Permacultureglobal.org - the interactive map and database of the Worldwide Permaculture Network

Katamatite Garlic

Details

Commenced:	01/06/2007
Submitted:	03/02/2011
Last updated:	16/03/2016
Location:	1307 Chapel Road, Katamatite, Victoria, AU
Phone:	0438983718
Website:	http://www.katamatitegarlic.com.au
Climate zone:	Warm Temperate

My Projects

(projects i'm involved in)

Katamatite Garlic

Katamatite, AU

Followers

Back to Katamatite Garlic

The Mandala Complex

Project: Katamatite Garlic

Posted by Grahame Eddy about 14 years ago

After trying many styles of veggie gardening the mandala garden fits our needs and has a lot of inbuilt versatility. At Green Temple we have built one on a large scale.

The Green temple mandala garden is based on the layout of the Purple Pear mandala.

So why a mandala garden? Well, I've been gardening veggies in some form or other for at least 20 years I reckon, whether it be a tomato in a pot or some lettuces in a polystyrene box. I've tried the square foot garden, I've tried rows, I've tried bigger square beds and key-hole beds, but none of them were quite right for me. I always imagined a 'modular' system so that I could do things like slip a net over for bird protection or for seed saving, or a plastic frame for early tomatoes. And then I got the mandala idea from Purple Pear. It seemed to lend it self to all those things, given the easy construction of the domes. I was instantly convinced it was for me – it felt right. The very next day I was out trying to build a geodesic dome based on the plans I found on the Milkwood website.

18 months on I reckon there are some limitation with the system but overall I'm pretty happy with how it is working. I'd recommend it. I regularly do.

I call our mandala's the 'mandala complex', because I've set it out on a big scale, to take into consideration future needs and to allow for the poor soil. The complex consists of the equivalent of 12 mandala's. Click the plan below to see the layout.

It seems like a lot but we started out with very shallow, poor top soil over heavy clay. In the heat of a dry summer day even a crow bar could have trouble chipping at it. To give the beds a sporting chance I dug the paths out and onto the beds. The paths are mulched with saw dust or bark mulch as available.

Around the outside of the 'complex' there are long boundary beds with trellis fences at the back for espaliering fruit trees and vines. On the north we have deciduous species so that they provide shade and a wind break in the summer and let the light in in winter. On the southern fences we have citrus and other evergreens to act as a sun trap in the winter. The fences will also act as a barrier from animals in or out. At each point on the hexagon I have (or have planned) small pergolas like temple gates for vine fruits or beneficial flowering vines. Each entrance will have a gate.

At the moment much of the system is still young, a couple of the fences are still not done and the entrance structures and gates are not finished. But it's coming along and the soil is improving every day.

Comments (3)

You must be logged in to comment.

Mark Brown : I love it Grahame. How many domes can/will it run when in full production?

Posted about 14 years ago

Grahame Eddy : Thanks Mark, good question. It's definitely going to be one of those things that evolve over time. Initially I'm only using 3 domes, with the chickens doing two full circuits of one of triangular 'wedge'(I've shown the alternating wedges in blue and yellow in the picture) for a year. Meanwhile in the adjacent wedge I have my garlic crop (which is about to go in in March). The chickens will move onto the garlic wedges again in late November or December. As the old veggie beds are cleared out, green manure goes in to be dug in before the next garlic crop. Similarly, when the garlics are harvested I put in some green manure for the chickens.

Once I have a better idea of how much interest there is in the community for our veggies I will know whether or not to go to 6 domes and move the garlic out into a different paddock. Or perhaps we will eventually just combine the garlic into the mandala rotations. At the moment it is a successful crop and is our current means of making some money to pour back into Green Temple. There has been a good reaction to it this year at the local farmers markets and farm shops.

Posted about 14 years ago

Courses Taught Here!

Project Badges

Administrators

Team Members

(close)

Legend of Badges

Note: The various badges displayed in people profiles are largely honesty-based self-proclamations by the individuals themselves. There are reporting functions users can use if they know of blatant misrepresentation (for both people and projects). Legitimacy, competency and reputation for all people and projects can be evidenced and/or developed through their providing regular updates on permaculture work they’re involved in, before/after photographs, etc. A spirit of objective nurturing of both people and projects through knowledge/encouragement/inspiration/resource sharing is the aim of the Worldwide Permaculture Network.

	Member A member is a permaculturist who has never taken a PDC course. These cannot become PDC teachers. Members may be novice or highly experienced permaculturists or anywhere in between. Watch their updates for evaluation.
	Permaculture Matchmaker One of these badges will show if you select your gender and the "I'm single, looking for a permaculture partner" option in your profile.
	PDC People who claim to have taken a Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) course somewhere in the world.
	PDC Verified People who have entered an email address for the teacher of their PDC course, and have had their PDC status verified by that teacher. Watch their updates for evaluation.
	PRI PDC People who’ve taken a Permaculture Research Institute PDC somewhere in the world.
	PDC Teacher People who claim to teach some version of PDC somewhere in the world.
	PRI Teacher With the exception of the ‘Member’ who has never taken a PDC, all of the above can apply to become a PRI PDC Teacher. PRI PDC Teachers are those who the PRI recognise, through a vetting board, as determined and competent to teach the full 72-hour course as developed by Permaculture founder Bill Mollison – covering all the topics of The Designers’ Manual as well as possible (i.e. not cherry picking only aspects the teacher feels most interested or competent in). Such teachers also commit to focussing on the design science, and not including subjective spiritual/metaphysical elements. The reason these items are not included in the PDC curriculum is because they are “belief” based. Permaculture Design education concerns itself with teaching good design based on strategies and techniques which are scientifically provable. PRI PDC Teachers may be given teaching and/or consultancy offerings as they become available as the network grows.
	Aid Worker The individual with this badge is indicating they are, have, or would like to be involved in permaculture aid work. As such, the individual may or may not have permaculture aid worker experience. Watch their updates for evaluation.
	Consultant The individual with this badge is indicating they are, have, or would like to do paid permaculture design consultancy work. As such, the individual may or may not have permaculture consultancy experience. Watch their updates for evaluation.
	Community Project Community projects are projects that help develop sustainable community interaction and increase localised resiliency.