Paw Paw Patch

This page documents a "startup" permaculture garden with emphasis on perennial plants for personal food supply. The hope is for this page to serve as a model for others to document their garden projects to streamline design/impelmentation/maintenance.
==First Draft==
# learn climate/environment (existing structures/trees, aspect, grade, wind, humidity, temperature, rain, soil type/depth/drainage) and map microclimateszone 9a hot/humidsandhill - type of the native plant communityrain (in/mo avg): 3 (Oct-May), 6 (Jun-Sep); temp (daily avg degF min/max): 46/70 (Jan), 70/90 (Jul)chill hours (hours temp. between 32 degF & 45 degF, between Nov 1 & Feb 15): 310consider deflectors on street lightslocate plants needing lots of water/nutrients away from trees
# identify human needs (food and other needs in regard to wind/temp/humidity/light/sound/view/income/sharing), how to minimize, how best to meet with gardenwhich foods/amounts to produce/consume/buy/sell/barter/donate (fresh/stored)produce these to minimize purchases: corn, beans, squash, melons, lettuce, kale, celery, tomato, citrus, pawpaw, persimmon, fig, apple
# identify indigenous (then non-indigenous) plants to supply as many human/garden needs as efficiently as possiblei.e. best food value (nutrition/flavor/prep-storage ease) & permaculture synergies versus production inputs (time/effort/space/water/fodder)see plant characteristics sectionobserve plant species/varieties planted by others in the general area
# identify garden needs (inputs/synergies), how to minimize, how best to meet by indigenous (then non-indigenous) plants, and by preferred-food (then supplimental) plantse.g. preferred-food plants may provide needed nitrogen & green mulch, attract pollinators, deter pests, block wind, provide shade, trellis, mine minerals, etcand if not, select other plants to provide what's lacking
# identify where, when, and how many to plant of selected varieties to maximize synergiesmutual support guild: under trees, green mulches protect soil, legumes fix nitrogen, nectary flowers attract/feed pollinators, dynamic accumulators supply mineralsfunctional diversity: specific conditions determine best species for green mulches, nitrogen fixers, dynamic accumultors, nectary flowers, windbreaksresource partitioning: shallow/deep rooted plants and narrow/broad canopy plants share space, and short-season plants taking turns share space
# identify plant/seed sources, acquire, and plant
# develop/execute maintenance strategy/schedule & document