Planting Perennials

The challenge this month on Aussie's Living Simply is to plant a perennial. Perennials are considered to be the mainstay of permaculture, as they provide food and other products with minimal tending. They don't need to be replanted every year, and usually once they're established, only minimal fertilising and watering, and the occasional pruning.

It came at a good time for us, as I have several fruit trees, vines and plants awaiting planting. Yesterday, before our trip the the beach, we planted a lychee, plum, macadamia and 2 mandarins, as well as transplanted one more mandarin from a position where it was not happy. I still have 3 grapes, 2 kiwi fruit, an olive tree, and 2 blueberries to plant. The picture above is of our orchard area, and future food forest! We're getting close to having all the fruit trees I can think of to plant right now, although I'm sure we'll squeeze in a few more when I just can't resist. It is getting pretty crowded though.

So far, on our property, we have:

Citrus:
Mandarins:
1. Honey Murcot
2. Imperial
3. Hickson
Oranges:
4. Washington Navel
5. Valencia
Lemons:
6. Eureka
7. Meyer

Stonefruit:
8. Peach - Tropical Beauty
9. Plum - Yellow Flesh
10. Apricot - Morepark
11. Nectarine
12. Peachcot

Others:
Apples:
13. Tropical
14. Golden Dorset
Mulberries:
15. Black
16. White
Others:
17. Fig - Black Turkey
18. Persimmon - Non-astringent
19. Black Sapote (chocolate pudding fruit)
20. Macadamia
21. Macadamia - H2
22. Mango - Bowen

Hmm, only 22? Seems like there should be more than that.

We also have about 4 passionfruit vines, several lilypilly's, and of course the blueberries, grapes etc that I mentioned above. Eventually, I plan on adding some understory plants in the orchard area, as well as lots of edible groundcovers for the chooks. For now though, we're working on a windbreak of natives at the back (as the neighbour is clearing her land for subdivision), and one or two more fruit trees that I'm sure will jump into my car at the markets...