We are very excited to let you know that we have “refreshed” our website to be more informative and a lot more beautiful. Please take a few moments and visit us at permaculturedesign.net, you’ll be glad you did.

The new site

The neighbor was walking by the Lab the other day and let loose with a huge sneeze.

“Hey Kevin! Why is my head so full of “stuff”?”

We replied, “…its that time again!”

Stuffy noses, sneezes, heads full of “stuff” and extra expectorating are the norm around here and one of the reasons you may be suffering is the lovely Ligustrum.
Unclipped, ligustrum bloom in clusters of fragrant, creamy white flowers, which attract bees (and cause many to suffer!). Birds like the blue or black berries that follow the flowers. All parts of the plant are poisonous to human beings, so keep small children away from them.

And they play havoc with many peoples sinuses this time of year!

Ahhchooo!

Mild winter, lots of (but not too much) rain, comfortable temperatures…
Looks like we are going to have a bountiful, beautiful, wonderful spring!
Here are some recent shots for you all to enjoy!

Prepare your perennials.

Herbaceous perennials and grasses, a group of diverse and reliable plants that return to the garden year after year, can greatly benefit from a little extra attention in the spring. Here are some tasks that will help your plants get off to a healthy start.

Remove winter mulch from around the crowns of perennials.

Cut back any parts of the plant that were left up for winter interest, such as flower stalks and seed heads.

For evergreen perennials, remove any dead leaves.

When new growth is about three to four inches tall, dividing and transplanting may be done. For spring-flowering plants, wait till they are finished blooming.

Begin placing stakes to support the growth of tall or fragile perennials.

We are lucky to live here in the south for many reasons. And one of those reasons is our mild winters and the chance to keep our yards beautiful year-round.
Theses are some photos we took at one of our favorite clients.

We recently helped a client reclaim his backyard by installing permeable paving around his pool. No longer must they hunt for sandals or flip flops to enjoy a stroll to the pool, thanks to the new permeable paving installed by the professionals at Permaculture Design. Call and talk to us, we can help you reclaim your yard!

“I can walk in to the yard in my bare feet again!”

Permeable paving is a simple and effective solution to problem pathways, common areas and other “unusable areas” of your property. Give us a call today and enjoy your yard again.

After we harvest the winter watermelons, we will have more goodies to enjoy.

The classic winter vegetables.
Broccoli. Cabbage. Cauliflower and Parsley.
(This was one of many rejected “working” titles of the hit 1968 album by Simon & Garfunkel!)

Broccoli
A high intake of broccoli has been found to reduce the risk of aggressive prostate cancer. Broccoli consumption has also been shown to be beneficial in the prevention of heart disease. Broccoli consumption is also associated with malodorous flatulence, from metabolism of the sulfur-containing compounds it contains.

Cabbage
Cabbage is an excellent source of vitamin C. It also contains significant amounts of glutamine, an amino acid that has anti-inflammatory properties. Cabbage can also be included in dieting programs, as it is a low calorie food.

Cauliflower
Cauliflower is low in fat, low in carbs but high in dietary fiber, folate, water, and vitamin C, possessing a high nutritional density.Cauliflower contains several phytochemicals, common in the cabbage family, that may be beneficial to human health.

Parsley
Apigenin, a chemical found in great quantities in parsley, has been found to have potent anti-cancer activity. It works by inhibiting the formation of new blood vessels that feed a tumor.

Is this what you think of when you hear those two words?

Actually this is what we are referring to.

Yep, that is in fact a nice sized watermelon growing in the “back forty” of the lab.

This is just one of around twenty we have growing as of today.

Nothing like a nice slice of fresh watermelon to warm you up on these cold Houston afternoons.

I know it is hard to believe after all this record setting heat, but it will start getting cold here in the next few days.
With that in mind, plan now to keep your lawn green during the winter with Rye Grass. We love it here at the lab and so does the neighbor!

Rye grass grows well and fast from seed.  It is not as aggressive as some other types of turf because it spreads by growing larger clumps, rather than sending out rhizomes or stolons.  Therefore, the seeding rate is higher than for some other grasses.  If you plant a rye lawn from seed, you will need to sow about 8-10 pounds of seed per 1,000 square feet, which is on the high end.

Within just a day or so after distributing the seeds, evidence of new thin blades will emerge. In no more than a week, the lawn will have grown a totally new look. Sweeping, soft and utterly luxurious looking blades encouraging immediate contact with bare feet!

Winter rye grass is usually planted in October/November here in this part of the world. A general rule is that when the temperatures at night are consistently around the 60°F range, you are ready to plant. We will see these temperatures in the next few days.

If you want a green lawn this winter, throw down some Rye seed. You ‘ll thank us.

Really.

Read more at PCD.

UPDATE

The coop is finished and everyone (esp. the chooks) is smiling the big smile. Just check out the one on Kevin!

Here at the Lab, the fun never stops. The latest addition is a combination chicken coop/orchid house. The chickens were clucking about how they needed a new space, so we are gonna quiet them down with a new coop. Its in the final stages of construction (too busy to finish it, too much work lately) so we thought we would post a few photos.

April is the first full month of Spring.

The month is marked by a renewal of natural life, with hibernating animals coming out of their burrows, birds returning from their winter migration, flowers and trees blossoming, and bees beginning to gather nectar.

Kevin and his friend. Photo by Brittany Kelly

The start of the spring in the Northern Hemisphere is indicated by vernal equinox which occurs on March 20 or 21. Conversely the Southern Hemisphere sees it as the beginning of autumn. A known myth about the vernal equinox is that the day and the night hours are exactly12, but generally doesn’t happen that way. An interesting fact about the first day of autumn is that one can see the sun go directly overhead. Another surprising fact is that it is only during both the equinoxes that the sun sets due west and rises from the east. Spring for most of the people signifies the hope and search for new meaning in life

In many traditions, Spring was the start of the new year. In ancient Rome, the year began with the Ides of March. Until the 18th century, England and Ireland starting its new year on March 25th. In Persia today, the new year festival, Nawruz, begins on the spring equinox. According to Jewish tradition, there are a number of starting points for the year; while the start of the new year is in the fall (Rosh Hashana), the first month of the Jewish calendar is Nissan — the month in which Passover falls.