In the deep recess of my memory I recall a statement made by Masanobu Fukuoka about burying logs in your orchard. I wish to find out where I read it. Does anyone know? The idea is that it is a massive injection of carbon over many years, and the rotten wood keeps very moist. Most people I speak to about this make the point about a nitrogen deficit. I guess you could grow legumes on top of the log and the fruit trees a little way away. Anyway, has anyone come across the article, or book, that I am referring to?
Re: Help with a Fukuoka reference please? I got this from the link below: Because trees contain so much of a forest's nutrients, burying logs is actually one of the most efficient ways to build soil. Masanobu Fukuoka, a Japanese agronomist and philosopher who's considered one of the founders of permaculture, proved this through extensive experiments in the mid-20th century (see The One-Straw Revolution, Rodale Press, 1978). https://www.mountainx.com/garden/2005/0518rylander.php Cheers
Re: Help with a Fukuoka reference please? Thank you for that. I suppose it means that the quote is in that book. I'll have a look.
Re: Help with a Fukuoka reference please? Fukuoka's second book, the The Natural Way of Farming. Japan PUblications ISBN 0870406132 Has more detail of techniques and design. p190 discusses laying woody material on contour on the surface. He talks about burying it elsewhere... useful if you have a fleet of young acolytes. I think he was dealing with fine textured soil on a steep slope.
Re: Help with a Fukuoka reference please? Rotting wood acts as a sponge, gradually releasing water to plant roots. I faintly remember Bill Mollison mentioning the same thing, but advising to put chunks of rotten logs as the base of your herb spiral, piling soil on top. The rotten logs act as a moisture bank, as well as a source of nutrients. Sue
Re: Help with a Fukuoka reference please? Thanks Sue, thanks Paul. A neighbour is just about to bulldoze a young forest of cypress. Probably about 3 hectares. So he can graze cattle. I am wondering what I can do with it. It is not old or big enough to cut for timber. Burying it, or otherwise using it for mulch is my favoured option so far.
Re: Help with a Fukuoka reference please? I seem to remember cypress being rot resistant, fence poles?... Any cypress growing mushrooms? we have some edible mushrooms that specialize in Fir. Any market for essential oil of cypress?
Re: Help with a Fukuoka reference please? Thanks Paul. I did consider the resistance to rot. Very few trees have rot resistance in our climate, enough for use as posts at least. But you are right in that even slow decaying wood would probably not be the best for this use. I have yet to find out which cypress it is.
Re: Help with a Fukuoka reference please? Personally, I would use the cypress for posts. It is my experience that plants do not seem to like cypress mulch. Since it contains chemicals that promote rot resistance, cypress does not seem to break down into hummus like oak etc. No real scientific evidence just personal experience speaking.
Re: Help with a Fukuoka reference please? in Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms i believe paul stamets also discusses this method.
Re: Help with a Fukuoka reference please? I don't know if it applies to your cypress, but I was told by a local lumberman that the cedar trees here aren't allowed to get large enough to develop their full quota of protective oil. I have found that the cedar I've used for garden beds deteriorates almost as quickly as the regular fir does. Sue
Re: Help with a Fukuoka reference please? That is quite interesting Sue. I have had a better look at this forest and have found a number of thinnings lying on the ground. I don't know how old they are, but some of them are quite solid, and some of them are completely rotten through. Two different timeframes I imagine.