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Creating a Forest Floor through Chop and Drop

Tom Kendall March 8, 2015

6 Less than a minute

Tom Kendall from the Permaculture Research Institute Sunshine Coast

Tom Kendall from the Permaculture Research Institute Sunshine Coast talks about his plans for the swimming pond which was dug 2 years ago. Support species are establishing growth, but after a big rain it is time to do some chopping and dropping and encouraging the growth of other species by creating a forest floor.

Tom Kendall March 8, 2015

6 Less than a minute

Tom Kendall

Tom Kendall is a permaculture farmer with a lifelong broad acre agricultural background. He is co-founder of the PRI Sunshine Coast Inc and PRI Luganville, Vanuatu and runs PDC and Practical Life Skills training courses on his Permaculture Demonstration Site “Maungaraeeda”. He is part of the Permaculture Sustainable Consulting team and does regular personal consultations. He has extensive experience in tropical, sub tropical and dry land climates and has the ability to read large scale as well as smaller scale landscapes. With his farming background, Tom is a very hands on and practical man and is solution focused. He has extensive travel experience, integrates easily with local cultures and people and enjoys studying landscapes, buildings and the effects of climate on structures, flora and fauna.

6 Comments

Christoph says:

March 15, 2015 at 9:22 am

Do these trees all have a shallow rootssystem, ’cause it is a pond wall isn t it?

Reply
1. Tom Kendall says:
  
  March 17, 2015 at 6:53 pm
  
  yes the pigeon pea is a shallow root that wont compromise the pond wall, and the fruit trees will be nearer to the base of the pond wall so wont be a problem either.
  
  Reply
  1. Christoph says:
    
    March 18, 2015 at 7:02 am
    
    Thank you, Tom. Hope to see more of your teaching. Greetings from Belgium.
    
    Reply
Mirrabooka says:

March 21, 2015 at 4:22 am

given that mycorrhizal fungi require a relationship with a vibrant tree root system I do wonder about the wisdom of a savage cutback of such small trees just to get a few twigs and leaves on the ground the cutback would lead to root death, reducing the availability of nutrients for the soil mycorrhizal population and slowing the development of soil fertility.

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Evan says:

April 7, 2015 at 6:07 pm

Tom, What were your thoughts between 2 permanent rows of Vetiver and Pinto inbetween and throwing the mulch down to the citrus versus the Pigeon Pea system? The nitrogen-fixing was the winning benefit?

Reply
Jack says:

May 14, 2015 at 4:57 pm

Tom – Nice video , thanks !
How many years do you grow the Pigeon Pea for, before replacing?
We are at same latitude south but different continent .

Reply