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We are in Austin Texas zone 9a which experiences freezes in the winter. We want to use this area to plant citrus or banana trees since it is the warmest area on our property (faces south, protected from wind, heat reflects off the house) however we also have a drain that drowns this area during rain. My concern is that planting trees here will keep water too close to the foundation, or that the roots will be a problem. Is this a safe place to plant those trees or is it too close to the house? Welcoming advice on what to do with this space.

I’m currently in the process of observing my site and planning it out and i’m not sure if i should install swales to get rid of water, swales to make sure water stays, or to leave it alone.

The soil on my site is moraine clay, and the site has a slight slope (maybe 2-3%).

Normally with clay, many focus on how to reduce water levels due to poor drainage, but with a slope they often install swales to keep the water onsite and allow it to actually penetrate the soil rather than flow away.

How do i tell/test for what my site needs?

I have been growing seedlings for a few years, and gradually increasing the survival rate. I try to observe them carefully and regularly to learn more.

One thing I just started noticing very recently is that I think I can tell if a seedling needs water by looking at the stem? As in, the stem will look just slightly shriveled, then I water it, come back 10 or 15 minutes later, and the stem looks slightly more plump. I have watering tubes (pieces of bamboo) buried with the seedlings so that I can water directly to the roots. The seedlings haven’t leafed out yet.

If this is real, it’s very useful. I have found myself selectively giving a little extra water to the seedlings that look shriveled outside of and in addition to the regular weekly watering cycle, until they look healthy and plump again.

Do you think this is a real (but subtle, requires careful observation) phenomenon, or am I deluding myself?

https://preview.redd.it/1xrsmpwwjmpe1.png?width=743&format=png&auto=webp&s=b33a3650058cf70bfd913d9a28ee0428dfccaae0

Hi there! I am looking to help anyone with a project or their ongoing FOR FREE to help with my portfolio.

I am an aspiring environmental scientist and I love GIS analysis so I would love to work on some projects while I’m working to find another job. May I contribute to your land management goals through my geospatial analysis expertise?

Types of projects i would love to offer:

– Water resource mapping/stormwater runoff (helpful for designing water harvesting systems, or irrigation design)

– soil erosion modeling

– climate data visualization (to inform future crop mapping, wind flow maps to design windbreaks, and shade mapping for designing crop maps, maximizing the yield of your desired crops)

– custom GIS maps and reports for landowners

For additional info, I have experience with geology as I worked as a geologist, and I have a degree in geology and environmental science.

I want to help you live your permaculture dream. If you don’t have a farm yet, I could help design a data-backed, permaculture setup, along with a report supporting of the design decisions, so you can have a physical manifestation of your permaculture plans to look at.

Hi, is it possible to do permaculture with a land without a home?

The land could be small as 0.5 hectare or 2 hectares, I could buy one or another piece of land based on feasability and cost.

The point is every house costs too much, it is just not worth it the expenses for me considering I also have to make it more efficient and to renovate them to make them livable. Unfortunately where I live you can only build a home or heavy renovate something if you are from abroad and got the money, otherwise it’s a bit harder.

Is it possible to have land and maybe chickens if the farm is close? Consider I work remotely so I don’t have commuting from work, and I can dedicate time in the morning, afternoon and weekends.