Lesson 2.4 DESIGN - Alley cropping

 


FOOD FOREST COURSE

AGRO-ECONOMY Lesson 2.4 

DESIGN - Alley cropping

 

Is a method of planting in which rows of a crop are sown between rows or hedges of nitrogen-fixing plants?

Guilds

Permaculture guilds are groups of plants, animals and bacteria which work particularly well together. Guilds can be thought of as an extension of companion planting.

When crops are carefully selected, other agronomic benefits are also achieved.  Plants that are prone to tip over in wind or heavy rain may be given structural support by their companion crop.  Delicate or light sensitive plants may be given shade or protection, or otherwise wasted space can be utilized.  An example is the tropical stacking system where coconut occupies the upper canope, banana the middle layer, and pineapple, ginger, or leguminous fodder, medicinal or aromatic plants occupy the lowest layer.

 

One example of guild planting:

The Three Sisters are the three main agricultural crops of some Native American groups in North America: squash, maize, and climbing beans.

 

In one technique known as companion planting, the three crops are planted close together.  Flat-topped mounds of soil are built for each cluster of crops.  Each mound is about 30 cm high and 50 cm wide, and several maize seeds are planted close together in the middle of each mound.  Sometimes, rotten fish or eel are buried in the mound with the maize seeds, to act as additional fertilizer where the soil is poor. When the maize is 15 cm tall, beans and squash are planted around the maize, alternating between beans and then squash.

The three crops benefit from each other.

The maize provides a structure for the beans to climb, eliminating the need for poles.  The beans provide the nitrogen to the soil that the other plants utilize and the squash spreads along the ground as a living ground cover. The squash leaves act as a living mulch creating a microclimate to retain moisture in the soil, and the prickly hairs of the vine deter pests.  Maize lacks the amino acids lysine and tryptophan, which the body needs to make proteins and niacin, but beans contain both and therefore together they provide a balanced diet.

Native Americans throughout North America are known for growing variations of three sister type gardens.  

Text from the roots, Elisabeth Ferkonia (Aus.) PDC studied with Bill Mollison.



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