Q. Good morning
I am writing you from Greece , more
precisely from Antiparos in the Cycladic where I have recently acquired
55 acres of land on the sea side, oriented towards the west.
precisely from Antiparos in the Cycladic where I have recently acquired
55 acres of land on the sea side, oriented towards the west.
I am reflecting on what to plant on this dry land where there is NO water.
You
can buy water and storage in water tanks or decide to desalinate see
water. But I don’t want to have to water these trees in the future
can buy water and storage in water tanks or decide to desalinate see
water. But I don’t want to have to water these trees in the future
So
I am looking for plants and for fruit trees that I can plant on this
land without adding any water once the plants are established.
I am looking for plants and for fruit trees that I can plant on this
land without adding any water once the plants are established.
Olive trees, grapes for wine, fig trees, etc do well here without water once established.
Orange
lemons etc… , peaches apricots …, do well if you protect them from
the wind and do provide some water during the summer.
lemons etc… , peaches apricots …, do well if you protect them from
the wind and do provide some water during the summer.
Do
you have any suggestions on what additional plants I could plant that
would not need any water at all during summer once established?
you have any suggestions on what additional plants I could plant that
would not need any water at all during summer once established?
A. interesting project. My focus is more on the
production of high quality fruit and vegetables for higher end markets.
What you are asking falls more into the expertise of sustainable
horticulture/agriculture, a form of permaculture. I think a lot of the
techniques that you need to employ would be talked about more on
permaculture Internet sites.
production of high quality fruit and vegetables for higher end markets.
What you are asking falls more into the expertise of sustainable
horticulture/agriculture, a form of permaculture. I think a lot of the
techniques that you need to employ would be talked about more on
permaculture Internet sites.
That
being said, you are on the right track. Certainly those crops you
mentioned, wine grapes, olives and figs to a lesser extent might fall
into that category. That kind of production is a two-edged sword;
usually the visual appeal of food crops grown under restricted water is
not as bountiful and it doesn’t look as good. The positive side, when
you are successful these of fruits and vegetables are more concentrated
in flavor and nutrition.
being said, you are on the right track. Certainly those crops you
mentioned, wine grapes, olives and figs to a lesser extent might fall
into that category. That kind of production is a two-edged sword;
usually the visual appeal of food crops grown under restricted water is
not as bountiful and it doesn’t look as good. The positive side, when
you are successful these of fruits and vegetables are more concentrated
in flavor and nutrition.
I worry a little bit about finding the
right location to grow these things or putting the right growing
strategy together to make it successful. Then there are those “tricky”
crops that require more water than you think such as dates and figs.
They both like a constant water source close by so they can keep their
“toes wet” or they won’t bear fruit or the quality will be bad.
right location to grow these things or putting the right growing
strategy together to make it successful. Then there are those “tricky”
crops that require more water than you think such as dates and figs.
They both like a constant water source close by so they can keep their
“toes wet” or they won’t bear fruit or the quality will be bad.
But here is a short list of some food crops that would either grow with restricted water or with poor quality water.
- Wine grapes
- Olives
- Pistachios
- Edible cactus (Opuntia spp.)
- Mormon tea (Ephedris) medicinal
- Yucca for starch of the root and stem
- Pitayas such as Stenocereus
- Cereus sp.
- Parkia biglobosa
- Corryocactus brebistylus
- Goji Berry
- Pomegranate
- Tylosema esculenta
- Carob
There are probably many more but I would need to dig. Perhaps some others might add to this list?
Tylosema esculenta (marama bean) seams very interesting. It is high in protein and fat, even higher than soy beans, some say that it taste like roasted cashew. Any suggestions where I can get seeds?
Palo verde and mesquite add to the list?
Thanks for responding, Lena. That's the problem with some of these plants, if they are not mainstreamed in the commercial market, where do you get them? Like where is this guy going to get Palo verde and mesquite? Even a couple I mentioned, I am not sure he can get them.
Thanks for responding. This is the problem with some of the more obscure plants…where do you get them?
Thanks Bob for wonderful list suggestions! Now I am obsessed finding marama bean seeds, so I have to fly to Africa to search it in the desert.