scrawny plants - then it is probably a fertility issue. Tropical soils are often very deficient in P and K as well as most micro nutrients due to the leaching by downpours. You may need to address this for a great vegie garden but be judicious as many aussie plants resent big applications of anything.

    cheers

    floot
     
  5. christopher

    christopher Junior Member

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    Raised beds are a good way to go, especially if you have a water table that spills out onto the ground during your rainy season. While some roots may grow up into the raised beds, that should take a while.

    Keep in mond that in areas with thin tropical soil, those trees provide a valuable service of mining nutrients from the subsoil, and dropping them to the ground as leaves, branches, flowers and fruit, all of which are broken down by soil microoganisms creating top soil. Try to think of the services and products the trees provide as tools for building and retaining soil fertility.

    We grow a fair amount of veggies, with several styles of gardening:
    1) we use raised beds. This makes great sense during the rainy season when water aids fungal pathogens that atack roots
    2) we have a seasonally inundated flood plain that has very deep topsoil, which we use in our dry season. It is irrigated.
    3) we have terraced garden beds, with stone or log fronts, which allows drainage
    4) we grow long stripes of vetiver grass on contour to make terraces. We intercrop with maize, beans, tomatoes, banana, soft fruit, pineapple, coco yam (taro), cassava etc, etc.

    Remember, the key to soil fertility establishment, retention and propagation gnerally is trees!

    good luck!
     
  6. phosphorus

    phosphorus Junior Member

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    wow thankyou everyong for so much help!, in the end i have just gone for it, layering all the composable materials down and didnt worry about trying to compete wit the rest of the trees but rather work with them. in the end this is about companion-ships and working together with nature not against it.. the rainforest is my friend!
    thanks again n happy growth
     

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