Maintenance
I have done this work at the Panya project where I am currently living, is a place where many volunteers come to learn and fully live the permaculture way.
Here is constantly realising many different personal projects, and since I arrived I have seen that these are made with great passion and enthusiasm, but when the creator is gone many of the projects just ends and die.
Not everybody want to continue and maintain the aims of others, many of the personal work we do here might be called contemporary art, as a learning experience and practice that is performed when the creator is present, but most of the times this will die with their absence.
This is one reason why I have used materials that are not long time durable, those that will biodegrade quickly and become part of the soil, and it's why I did not use other materials such as metal or concrete, to don't leave "waste" behind my steps.
I think that if it had been thought of as a project to maintain for many years, it would had been planned very different.
One of the heavy maintenance job is remove many leaves, branches and fruits from the mango trees falling into the site.
The weeds in the rainy season can devour the area in a couple of weeks. I started this project nine month ago and soon I will live the Panya project (were the little garden is located ). Since two months ago I have not touched anything in terms of the garden maintenance, observing the slowly decayed back to the wilderness.
The perennial plants are the ones that survived better because do not need high maintenance, and which after two months without any input still bearing fruit.
Here is constantly realising many different personal projects, and since I arrived I have seen that these are made with great passion and enthusiasm, but when the creator is gone many of the projects just ends and die.
Not everybody want to continue and maintain the aims of others, many of the personal work we do here might be called contemporary art, as a learning experience and practice that is performed when the creator is present, but most of the times this will die with their absence.
This is one reason why I have used materials that are not long time durable, those that will biodegrade quickly and become part of the soil, and it's why I did not use other materials such as metal or concrete, to don't leave "waste" behind my steps.
I think that if it had been thought of as a project to maintain for many years, it would had been planned very different.
One of the heavy maintenance job is remove many leaves, branches and fruits from the mango trees falling into the site.
The weeds in the rainy season can devour the area in a couple of weeks. I started this project nine month ago and soon I will live the Panya project (were the little garden is located ). Since two months ago I have not touched anything in terms of the garden maintenance, observing the slowly decayed back to the wilderness.
The perennial plants are the ones that survived better because do not need high maintenance, and which after two months without any input still bearing fruit.
EVALUATION & TWEAKS
After 9 months I am still observing, interacting and analysing, how to get more performance to this site.
Observe and interact
I feel I have learned a lot by observing what works and what does not, by testing different materials and plants and just observing how they react in different micro-climates. This helped me to better realise where are their boundaries in each condition. I could have saved a lot of intensive labour and resources if I had more previous information and knowledge before to start this project, this could lead to be much more efficient from the beginning. Not interacting per two months and letting the garden grow wild, helped me to realize the strongest and weaknesses of some of the spices in the site, and I discovered new wild ones (some ones with a beneficial proprieties). A good way I had to see the progress of my interaction was to have a photo report whit a data record, as you can see at the slideshow on the right. Another way was just sitting on the bench of the small recreational area, taking a cuppa and observing the changes around me, thinking in other strategies to improve my interactions. |
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Obtain a yield
I have enjoyed a lot the tomatoes, basil and other plants of the site, some of the perennial like chillies still are producing.
But because my acknowledge on how to grow plants in a tropic climate and in general, I can not say that I obtained an abundant quantity of products.
The best yield I get was the learning experience and the opportunity to practice, feeding my creativity and inspiration needs.
But because my acknowledge on how to grow plants in a tropic climate and in general, I can not say that I obtained an abundant quantity of products.
The best yield I get was the learning experience and the opportunity to practice, feeding my creativity and inspiration needs.
Use and value renewable resources and services
Because I did not peak some of the tomatillos I had spontaneously growing very well new tomatillo plants inside the garden. I just lead them to come back to the soil testing them self seeding, like I have seen before in this site with other species.
Not as much I wanted but I could save some seeds from the most strong and healthy plants I had, to get the best genetics and improve the next generation.
Because I did not peak some of the tomatillos I had spontaneously growing very well new tomatillo plants inside the garden. I just lead them to come back to the soil testing them self seeding, like I have seen before in this site with other species.
Not as much I wanted but I could save some seeds from the most strong and healthy plants I had, to get the best genetics and improve the next generation.
Integrate rather than segregate
The little aquaculture project had attracted and integrate more animal and insects into the site, as the cats in our community that comes to drink from it regularly. I have also been able to incorporate aquatic plants that has very well integrated.
The recreation area also works very well to integrate people, bringing a more social aspect into the site, and leading me hear feedbacks from others.
The little aquaculture project had attracted and integrate more animal and insects into the site, as the cats in our community that comes to drink from it regularly. I have also been able to incorporate aquatic plants that has very well integrated.
The recreation area also works very well to integrate people, bringing a more social aspect into the site, and leading me hear feedbacks from others.
Uses and values diversity
I grown many different flower plants that had brought lots of different colour in the landscape. This has greatly helped to attract humans and pollinator insects into the garden.
Incorporating the small aquifer I get much more diversity of animals and insects, they been joying the drinking water and interactions between them.
Incorporating the small aquifer I get much more diversity of animals and insects, they been joying the drinking water and interactions between them.
Use and respond creatively to change
If a plant variety did not developed well, I tried to see it as opportunity to learn more about them needs and improve the environment to suit with them. If this changes was no possible to do I tested a different plant variety on the same spot to find what works better.
After observing that many of the wild invader plants growing in the site had beneficial characteristics to the place, I lead them to be integrate and I tried to work with them and not against, as I have used the wild clover as a grass cover and nitrogen fixing, wild flowers for beauty and pollinators or medicinal wild plants for a personal health uses.
Because the building of the site was growing in as an incremental design, I had to Keep up and let run free my creativity.
If a plant variety did not developed well, I tried to see it as opportunity to learn more about them needs and improve the environment to suit with them. If this changes was no possible to do I tested a different plant variety on the same spot to find what works better.
After observing that many of the wild invader plants growing in the site had beneficial characteristics to the place, I lead them to be integrate and I tried to work with them and not against, as I have used the wild clover as a grass cover and nitrogen fixing, wild flowers for beauty and pollinators or medicinal wild plants for a personal health uses.
Because the building of the site was growing in as an incremental design, I had to Keep up and let run free my creativity.
SWOC
Strenghts
Weaknesses
Oportunities
Plants
Wild mushrooms.
During the life of my little garden have appeared several native and non native wild plants.
Mostly clover, leucaena, and different flowering plants. Also by self seeding grows a banana with a son as tall as it mother. They have given me the opportunity to improve the site effortlessly. Also at the end of the project I could see how nature success and which plants as perennials transform the garden in a semi wild space and provide yield at the same time. |
Materialsbamboo stiks
I feel bless that I could extract all the materials from the resources I had around me, and without economic cost.
It's been more easy to adapt my design to use bamboo and stone as are abundant biological free resources near by. Also living in a community, people has helped me to find some recycled and reused wood, gravel or other materials making the work more divers and easy to implement. |
Constrains
Plants
The lack of sunlight was the main reason why many of the species had not been successful, the next time I will try planting other species more adapted to the conditions or do a more intense canape pruning. |
Materials
I had a hard work on not to buy some of the materials and find all of them skipping or recycling around the area. Anyway, I am very proud to have found everything I have needed and made me be able to complete the project. |
Reflections
Project reflections
The maintenance and implement of the garden never ends, but to understand it as a project I think is more than completed. It's been over nine months since I started to analyse the site and think about the goals, after this time I see that I really enjoyed learning and experiencing the building and the planting process.
I chose to make the acronym GOADIMET inspired by other Richard Perkins students portfolio.
I found that SWOC is a useful tool to evaluate site projects, to have better idea in what works well and what had challenges.
During the analysis and design processes, Holmgren Principles have always been present, but I preferred to use these to write the evaluation, so I could see if they have been applied and they have had or not success.
When I have made the Zone Analysis I have not defined any space for zone 4 or 5. Because I didn't have much experience by doing this analysis before, I thought that these where not necessary or important to have into the site, but for the next time, now I think that is important to always have a place (even if it's small) to these zones.
Professional reflections
After the experience of this project I feel I have much more confidence to chat about some gardening topics in tropics. I had expand my knowledge on plants, climates and micro-climates, and in a future this will help me to make better workshops, or helping others with small consultancy works.
Learning by mistakes helped me to put limits, and be more realistic with some of the planting experiments I have done, including a "catastrophe" plan.
Also now I feel more comfortable working with contour in a small site.
Personal reflections
From the beginning I never expected someone to continue maintaining or implementing this garden, I never wanted to put those expectations to not be disappoint in the future. For that reason my main goals were to learn, teach and practice in the present moment.
Even knowing that the garden will be abandoned and eaten by the weeds (by the tropic speed during the rainy season), I've reached my goals and I am satisfied in how much I have enjoyed and gained from this work. And hope I could set a little example to inspire people who come to visit us, to design more creatively.
Time reflections
The intention was that this project has been realized in two and half months, so I could go to the next project for my diploma and thus try to finish the degree in two years.
I think I meet this aim, and although the project was drafted for nine months, the implementation was completed on schedule. Anyway I keep practising and learning from this project until the day I'll leave this place.
Because I don't have a fast internet connection, redaction and pictures upload have been a long time job.
I can't count the amount of hours I have expended at the design, garden building, planting, maintaining..., but I can have a reference from 1 month and half of intensive work ( 8 or 10 hours per day ) in building and planting the site, and around 45 hours on web designing, translations and redaction.
The maintenance and implement of the garden never ends, but to understand it as a project I think is more than completed. It's been over nine months since I started to analyse the site and think about the goals, after this time I see that I really enjoyed learning and experiencing the building and the planting process.
I chose to make the acronym GOADIMET inspired by other Richard Perkins students portfolio.
I found that SWOC is a useful tool to evaluate site projects, to have better idea in what works well and what had challenges.
During the analysis and design processes, Holmgren Principles have always been present, but I preferred to use these to write the evaluation, so I could see if they have been applied and they have had or not success.
When I have made the Zone Analysis I have not defined any space for zone 4 or 5. Because I didn't have much experience by doing this analysis before, I thought that these where not necessary or important to have into the site, but for the next time, now I think that is important to always have a place (even if it's small) to these zones.
Professional reflections
After the experience of this project I feel I have much more confidence to chat about some gardening topics in tropics. I had expand my knowledge on plants, climates and micro-climates, and in a future this will help me to make better workshops, or helping others with small consultancy works.
Learning by mistakes helped me to put limits, and be more realistic with some of the planting experiments I have done, including a "catastrophe" plan.
Also now I feel more comfortable working with contour in a small site.
Personal reflections
From the beginning I never expected someone to continue maintaining or implementing this garden, I never wanted to put those expectations to not be disappoint in the future. For that reason my main goals were to learn, teach and practice in the present moment.
Even knowing that the garden will be abandoned and eaten by the weeds (by the tropic speed during the rainy season), I've reached my goals and I am satisfied in how much I have enjoyed and gained from this work. And hope I could set a little example to inspire people who come to visit us, to design more creatively.
Time reflections
The intention was that this project has been realized in two and half months, so I could go to the next project for my diploma and thus try to finish the degree in two years.
I think I meet this aim, and although the project was drafted for nine months, the implementation was completed on schedule. Anyway I keep practising and learning from this project until the day I'll leave this place.
Because I don't have a fast internet connection, redaction and pictures upload have been a long time job.
I can't count the amount of hours I have expended at the design, garden building, planting, maintaining..., but I can have a reference from 1 month and half of intensive work ( 8 or 10 hours per day ) in building and planting the site, and around 45 hours on web designing, translations and redaction.
Project Resources
Design
Pens, colour markers & paper Software Written text: Open office 3.3. Google translate Weebly Computer Hp Laptop Vista O.S. Photography Camera Panasonic Lumix f33. Adobe Photoshop 6.0. Books
Financial I expended 12 USD money in this project, because all the materials was recycled, extracted from the area or donated. |
Gardening
Seeds: Panya donation California organic Other plants donated from other volunteers Tools Shovel Hoe Bucket A frame Spirit level Trowel Hummer Wood and metal saws Machetes Wood chipper Materials Wood slats Bamboo River stones Straw Bricks |
Thanks for reading my project 2, if you want to know other of my 10 diploma projects you can visit: