Homegrown

What is Homegrown?
As the name homegrown implies we emphasis the importatnce of communities being able to produce food for their own needs rather than being reliant on foreign imports, cheap oil, or supermarkets.
Project Aims:
1. A focus for volunteers to learn about food growing.
2. A showcase for Permaculture design and practice in Cardiff.
3. A catalyst for further projects.

Site Work:
Site work is carried out on a weekly basis with the help of volunteers. Volunteers meet each Thursday at 10am and work for 2-3 hrs at a time.
Work Schedule:

Jan-March 2003
Coppicing and planting willow.
Pruning fruit trees and bushes.
Planting donated fruit bushes and raspberry canes.
Preparing ground for spring planting.
Garlic and Onions sets in grounds.
Other plants under glass.
March-May 2003
Digging out pond
Installing rain water harvesting system.
Building Glass House
Planting Potato seedlings.
Other plants under glass/trays.

May-Sept 2003
Permaculture Design Course (May-June)
Wild in Your Parks talk open day - June 12th
Summer Solstice Party June 21st
Maintenance and summer crops.
Installing irrigation kit and pond liner
Sept-Nov 2003
Autumn/Winter crops & Green Manures
Wildflower Bulbs
Introduce Pond Plants
Nov-Jan 2003
Winter Solstice Party Dec 21st
FruitTrees and bushes
Wildflower Hedge

The Site:
The allotment is located at Llandaff Fields Leisure Gardens in the Pontcanna area of Cardiff. It is best reached via the Northern Avenue entrance to the Park opposite UWIC. The main entrance to the site is situated adjacent to the large black gates facing Northern Avenue; on the right hand side facing North East. Access is via this gate which is locked at all times requiring a ‘named tenant’ to be on site at all time. We are negotiating with Cardiff CC for REACT to act as the named tenant to improve site access for volunteers.
Permaculture Garden Development Plan

Plot number 3, Llandaff Fields is orientated due North East and is backed by high canopy Beech Trees which line the avenue into the Park. Although these trees and the under-storey hedge proved a great deal off cover form prevailing winds they also put a large proportion of the site in shade throughout much of the growing season.

For this reason much of the annual production is located at the North Easterly end of the plot where solar gain is highest.
The site is protected from cold Northerly winds by a shelter-belt hedge which has been recently replanted with native species. It will be a few years before the maximum benefit of these can be appreciated.
Rhubarb plant at the Northern end of the site benefit from full sun all throughout the year and have a long cropping season. This area has been under-planted with Strawberries from an old raised bed (dotted rectangle). Along the corner raspberry canes have been planted along with a Hibiscus tree where it can benefit from full sun (both dontated).
The shaded area of the plot extends to cover a sunken area of ground. This feature lends itself well to a bog garden and pond, which will greatly improve the bio-diversity of the site as well as it’s aesthetic appeal.
The Cherry tree and Cooking Apple at the Southern end of the site benefit from the calm conditions but are prone to the local wildlife which themselves’ benefit from the fruit. The apple tree has been under-planted with donated red current bushes while raspberry canes have been planted along the Path around the cherry tree. On the opposite side of the path it is planned to plant Jerusalem Artichokes.
The existing path has been extended onto the site in an effort to improve wheelchair access. A great deal more work would be required before the site is fully accessible. It is planned to cover this section of the path with a pergola and climbing plants e.g. wisteria.
In order to improve the overall bio-diversity of the site further and to provide added protection for over-wintering crops and fruits it is intended to plant a wildlife-wild harvest hedge along the edge of the site. Not only will this provide nesting habitat for the birds, which help to control pests but also for beneficial insects and other animals. Fruiting species e.g. Medlar and Qunice, whilst decorative, will also provide an autumn fruit harvest while plants such as Hazel (which are good bee fodder and produce nuts) and Willow can be coppiced to make garden poles and sculpturing materials.

At the North end of the hedge wild species will gradually give way to an under-storey of cultivated Raspberry canes and Rhubarb. These will be sheltered by the Hibiscus, a Peach Tree, a Plum Tree and a Mulberry Tree will also act as a ‘sun trap’ helping to reflect sunlight back onto the plot and helping to raise the ambient temperature in winter and cool it in summer.
It is intended that the existing trees at the Southern/ Shaded part of the plot will be under-planted with Dwarf Species of apple and pear to make maximum use of vertical space and light. Far from competing these will provide an under-storey crop to the exisiting trees and help to maximise the existing edge created by the Tall Storey Beach Trees along the Avenue.
The area around the Western part of the shed is rather barren and under used at present. Given that it is in deep shed at the height of the growing season optimum use could be made of this space by planting Plums and Gages to make use of existing light and height and putting in bike storage underneath.

The rear of the shed is the ideal place to compost green waste from the site and could also process much of the waste which is currently disposed of by the council with the aid of a garden shredder to speed up the decomposition process. A buried strong box will provide somewhere secure to store tools which can be easily accessed when needed and well hidden when not.

The existing shed, though in need of attention, is in good order. A recent find in a nearby skip means that three water buts have now been added to the rear of the shed for rainwater harvesting. These will be used to water the potting shed planned as an extension to the shed itself, which makes use of the winter sun coming in from the South East.