We did it!
The last few months we have done everything to prepare the plot for the new planting. Ideally, in the mediterranean climate, trees would be planted in late autumn or winter, so that they have enough time to prepare for the harsh summer. Unfortunately, that was not possible for us, but of course they had to be in the ground before I left the island in early april.
In order to plant trees, there are a few, but elementary conditions that we had to meet first: Since the soil here consists mostly of huge rocks, we had to hire a mini-digger to prepare the holes for the young trees. We also had to wait a bit longer for our compost delivery, because our self-made "driveway" was not good enough for the big trucks.
But in my last week before departure, all the pieces fell into place: The road was repaired, the holes were dug, and the soil and water could be delivered.
So all that was needed was muscle power to fill the holes again!
The holes are ready to be filled again with compost, manure and our new tree saplings.
The super Crew at work. Thanks fr your help, Jurjen, Carlos, Joana, Brian and Julia!
The new trees
In a big planting action we planted all 30 fruit trees in one day. They are each placed between the existing almond trees, complemented by herbs and shrubs. This way, we are slowly transforming the monoculture into a diverse forest garden.
We were able to cover these 30 trees and the cost of planting them thanks to your tree sponsorships. Thank you to everyone who made this possible! For the next planting campaign in winter 2023, there are still some trees waiting for their sponsor.
But that's not all: we planted another 30 native trees, 40 shrubs and perennials in our woodland area to increase biodiversity. This area will henceforth remain untouched and serve as a habitat for wildlife and native plants.
My parents were in charge of the forest planting. Thanks Sybille and Tobias!
The new master plan
As always you can follow our progress on YouTube.
Don't forget to subscribe to our channel!
What's up next?
Tomorrow Pino and I will return to the island again to look after the young trees. Now that it is getting really dry and hot, the freshly planted trees still need a lot of water and attention.
In addition to the garden work, there are also a few larger temporary construction projects on the agenda: A composting toilet is urgently needed, an outdoor shower and kitchen should also be built soon. In addition, I would like to install a solar system so that we can charge our equipment on site. Once we have built these basic facilities, we will be able to receive guests and hold the first workshops.
All this costs money. I am very grateful for your financial (and physical) support. Besides our tree sponsorships and memberships, there is also the possibility of a one-time donation. The donated money will directly be used for the building projects and the photovoltaic.
