#Horticulture Techniques

[rahulnl]

Unlock the secrets of growing vibrant maple trees in your garden, explore their historical significance, environmental benefits, and join reforestation efforts with organizations like Grow Billion Trees.

Links: https://growbilliontrees.com/blogs/tree-stories/maple-tree-magic-discover-the-secrets-to-growing-vibrant-maple-trees-in-your-garden

Hashtags: Gardening Tips, Horticulture Techniques, Landscape Design, Maple Trees, Maple Varieties, Outdoor Living, Planting Trees, Sustainable Gardening, Tree Care, Vibrant Gardens

[healthawarenes]

Learn about the health benefits of gardening

[gardenofmydesire]

Gardening Journey: Step by Step Guide for Beginners

Our New Blog "Gardening journey with our simple step-by-step guide for beginners"

Gardening is a rewarding and therapeutic hobby that allows you to connect with nature, create beauty, and cultivate your own green haven. If you’re a beginner eager to start your gardening journey, you’re in the right place! In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to kickstart your gardening adventure, even if you have limited space like a balcony. Step 1: Choose Your…

[cselandscapearchitect]

Guest PostEdward Scissorhands' Macabre Guide to Shrubs and Rebellion Against the HOA

Listen up, forlorn souls of the suburban abyss, Even Edward Scissorhands has occasional issues with his homeowner’s association. Edward Scissorhands, the dark connoisseur of melancholy, arises with a tale of pruning gone awry. Prepare to delve into the shadowy depths of my twisted wisdom as we navigate the eerie world of shrubs and the ghastly homeowners association that haunts our…

[wachinyeya]

When Stockholm’s Traffic Office conducted a general assessment of street traffic in the Swedish capital in 2001, it came to the shocking conclusion that two-thirds of all trees in the city center were dead or dying.

City authorities agreed that an urgent response was needed to nurse these leafy urban ecosystem pillars back to health.

Enter Björn Embrén, Stockholm’s first “tree officer.”

Under his leadership, various technologies and materials were tested in an attempt to create a more suitable living space for trees in the urban environment.

“I knew that they could grow if the circumstances were right,” says Embrén, a former professional gardener.

“It’s like putting a plastic bag over your head and tightening it over your neck,” says Embrén. “That’s what happened to the trees in Stockholm. They were dying.”

Eventually, inspired by railroad embankments — which require only a small amount of organic matter for healthy trees to grow — Embrén concocted what was to become known as the “Stockholm tree pit” model.

By 2002, Embrén had drawn up designs. And by 2003, they were already building.

The design involves digging a pit and constructing a frame underground around the tree’s roots, and then filling said pit with a mixture of soil and stone, sometimes including biochar, to both aerate and fertilize the soil. These permeable layers are very strong and physically adaptable but also allow stormwater to flow in, meaning the trees are provided with sufficient air and water naturally. They also allow rainwater to be soaked up — a necessity amid more extreme weather brought on by climate change.

“We found that the more breathable the materials we used, the happier the trees were,” adds Embrén.

Proponents say the method has a number of benefits, including the fact that pits can be installed around existing trees, they can bear the weight of heavy-vehicle traffic, they require little topsoil — a resource that is becoming scarce — and they need less watering than traditionally-planted trees.

This approach, which allows tree roots to thrive beneath hard surfacing, ergo allowing healthy trees to grow within the modern built environment, is particularly relevant as cities attempt to re-green and reforest in the face of climate change.

According to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, urban forests can help “future-proof” cities, which are responsible for about 75 percent of global CO2 emissions. Sustainable urban forestry, it says, can bring multiple benefits, such as lowering temperatures, improving public health, creating habitats for biodiversity, sequestering carbon, generating green jobs, and mitigating risks of floods and landslides.

“It’s more important now than ever before,” says Ryan Klein, an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Horticulture at the University of Florida. “We have these massive populations in urban areas. And we’re seeing more extreme weather like hurricanes, wildfires and prolonged droughts. Trees can help to offset some of these negative effects.”

However, amid the rush to rapidly reforest cities, experts like Klein warn that due to ineffective methods and techniques being used, it’s common to see urban trees in poor health, and trees planted in cities often have very high mortality rates.

“We have the understanding of how to grow healthier, more sustainable and resilient forests,” says Klein. “The research backs it. Unfortunately, we don’t always invest the time, money or internal know-how on implementing this.”

A review of 16 scientific studies on urban tree mortality, published in 2019, found that in the first five years after planting, 6.6 to 7 percent of trees died annually.

“Urban soils are not very tree-friendly currently,” says Rik De Vreese, leader of the Urban Forestry Team at the European Forestry Institute. “It’s quite a serious threat.”

When trees aren’t properly anchored, De Vreese adds, it can also lead to other issues, such as trunks falling over and causing damage or roots warping sidewalks.

However, the Stockholm Tree Pit method — and the way that it’s been implemented in Sweden — is helping urban forests genuinely take root.

One of the first locations where Embrén introduced a tree pit was Erik Dahlbergsallén street in Stockholm, not far from the popular Swedish Museum of Natural History.

There, according to research by the municipality, the circumference of a selection of those planted trees increased from 30 to 35 centimeters to 70 to 83 centimeters between 2004 and 2013, even surpassing that of trees without the tree pits that have been there for more than 80 years. The latest figures from 2024 saw them reach between 100 and 136 centimeters.

“It’s easy to see how effective the pits have been,” says Embrén.

The municipality estimates that 2.3 million liters of rainwater are managed by the trees per year, and consequently, 4,600 square meters of roofs and sidewalks have been disconnected from the sewage system, reducing the burden on water treatment services.

This technique has proven so successful that it has become the standard for all other development projects in the public spaces of Stockholm. Embrén says he has been directly involved in constructing more than 3,000 tree pits, and while he has since retired, there are now three “tree officers” who have taken on the expanding role. 

Britt-Marie Alvem, one of the current tree officers, estimates that the city now builds between 500 and 1,000 tree pits a year.

These days, the tree pits are also in almost every Swedish city — with a few variations.

“Some have copied and changed a little bit, like adding pumice to the stone mix,” says Embrén.

Stockholm’s tree pits are now spreading across Europe, too. In Budapest, Hungary’s capital, the tree pits can be found all over Bartók Béla Boulevard and Arany János Street. Embrén says the Spanish city of Madrid has implemented the method using local materials. And it’s become increasingly popular in the U.K.

Ben Rose, the principal arboricultural consultant at U.K. tree service Bosky Trees and the founder of Stockholm Tree Pits, a U.K.-based company that produces the equipment required to make tree pits, says that he has planted about 500 trees using the Stockholm model in the U.K. since he began in 2019, mostly as part of small-scale pilot projects.

“The approach is very suitable for use in urban situations, particularly in car parks, in plazas, and beside walkways or cycle paths,” says Rose.

Join the Reasons to be Cheerful community by supporting our nonprofit publication and giving what you can. JoinCancel anytime

Yet there are some drawbacks to the system. Installation costs can be high, the pits can require a large amount of space to install, and it is impossible to reuse existing soil. In addition, for now there is a relative dearth of professionals who know how to construct tree pits.

“Our main concern is the price,” says De Vreese, whose team is currently studying the importance of “structural soils” like those deployed by the tree pits. “Excavating the soil surrounding the tree and refilling it is no small job.”

And while Professor Klein praises the Stockholm Tree Pit’s use of structural soil and how effective it’s proven to be, he notes that the long-term success of urban forestry also relies on other factors such as the supply of high quality nursery stock and proactive tree management such as routine pruning by municipalities.

“If we don’t have these we are setting ourselves up for failure,” he says. “Some cities do the bare minimum. In the U.S.A., it’s the wild west. But others, like Stockholm, are proactive, and they have public officials seriously behind it. That’s what we need.”

By: Peter Yeung, March 4, 2025

[ourrace-sexraceandculture]

We Were Everywhere Before Anyone Was Anywhere!

The Dani are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Baliem valley in the central highlands of West Papua (the Indonesian province of New Guinea). Found only in 1938 by the American aviator and explorer Richard Archbold, they remained until then technically still in the stone age. This discovery is still one of the last contact in the history of the planet between the Western civilization and another unknown and independently evolved. Their horticulture advanced technique suggests a long stay in the valley while other hypothesis suggest that the transition from hunting and gathering to the cultivation age have taken place in the last two centuries. The basis of their diet is made up of sweet potato. Pig breeding is very widespread but its meat is consumed infrequently and mainly during very important ceremonies. Hunting is little practiced. Dani men wear a penis sheath called "Koteka" obtained by emptying and drying a pumpkin. During the ceremonies or in war it is customary to adorn the body with colorful feathers, fur hats and bracelets. The women wear short skirts made of vegetable fiber and they often use one or more nets spread around the head and ornaments hanging to the neck as a protection from the spirits. There are only few working tools used by Dani and all of them are built using stone, bone and bamboo. The introduction of the metal, due to the influence of the West, took place only a few decades ago. The weapons used by Dani are spears, bows and arrows. Dani family is usually made up of a man with one or two wives and children. Polygamy is permitted but in general it is also limited due to the high cost of weddings. Particular importance is attributed to the spirits of the dead, able according to their beliefs to attack the living individuals. To date, they surveyed just over 300 Dani tribe, including some made by now by a few individuals.

[bambisnc]

he's the one that's livin' in my system baby! [02]

pairing : sungchan x reader genre : fluffy roommates au <3 lil angst bc reader is really out here questioning their whole existence (js like me fr) cw/tw : sungchan spills coffeee + reader is freaking out a bit bc of feelings tm + minor swearing + use of caps wc : 1k !!!!!!!!!!!!! everyone cheer and clap for me !!!!!!!!!!!!!

'RING!!!'

you sit up at your desk with a start, head hitting the lamp that you had so thoughtfully adjusted to be right above earlier in the evening. as you check the alarm clock, it's.. 2.59 a.m. already?! shit.. the last you remembered it was barely 10.00 p.m. and you had just gotten ready for a "super intense cram session", to be able get at least a little ahead in preparations for your finals.

that totally worked out well huh?

as your still sluggish mind slowly catches up, you notice a shawl wrapped over your shoulders.. and that candle you'd lit had been blown out as well. hmm.

your suspicions are easily confirmed when you notice a little yellow piece of paper stuck to the wall with a simple "you got this ^^ ♡" on it.

before you're fully able to let yourself swoon at the thoughtfulness of your roommate - it would honestly not be an overstatement when you question how much of a saint you must've been in your past life to be graced with a roommate like him - you hear a concerning clatter from the kitchen which makes you immediately rush towards the source of the sound.

and there stands sungchan, scrambling around the drawers looking for something.. the puddle of steaming brown liquid, coffee probably, indicates that his search is most likely for a dishcloth.

you move up behind his now bent figure as he rummages through the lower drawers, as carefully as you can to pull out one and dangle it in front of him teasingly, "looking for something~?"

"i could've sworn that was not there before?? dude are you sure you're not some kind of sorceress in disguise looking to prey on pretty boys like me?" your close proximity doesn't seem to affect him in the slightest; you however very much are affected. which obviously means you'll yet again hide behind a safe fool proof technique : a teasing remark.

"pfft- is that the best you could come up with? rather basic, no? you need to up your game seriously - when i first moved in, didn't you accuse me of being an evil horticulturist because i got you flowers?"

"hey no you see that was totally valid and besides the jury is still considering that possibility"

"the jury?"

"mhm, the people who said they'll get back to me on r/horticulture."

you have to laugh at this but as you accept your defeat you flick sungchan's forehead slightly, and roll your eyes at his exaggerated whine.

the dishcloth in your hand suddenly brings you back to earth, you know, as compared to how rather over the moon you feel in his company, "wait catch me up on what happened here?"

"ah.. i was making you coffee. i don't support caffeine at uh 3 am usually but i know you really wanted to get done with some of those worksheets of yours so.."

there he goes being all thoughtful again. god sometimes you really don't even know how to form coherent replies when he shows his care for you so, so unabashedly.

"right yeah.. i appreciate that. but you really don't have to sungchan-"

he doesn’t have to. doesn’t have to make you coffee, doesn’t have to stay up for company when you’re pulling all-nighters, doesn’t have to cuddle with you during your pirated show binges, doesn’t have to hold your hand during late night grocery store runs, doesn’t have to share his mint-choco chip ice-cream, his favorite, with you when your spicy ramen starts getting a little too spicy, doesn’t have to comfort you when everything, everyone gets too overwhelming.

“i know. i’m not doing this because i have to - i want to do this for you… is there a problem with that?”

yes, you want to say, yes there is. he’s making you feel emotions you’ve only ever read about in webtoons and fanfictions, and you’re scared of that. you’re terrified of that. “feelings” never lead to a good outcome unless they’re overly romanticized in various media; and this is definitely not a romance novel; nor is this a kdrama. “feelings” lead to vulnerability, to rawness, to your heart being completely exposed, because it’s undeniable that the defenses you’ve worked to set up around it all your life will break down in a single instance, if he asked it of you. you know that.

“..no. of course not.”

sungchan’s face lights up with one of his trademark smiles then, as he directs you back to your room assuring you that he’ll be “right there with your coffee madam <3”

you’re unwilling to leave but you’re also unwilling to stay. you make your way to your desk, mind still a jumble of complicated thoughts, all revolving around him. it’s genuinely shocking how, despite having been in your life for such a short period of time, he’s somehow wedged himself completely and truly in your mind and heart.

-

“what’s on your mind hmm?” you find yourself in a similar position to merely 7 minutes ago in the kitchen, except this time it’s him with his arms moving around you to place your coffee mug on the table, diligent in taking care to avoid your laptop and notebooks.

“nothing much,” another safe, noncommittal response to hide behind, “feel kinda sleepy, still.”

“well, caffeine to the rescue!! but i would definitely suggest getting a few hours of rest.” he still hasn’t moved, his arms now resting on the wood, as he slightly tilts his head to look at you.

for once you decide to let yourself bask in the safety and comfort he exudes, overthinking and complications can, with all due respect, fuck themselves. “thank you, sungchan.” you’re unable to add in the ‘for everything’ so you can only hope he understands. you reach forward for the coffee, nose wrinkling slightly at noticing how hot it is.

and then. he leans in slightly till you can see your reflection in his warm, mocha-coloured eyes and inside you it’s as if 2 separate beings are desperately fighting for attention; one adamant on backing away as far as possible because it’s safe but the other yearning to pull him even closer. both beings are unfortunately unable to come to a conclusion, forcing you to rigidly stay fixed, not unlike a statue.

his voice is barely above a whisper when he goes, with all the devotion and affection you’d imagined in the gazes of every fictional crush you’ve ever had, “you drool when you sleep. it’s really cute.”

a gentle kiss to the tip of your nose and then he’s gone with some sort of a pleasantry but you’d be damned if you could remember even a word of it.

you blink. once, twice.

change of plans, then : instead of studying, you might need to pull out your softest, most sound absorbent pillow and scream into it, “jung sungchan. fuck. you.”

old notes : somewhat of a prequel to the other one? idk it's in the same univ u can fit in the pieces wherever u like also head empty worrying about exams also. sumchango love dive. ty for ur consideration . new notes : its a series now !11!!!! + [series m.list] [m.list]

[sweet-chimera]

Character Dossier

Basics

Full name: H-0434

Known aliases:Honey Suckle Reject, Mead florere rejecto

Age: 3,219

Gender: Female presenting or Demi-Female (uses she/her pronouns)

Birthcreationdate: April 1st

Heritage: Gladen

Religion: Polytheistic considering gods and deities are real

Sexual and Romantic orientation: Demi/pan sexual and panromantic

Status: Currently a free monster, court officer, in the Miracle territory

Residencies: In the Reject Estate located in Kevin the forever forest

Highest level of education: Greek Gymn school, monster quality assurance training, The Nursery, Godly and royal etiquette training, Greek monster and spartan training

Occupation: Public servant, court officer (she's their lie detector for sentencing)

Physical examination

Facial features: Round eyebrows. Rounded goat nose, tusks protruding from mouth, four sets of eyes (White pupils, usually red and green), 6 distinctive facial stripes

Face-claim: Herself. I draw all my own stuff

Voice: She has a (more mild now) scottish accent and a deep, feminine voice

Voice claim: Bronagh; Sound of the Sea

Eyes: She can have up to 8. All looking like colored rings, in the following colors:

Hair: Old burgandy, dark brown hair with a slightly redish-purple hue

Body type: She is a curvier, larger women with wider hips, and fat deposits on her body (shes had many kids)

Distinguishable Marks: double stripes on her shoulders, a serial number fur pattern in her fur, and 6 stripe markings on her face

weight: 285 lbs give or take

Height: Fluctuates, but remains around 5'7" for the sake of being approachable to most species

Mental Evaluation

Mental illness: PTSD, Hypervigilance around others, Not technically DID but she is a single body housing many creatures mentally, emotional affluency

Psychological profile: ESFJ

Positive traits: Empathetic, perceives needs, practical, caring

Negative traits: Detached, self deprecating, Assigns values based on usefulness

Alignment type: She can not perceive morality but based on action alone, True neutrual or lawful neutrual

Meyer-Briggs Personality type: (S/N)

Phobias: Afraid of technology, Frogs

Mannerisms: One set of eyes will avoid eye contact, one set will stare. Finger taps. Tail buzzing. Frog blinking.

Hobbies and Interests: Horticulture, Potion craft, baking, weaving, national parks, child rearing (yes), Tailoring.

Strategic analysis

Combat style: She avoids fighting at most costs, and if she does get into one (Not relating to damage mitigation or calming down a rampaging friend). Her motto is destroy them, everything they hold dear, and 5 generations of their blood line. Or pawn the problem off on someone else (still usually resulting in death) Since fighting is looked unfavorably upon. But other wise, mid to long ranged attacks with close range hand to hand being for when you want to get messy

Weapon of choice: She personally is a pole arms user, spears and pole axes when its not her magic or body as a weapon

Hand to hand Combat efficiency: Extremely competent considering she spent actual decades in a spartan military against other monsters

Tactical strength: Reconnaissance and small precise strike teams (herself and her parts). Honorable mention being honey potting or espionage

Tactical weakness: Lack of external leader ship, the cold, salt water, lead (lead is the only thing that works on the whole body and not an individual part

Signature technique: Plant, fungus, and moss roots forming spell circles underground and releasing a powerful (long set up) attack without the enemy ever knowing it was being set up.

Pain tolerance: Extremely high to everything but ice and lead. And even then she's willing to turn pain receptors off. (And risk not even registering when her body is beyond the point of no return)

Defensive skills: Classical shield training, turning big, using more hard wood and fiber plants. Running away

Relationships and affiliations

Family: She has 31 siblings. But the most notable are Nectar (the sphinx), Pollen (eastern loong), Heat (Chimera), Rika (Daughter. 100% honey's, but biologically black dragon)

Allies and associates: I haven't discussed relationships with muns that much. I know that shes on familial standing with some muses, but as far as allies or associates. No one really has her loyalty nor do I really have mains like that or overlapping canons with other muns. But from story canon there Persephone, and Queen Mab.

Rivalries: Honey has no one she's in competition with

Enemies: Honey has no one she despises or is on sight with

Romantic histories: Honey has no explicit ships or romantic history with any muses with active blogs. (Like puppy crushes are different from a bonafide ship). But from her Story canon, theres Cerberus, Rika's father, and a few other monsters from history (at least sexually. Romance is stretching it)

Notable friends: Alex, Hax & Eath, Gritt, Hook & terrance, Olgan, Frost, Crowley & Mack, Rachel, Kairi, Heiron, The fizz bots, and I'm sure others I can't think of.

Habits and life style

Daily routine: Honey Wakes up at sunrise regardless of when she went to bed, especially because Rika is Nocturnal and Is going to bed at that time. She makes herself tea and breakfast by 6:00 am or at least an hour after she's woken up which ever is earlier. She'll check on all of her Nymphs and forest creatures. Then she'll go into town to check on her neighbors. Then she'll go into work doing essentially odd jobs for the colony because they haven't had need for the court in ages. Then its the daily shenanigan with what ever muse she's seeing that day, and usually shes back home in time to wake up Rika, feed her, help her with homework and send her off to her training.

Diet and nutrition: She's Vegetarian. And won't eat meat. being part plant. She consumes alot of sugar and needs access to sunlight to feel okay

Exercise habits: most of her exercise comes from Sparring woth some of her coworkers and physical labor.

Grooming habits: She tries to bath no less then once a day. But considering how often shes running for her life or in someones shenanigan it's at a different time each day. Every day her horns and fangs grow to a point so she'll file them down back to being round and non threatening. As well as pluck any flowers Alluria sprouted out of her skin.

Substance use: She doesn't. Unless she's at like a party. But 9 times out of 10. Straight edge.

Sleep patterns: She doesn't unless something puts her to sleep.

Personal aesthetic: Cottage core, little house on the prairie, dark academia

Favorite book: Before the law by Franz Kafka, Frankenstein by Mary shelly

Favorite music genre: Blue grass folk

Favorite Art/Architecture: neo-classical

tagged by: @feelinsheepish and technically @xxlordalexanderxx

Tagging: anyone

[serinemolecule]

Does your knowledge of East Asia extend to horticulture? Do people there have terrible problems trying to keep bamboo out of places they don't want it, or do they have some way to deal with it, or are the dynamics different where it's a native rather than an invasive plant?

Sorry, no clue.

I found this mention at the bottom of the Chinese Wikipedia page for bamboo:

雖然竹可以作為盆栽、觀賞用途，但是對於建築物卻有極大的破壞風險。竹的生長速度極快，根莖蔓延得很快，應該避免在花園種植竹類。快速長生的竹會破壞地基、混凝土。而由於竹根深藏於地底，橫向生長，要根除的成本極高，所以一般來說，花園發現竹類會對房價有負面影響。

While bamboo can be used for bonsai, it poses a very large danger to buildings. Bamboo grows extremely quickly, its stem extends very quicky, so you should avoid planting it in gardens. Quicky growing bamboo can harm foundations and concrete. And because bamboo can grow underground and sideways, making it very difficult to exterminate, the discovery of bamboo in a garden will negatively influence property values.

Which seems to confirm your suspicions. BUT the two sources cited are both British:

https://web.archive.org/web/20220601061310/https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-7772477/British-gardeners-urged-NOT-grow-bamboo.html

https://web.archive.org/web/20220605100918/https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/types/grasses/bamboo-control

(So my guess is that this was written by some Hong Konger living in the UK.)

That's the only mention I can find of negatives on Wikipedia, though. The English, Japanese, and Chinese articles are otherwise all relentlessly positive and talk about how many uses it has and all its cultural significance in religion and considered one of the Four Gentlemen and considered pure etc etc.

I googled "bamboo weed" in Japanese (protip: if you know both languages, Japanese is better to google in because of the lack of Great Firewall) and got some results about bamboo control but about as many about using bamboo to control other weeds, so that and the Chinese sources being English-language does suggest to me that it sometimes causes trouble but not particularly? One reason might be that, because it's native, building techniques already account for it. But I'm just speculating, I woke up today with zero knowledge of what kinds of trouble people have with bamboo.

[pianostarinwonderland]

This masterchef is so funny because one of the ingredients isn’t even chocolate

It’s CACAO

THE FRUIT WHERE YOU GET CHOCOLATE

Which now makes me question: Does NRC make their students process their OWN CHOCOLATE?🤣 They’re making them open up the fruit, obtain the cacao, and then make them ferment the beans for like, a week or something, and then roast. 😭😭

It also makes you question, where are they getting the cacao? Are they importing it? Or is there some magic technique that allows them to grow their own in spite of the climate? Cause damn, if it’s the former, I now want to know Sam’s connections (assuming they get it from him). If the latter, I want to know the horticulture of Twisted Wonderland and how much magic can affect the growth of some plants.

[dailyanarchistposts]

III

“Agriculture itself must be overcome, as domestication, and because it removes more organic matter from the soil than it puts back. Permaculture is a technique that seems to attempt an agriculture that develops or reproduces itself and thus tends toward nature and away from domestication. It is one example of promising interim ways to survive while moving away from civilization. Cultivation within the cities is another aspect of practical transition, and a further step toward superseding domestication would be a more or less random propagation of plants, a la Johnny Appleseed.” — John Zerzan, On the Transition: Postscript to Future Primitive

So how can this be overcome? How can the shackles placed by technological slavery be broken? There are no ready made blueprints, programs or textbooks that have the one correct way or answers. If civilization is to be overcome it will be through individuals with all sorts of diverse ideas, experiments and actions.

For me, I see my path is by attempting to achieve more individual autonomy and self-reliance away from the dependency on techno-industrial society through permacultural subsistence gardening which can provide for me, my family, and other living creatures that inhabit the area I am in.

I first learned about permaculture from reading the zine Backwoods. Prior to this I was focused on the horticultural method of “productive gardening”. I suppose the difference between the two is permaculture and woodland gardening is ecologically designed to give back to the soil, and benefit other living organisms, animals, and the local ecosystem in general as much as to help oneself.

It is an ecological sustainable gardening practice of growing for yourself while simultaneously helping the environment around you. Each individual organism that takes part in the process whether insects, microbe, human and non human animals, all benefit from a mutual utilisation of working together and likewise so does the organic matter and minerals which are needed to create and sustain healthy soil, which in turn when all together creates healthy gardening successions, rich landscapes, biodiversity, and healthy ecosystems.

The individual designs her garden to suit the needs of the local environment or back yard. This includes finding out soil types, and studying how much sun hits the area, where and when different areas might be shaded. From this the individual will research what plants will suit the environmental conditions.

Perennial plants such as fruit trees and bushes combined with a mix of native annuals and self seeding annuals such as edible wild garlic, flowers like nasturtiums, soil enhancers like clover, medicinal herbs, all provide ground cover and help protect the soil from the weather, soil erosion, water retention, and provide fertilizer and mulch, which all help soil fertility, providing life to the organisms that live in and create soil. All combined help local wildlife, pollinators and other insects that are vital for a healthy garden as well as a healthy planet.

I have been gardening for the last four years and started focusing on the permaculture method last year. One does not need a lot of money to start growing. When I had a tiny backyard I used containers of old pots, buckets, and even bags. Seeds and plants can be bought cheap in the right places or else can be shoplifted easily enough. Last March I built raised beds from scaffolding planks I expropriated from a local building site which was closed due to the first lock down and started a mini forest garden on roughly a twenty foot by twenty foot strip of land. If one hasn’t a backyard guerrilla gardening is a viable option.

Seeds and cuttings can be got for free in your area if you know what you are looking for. I learned about native plants from plant folklore books which were rich in folklore and mythical stories based around each plant species, included in the stories was information on edible plants and when best to forage, which ones were poisonous, and the uses of others. Combined, the stories provided a great index for subsistence. The area I live in is urban but I could still find many plants growing in parks, gardens, and the side of roads.

I’m still a long way off achieving my full subsistence needs and gardening obviously won’t solve the majority of the problems that stem from civilization but I see it as a potential starting point in my own struggle for individual liberation and creating the life I want to live. I don’t think gardening is for everyone either, but for me I get great enjoyment and satisfaction watching plants grow and then eating the produce, and all without having to pay or work a boring ass job for. I just have to open my door and walk outside.

I’m no expert on gardening or permaculture so I will leave a list of books that have helped me and where I got inspiration from.

Renzo Connors the Anarcho-Gardener

[konjaku]

山吹[Yamabuki] Kerria japonica

太田左衛門太夫持資は上杉憲政(政真)の長臣なり。鷹狩に出で雨に合ひ、ある小屋に入りて蓑をからんといふに、わかき女の何とも物をばいはずして、山ぶきの花一枝折りて出しければ、「花を求るに非ず」とて怒て歸りしに、是を聞し人のそれは「七重八重花はさけども、山ぶきのみのひとつだになきぞ悲しき」といふ古歌のこゝろなるべしといふ。持資おどろきてそれより歌に志をよせけり。

[Ōta Saemon-no Taifu Mochisuke wa Uesugi Norimasa(Masazane) no chōshin nari. Takagari ni ide ame ni ai, aru koya ni irite mino wo karan to iu ni, wakaki onna no nan tomo mono woba iwazu shite, yamabuki no hana hito eda orite idashi kereba, "Hana wo motomuru ni arazu" tote ikarite kaerishi ni , kore wo kikishi hito no sore wa, "Nanae yae hana wa sakedomo, yamabuki no mi no(mino) hitotsu da ni naki zo kanashiki" to iu koka no kokoro naru beshi to iu. Mochisuke odorokite sore yori uta ni kokorozashi wo yose keri.] Ōta Mochisuke is a senior member of Uesugi Norimasa(Masazane)'s family. When he went a falconry and got caught in the rain, he went into a hut to borrow a mino, straw raincoat. A young woman, without saying a word, broke off a branch of yamabuki flowers and offered it to him, then he said, "I did not ask for flowers," and left angrily. Someone who heard this said that (she must have conveyed) the heart of the old waka poem, "Seven and eight flowers bloom, but yamabuki is sad because it does not bear even a single fruit (Another meaning: I am young and look like this, but poor and alone, I sadly do not have even a mino, single straw raincoat. * 身の一つだに[mi no hitotsu da ni] could also mean "I am alone, so...") He was shocked and began to study waka poetry after that.

雪玉實隆の歌に、「雨にきるみのなしとてや山吹の露にぬるゝは心つかしを」、後拾遺和歌集、「小倉の家に住侍るころ雨ふり侍りける日、みのかる人の侍りければ、山吹の枝を折てとらせ侍りけり。心もえでまかり過て」、又の日「山吹心得ざるよし」いひおこせて侍りける、返しにいひ遣しける、兼󠄄明親王、「七重八重はなはさけども山吹のみのひとつだになきぞかなしき(あやしき)」。

[Setsugyoku Sanetaka no uta ni, "Ame ni kiru mi no(mino) nashi tote ya yamabuki no tsuyu ni nururu wa kokorozukaji wo", go-shūi waka-shū, "Ogura no ie ni sumi haberu koro ame furi haberi keru hi, mino karu hito no haberi kereba, yamabuki no eda wo orite torase haberi keri. Kokoro mo ede makari sugite", mata no hi "Yamabuki kokoroezaru yoshi" ii okosete haberi keru, kaeshi ni ii tsukawashi keru, Kaneakira-shinnō, "Nanae yae hana wa sakedomo yamabuki no mi no(mino) hitotsu da ni naki zo kanashiki."] In Sanjōnishi Sanetaka's private collection of poetry, Setsugyoku-shū, "Yamabuki, which has no fruit (no mino, straw raincoat, to wear) in the rain, does not mind getting wet with dew." And in Go-shūi Waka-shū, Later Collection of Gleanings of Waka Poems, "When Prince Kaneakira was living at his house in Ogura, one day it rained and someone came to borrow a mino, straw raincoat, so he broke off a branch of yamabuki and gave it. The person left without understanding why," and on another day (because it was on his mind,) he sent a messenger saying, "I do not understand the meaning of that yamabuki," then Prince Kaneakira responded, "Seven and eight flowers bloom, but Yamabuki is sad because it does not bear even a single fruit (Another meaning: I am a member of the royal family but living in the mountain and poor, so I do not have even a mino, single straw raincoat. * 九重[Kokonoe], ninefold, means the Imperial Palace) From 常山紀談[Jōzan kidan] by 湯浅 常山[Yuasa Jōzan](1708-1781) Source: https://dl.ndl.go.jp/pid/908050/1/10 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ōta_Dōkan

山吹[Yamabuki] and 山葺[Yamabuki](葺 means thatch, and this could also be read as an abbreviation for "Poor house in the mountain Ogura"), 蓑一つ[Mino hitotsu](One straw raincoat) and 実の一つ[Mi no hitotsu](Only one fruit) and 身の一つ[Mi no hitotsu](The body alone). Such a technique of expression is called 掛詞[kakekotoba]. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kakekotoba

Whether this is a true story or not is not certain, but it is a well-known anecdote. https://ccdl.claremont.edu/digital/collection/cyw/id/351

The double-flowered yamabuki does not bear fruit. However, this is a horticultural variety. I do not know if it existed in the distant past. I think this expression perhaps mean that there are many single-petaled flowers. The single-petaled yamabuki produces inconspicuous fruits, though.

[devonheffley]

raspberry

Raspberries have a rich history that dates back thousands of years, with their origins traced to both Europe and Asia. The fruit belongs to the genus Rubus within the rose family (Rosaceae). Archaeological evidence suggests that wild raspberries were consumed by prehistoric humans, and they were well-known to ancient civilizations. The first recorded mention of raspberries dates back to around 300 BC when the Greek philosopher Theophrastus wrote about their cultivation. The fruit was widely used for its nutritional and medicinal properties, making it an important crop in early societies.

The cultivation of raspberries is believed to have begun in the Mediterranean region, where the Romans played a significant role in spreading the fruit across their empire. They cultivated raspberries not only for their delicious taste but also for their supposed healing properties. The Romans introduced raspberries to Britain during their occupation, and the fruit quickly became a staple in European gardens. Monks in medieval monasteries further advanced raspberry cultivation, using them for food, dyes, and medicinal treatments.

By the Middle Ages, raspberries were well established in European agriculture. They were particularly popular in England and France, where they were grown in gardens and used in various recipes. The juice of raspberries was often used as a dye for fabrics, while the fruit itself became a sought-after delicacy among the nobility. The development of horticultural techniques during the Renaissance allowed for improved varieties and better yields, leading to the expansion of raspberry farming.

Raspberries made their way to North America with European settlers in the 18th century. While native raspberry species already existed in the Americas, European varieties were introduced to improve cultivation. By the early 19th century, raspberry farming had become widespread in the United States, particularly in the northeastern states. The fruit's popularity increased due to its versatility in jams, desserts, and fresh consumption. Agricultural advancements led to selective breeding, resulting in hardier and more productive raspberry plants.

The 20th century saw a significant boom in raspberry production, with improved farming techniques, irrigation, and pest control methods allowing for larger and more reliable harvests. New varieties, including red, black, and golden raspberries, were developed to cater to different tastes and growing conditions. The rise of commercial raspberry farming meant that the fruit became more accessible to consumers worldwide. Freezing and preservation techniques also allowed raspberries to be enjoyed year-round.

Today, raspberries are cultivated in many parts of the world, with major producers including the United States, Russia, Poland, and Serbia. The fruit remains a staple in the food industry, used in a wide range of products from fresh fruit to juices, jams, and baked goods. Additionally, scientific research continues to highlight the health benefits of raspberries, which are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber. Their nutritional value has led to increased demand, further driving innovation in raspberry farming.

The history of raspberries is a testament to their enduring appeal. From wild berries foraged by early humans to carefully cultivated crops in modern agriculture, raspberries have remained a beloved fruit across cultures and generations. Their journey from ancient Greece and Rome to modern grocery stores and farmers’ markets reflects not only advancements in agriculture but also the timeless appreciation for their flavor and health benefits.

i think @venus-salam-the-puppet would like this.

[cselandscapearchitect]

Growing Lemons in Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona

Citrus fruits have long been a staple in the horticultural tapestry of low desert regions, their vibrant hues and invigorating aromas adding a touch of Mediterranean charm to the arid landscapes. Among these sun-soaked oases, the cultivation of lemons emerges as a particularly enticing endeavor. The twin cities of Phoenix and Tucson, cradled by the embrace of the Sonoran Desert, offer an…

[headcanontheshitoutofsoulsborne]

Full headcanon:

Yharnam in Austria:

Yharnam boasted a very large and robust population before its collapse. Even before the discovery of the Old Blood, Yharnamites on average were taller and stouter than their European neighbors, and less likely to become sick with more common illnesses. This was due to their dealings with the Pthumerians, who provided agricultural and horticultural techniques largely forgotten by the world at large, allowing the Yharnamites to sustain themselves in their self-imposed isolation. Combined with their innovations in agriculture and engineering, the city could remain isolated almost indefinitely. Unfortunately, the introduction of the Healing Blood and the rise of the Beast Plague brought an end to this prosperity.

As the Yharnamites gorged themselves on the Healing Blood, their health gradually declined. Their once hearty bodies became malformed, gaining their signature long limbs and losing their resistances. Heavier users of the Healing Blood became the first Scourge Beasts, feasting on the homeless and elderly. As the plague spread and more Hunters fell to the Beasts, Yharnam’s infrastructure fell into disrepair without the population to sustain it. By the time Good Hunter arrives, only five hundred or so residents remain...

[the-avaricious-meddler]

Name: Namkuzu Moniker: The Avaricious Meddler (present), The A_______ Meddler (future) Age: 4000+ Species: Debatably human  Gender/Pronouns: No, They/it Ambition: Light Fingers (False-Star Ending) Profession: Crooked-Cross Lodgings: A Handsome Townhouse, Various Hideouts Across London Closest To: Urchins Other Close Affiliations: LF crew (Allies), The Hybrid (child), Mr Fires (Object of Obsession), The Manager of The Royal Bethlehem (Object of Obsession), The New Sequence (Dubiously Allies), The Great Game (Red), Mourners (As much allies as they can be, which is not much), The Rowdy Corsair & Co. (Allies), Hell, Rubberies, Starved Men, Fingerkings (Dubiously Allies, on shaky terms), Cats (Dubiously Allies) Most Valued Primary Stat(s): Shadowy, Persuasive Most Valued Advanced Stat(s): Mithridacy, Shapeling Arts Ship: Nyx-Class Zubmersible Estivals Experienced: Horticulture Hell, The Sixth Coil

Exceptional/Premium stories canon to this character: 

-The Icarian Cup                                     -Inheritance -Homecoming                                         -Paisley -Cricket, Anyone?                                   -Written in The Glim -The Ballad of Johnny Croak                -The Bloody Wallpaper -Say it With Flowers                               -The Sunken River -The Shallows                                         -There is The Richest Juice in Poison Flowers -Uncovering Secrets Framed in Gold -The Green King -A Newt by Any Other Name               -Slobgollion -Arcana                                                   -Deja Vu -The Clay Man's Arm                            -The Laws of The Game -The Stolen Song                                   -The Stripes of Wrath

Personality: Impulsive, selfish, obsessive, and has a tendency to betray others to keep from getting attached to them. 

History: Originally from the first city, Namkuzu, through unknown means, learned the fate that awaited their home- complete destruction, and being replaced by the second city. Wishing to escape death, they made a deal with the fingerkings, allowing them to escape into a relatively safe part of Parabola. The exact cost of this deal is unknown. Also around this time, they found The Cave of The Nadir, but willingly forgot its location after an incident which resulted in a copy of them made of Irrigo being created. They were introduced to the Shapeling Arts, as well as Rubbery techniques for avoiding aging. This sparked the beginning of their obsession with immortality, though it wasn't yet nearly as bad as it would come to be. Alongside this, they also slowly learned how to change their appearance whilst still appearing human. Over time, and across cities, they took on several aliases, different identities to prevent anyone from catching onto what they were doing. And each time a new city fell, they returned to their hiding place in Parabola, never even attempting to stop it. When the fourth city was destroyed, much sooner than expected, they only barely escaped. Years passed. During a stint in New Newgate, they abandoned an old alias and took on the name "Alizaben Thomas" as they made their escape, erasing all ties to that name's records. Not long after, they learned through a contact, a music-hall singer who did jobs as a surface-runner to supplement her dwindling income, of a massive diamond ripe for the plucking. Of course, this did not go as planned. 

(Major Light fingers spoilers below)

The amount of resistance put up against their search only fueled their desire to continue, even going so far as to willingly drive themself mad in the house of mirrors to get into the Royal Beth to find the singer's sister Clara, and not turn back when it came time to break into the Orphanage after both were captured. They did not take Poor Edward's threats of burying them alive seriously. They really should have. Because they got caught, and he did just that. Fortunately for them, they'd been tending to a particular plant, and it rescued them from certain, continuous deaths. Undeterred, they returned to the Orphanage- and this time, they succeeded. After rescuing Clara, they set the Orphanage alight and escaped on a stolen dirigible. From there, and now fairly certain the diamond they originally sought did not exist, but in too deep to back out, they set out knowledge of the roof and its inhabitants. Which led them to one Doctor Vaughan, who they tracked down and met with great effort. Their alliance was, at first, shaky at best. Neither trusted the other all that much, but it was clear that Clara would die without intervention, so there were no other options. With what they learned, they prepared for a trip to the roof, and after a brief distraction from Poor Edward, they ascended. After gaining what they needed from a Moon-mother to make Clara's condition- pregnancy with a human moon-miser hybrid- survivable, at least for Clara, they left the roof into Parabola, ending up on the skin of the sun. Unfortunately, this was a great offense to The Boil of Calamities, and by extension, the fingerkings- they tread on sacred ground without permission. Having already offended the fingerkings in the past by attempting to create an artificial facsimile of one, Namkuzu knew it would be difficult to mollify them, and as such, they fled into the jungle with their companions. Preparing the rest of the birth was no easy task either, and they ended up having a run-in with a Master of The Bazaar- Mr Fires, who had one of the needed materials. Agreeing to give the hybrid to it once it was capable of leaving Parabola, they were given the material- and, at Fires' suggestion, burned down Wines' library of love stories where they'd had the meeting. They hadn't been lying when they said they'd give the hybrid to Fires. But that plan was ruined by one simple fact: they got attached. Having known the hybrid- their child- and seeing it grow up, they decided they simply could not hand it over to its fate. But how they would save it, they did not know.