Clay pot irrigation isn’t a new concept; in fact it has been described in a number of ancient Chinese writings going back over 2000 years. It is however a terrific ‘nana-technology’ that can be used to great effect in a sustainable garden.

The basic principle of clay pot irrigation is that an unglazed clay/terracotta vessel is partially buried in the ground, and this is then filled with water. The water travels through the clay walls of the pot, and the water is then drawn out into the soil. Normally a bung/rock is used to close the opening of the pot to prevent animals such as mosquitoes breeding in the standing water.

Prunus salicifolia

A true stonefruit, the Capulin Cherry is a little different to the average stone fruit in that it doesn't require any chilling, no cross-pollination and it is photo-period insensitive. It is a semi-deciduous tree with an erect stance, umbrella-shaped crown and grayish bark. It is a very fast growing tree reaching a height of 3m in 12-18 months. Seedling trees produce fruit within 2-3 years.

It is an extremely attractive tree whilst growing and can be used to great aesthetic effect. This is particularly true when it is in flower with the long, sinuous racemes covered in glorious white flowers. Once it comes into fruit, then these same racemes will be covered with green changing to deep red fruit.

Chayote (syn. Choko, Cho-Cho, Buddha's Hands)

Sechium edule

A native of Central America, the Chayote has been cultivated for thousands of years though little archaeological evidence can be found to prove this. It is a VERY vigorous perennial vine which produces prodigious yeilds of greenish, oval-shaped fruit. In cooler climates it generally dies back in late autumn only to reshoot in the following spring, though in warmer climates it will grow most of the year.

Symphytum officinale

Comfrey is one of the most useful plants to organic gardeners, and plays an important role in any sustainable permaculture garden.

It is a perennial herb of the family Boraginaceae with a black, turnip-like root and large, hairy broad leaves. When it flowers it bears small bell-shaped white, cream, purple or pink flowers which are extremely attractive to bees, and make an excellent bee forage. It is native to Europe, growing in damp, grassy places, and this is a guide to planting it in a permaculture garden... somewhere damp is definitely recommended.

If comfrey has a ‘problem’ it is probably that it is just a little too vigorous a grower, and thus demonstrates the benefits of a good garden plan. Do not plant comfrey where you might want to move it later on... doing so is almost impossible! The plant will regrow from the smallest piece of root left in soil. If you do need to move/eradicate comfrey then try cutting down the leaves, and covering with several thick layers of newspaper, followed by a good thick layer of mulch. After several months this should cause the plants to just rot in the soil leaving behind rich, black compost.