Organic Permaculture 04a.11a: Permaculture - Water Tricks

Building up the groundwater table with seepage trenches and dams - and other water tricks

        
Trench+dam on the slope with the infiltration to raise the water table, scheme [34] - circular trench net for trees by Bill Mollison (English "net and pan"), drawing [38] - Sadhana forest near Auroville in India, tree set with wooden mulch and water ring all around [23].
         
Rain barrels made of clay with overflow as drainage into a pond, Kailash-Akhara center, northern Thailand [37] - Dam system as path system for forest construction on the permaculture site of Sadhana Forest near Auroville in India [44] - The seepage ditch is filled with gravel [16] - Build your own water filter [46].

by Michael Palomino (2020 - translation 2023)

Mentioned permaculture zones:
-- permaculture farm "Krameterhof" of Mr. Sepp Holzer near Salzburg, Austria
-- yoga permaculture area "Kailash-Akhara" in North Thailand
-- "Magic House" by Sekar near Auroville, Tamil Nadu, India
-- permaculture area "Sadhana Forest" near Auroville, Tamil Nadu, India

---

4a.11a. Water tricks

   
Collecting rainwater, here a gigantic rain barrel made of ceramics on a rice farm in Thailand [1] - Rain barrels made of clay with overflow as drainage into a pond, center Kailash-Akhara, northern Thailand [37].

Overflowing water can be drained into a pond (4'20-31'') [web10].


Permaculture: countering the drought with mulching, partner plants, and wood in the garden bed

Gardening can work also during a drought when certain principles of permaculture are respected:

-- Mulching: the field / garden bed has to be mulched so during the night condense water is provoked under the mulch and then in the morning drips into the soil (link: mulch)
-- Partner plants: can be planted very in a very dense way so the complete field / garden bed is in the shadow (link: companion plants)
-- Wood in the garden bed: one can install wood 30cm deep into the garden bed, then this wood will remain always moist, and it will be converted into humus within 5 years. The roots of the plants reach the wood which is always moist and a drought CANNOT damage these plants.

Collection of rain water for giving water: Rain water from autumn, winter and spring which comes from the roof should be stored, and these are big quantities - and for this the roofs should be free of contaminants [web01].

The rain water has to be collected
-- in a garden in a barrel [web02], in containers and cisterns [see the Earth Ship architecture of Michael Raynolds - Link (Engl.)]
-- on an big territory in drainage deposits,
 -- on a large site with drainage shafts, water basins, ponds, swales, create small marshes, etc. [web02].

Cleaning gutters
Gutters can be covered with a tarpaulin and then simply pulled down by rope for cleaning once a month to twice a year - and a new tarpaulin can be laid down [web11].

Rheumatic cream or tiger balm against mosquitoes on the rain barrel
The rain barrel must be covered AND prepared on the upper edge with a cream that repels mosquitoes. Mosquitoes flee, for example, if the edge from the smell of eucalyptus cream (rheumatism) or of camphor (tiger balm). This can also be applied in the own home. Put some rheumatic cream or tiger balm under a table, under chairs or beds - and mosquitoes will never come again [experience Palomino].

  
Anti-rheumatic cream with eucalyptus, see the package (product from Peru) [11] - this cream contains eucalyptus, it's orange, and mosquitoes go and flee [12]

Gray water for plant watering: If the detergents are natural, wastewater from washing machines, bathtubs, and showers can be used not only to flush toilets, but also to water plants [web01]. Michael Reynolds' Earth ship uses the gray water system to water houseplants - link.

Flooding during rain: only occurs when too much rainwater flows into the creek above, i.e. when dam systems are missing (pond systems, lakes) or when forest is missing [web02].


Dead water - living water

However, the water that comes directly from pressure pipes is "dead water" because the structure in the water is destroyed by the pressure. In contrast, water from a spring or from clouds or from a pressureless water tanks is living water with a healthy and effective structure. Plants are said to become more resistant and larger with revitalized water [web06]. Official comparative tests are still not available today.

Dead tap water harms tomatoes - revitalized water for tomatoes
"Tomato plants receiving "dead water" get sick/shelling leaves from it (the opposite of this will be clear to you)." [web09]


Go for capturing rainwater on a slope: install small ditches and dams+then the groundwater table will rise

Remodel a property with permaculture water infiltration: The goal must be recollecting every drip of train water for the soil not loosing any drip rolling down the hill on the hard soil. So:
-- first the area has to be watched well for checking the natural events on the territory
-- the flood zones are observed (1'40'')
-- for a large site, establish the contours (1'42'')
-- Joeff Lawton sets key lines in each case: the key lines are marked where a slope changes from a bulbous line (concave) to a hollow line (convex) (1'53'')
-- from this key line the ditches then will be built, so that the water will drain better (2'8'').

  
Key line 01: The points at the transition from bulbous to hollow line [30] - Key line 02: Trenches are installed from point to point [31].

Such seepage trenches are 15 to 200cm wide and 30 to 100cm deep (3'28''). There are calculations of the trenches related to the amount of rainfall and the permeability of the soil, such calculators are also online (3'37'').

  

Horizontal seepage trenches: all water seeps in place [35] - Seepage trenches with slopes of 1 to 5 degrees [36].

When seepage trenches (contours) go the horizontal way, all will seep on one spot. Inclined seepage trenches (off contours) have a slope of 1 to 5 degrees and most of the water is percolating (3'56''), a little part is flowing down the ditch (3'59'') and is ending up for example in a pond (4'17'').

Ditches and dams on slopes 1) against erosion 2) for infiltration of rainwater and 3) to raise the water table

Dry slopes are revitalized with small ditches and dams causing the rare rain water seeping into the soil and will not be lost flowing down the hard earth slope. This is a principle of Sekar at the permaculture center "Magic House" in India: catching water, breaking it down, soaking it, storing it in the soil ("catch, slow, soak, store water in the soil") [web10 - 16-26''].

  
Small ditch and embankment on the slope where rainwater infiltrating [13] - Ditch on the slope causes infiltration, and the embankment becomes vegetated [14].
  
Ditch+dam on the slope preventing erosion, scheme [33] - Ditch+dam on the slope with the infiltration to raise the water table, scheme [34].

Collect rainwater in the area: Water ditch / seepage ditch with tile/fabric+gravel

A trench has to be dug, set a fleece [or a fabric] into it hanging out the trench, put gravel in it, cover the fleece at its tops, and cover all with earth.

  
Area with seepage trench with open fleece [15] - The seepage trench is filled with gravel [16]

  
The seepage trench is closed with the fleece / fabric [17] - The seepage trench is covered with earth [18]

Seepage trench in a grouted earth terrace [19]:




Circular trench networks with soakaways for the trees

Bill Mollison designed the net and pan trench system ("net and pan"): Around each tree, a circular trench is created (4'42''), and then all the tree trenches are connected together to create a net (4'48''). With mulch in the soakaways, evaporation is minimized and most rainwater reaches the entire root zones of the trees (5'4''). 

  
The net and pan trench system of Bill Mollison for trees ("net and pan"), drawing [38] - The net and pan trench system on a blackboard, scheme [41].

Examples:

Project Sadhana Forest (India): Water ditches / seepage ditches cause the groundwater level to rise by 6m in 10 years
With such soakaways and planting new trees during 10 years, the permaculture project "Sadhana Forest" in India reached an effect of raising water table by 6m (40-51'') [web10].

  
India, permaculture site Sadhana Forest near Auroville, entrance [20] - Sadhana Forest near Auroville in India, house with solar panel [21].
  

Sadhana Forest near Auroville in India, tree seedling [22] - Sadhana Forest near Auroville in India, tree set with wooden mulch and water ring all around [23].


Kailash Akhara Project (Northern Thailand): Water ditches / seepage ditches have a big effect: return of biodiversity

       
Map of northern Thailand with Phu Ruea in Loei province, with the center Kailash Akhara [29] - the permaculture yoga center Kailash Akhara [24] - first this was a degenerated forest [25].

Kailash Akhara is a permaculture yoga center with courses (unfortunately not cheap - link).

The restoration of biodiversity on the site: First, ditches were installed, and in 10 years all the biodiversity came back (1'11''), first the grasses and wildflowers (1'15''), this attracted insects, birds and iguanas (1'18''), also snails and mice (1'20''). Thus, the complete ecosystem was restored, simply by creating water ditches so that more rainwater was stored in the soil [the entire zone regained its optimal fertility] (1'26'').

  
Circle trench network for trees at Kalaish Akhara site in northern Thailand 01,02 [39,40].

     
Thailand, center Kailash Akhara, water ditches are built [26] - wild flowers are blooming again [27] - Thailand, center Kailash Akhara, iguanas are living here again [28].

Dams for stopping the rainwater - can form whole dam systems
e.g. in India on the site of Sadhana Forest near Auroville (5'0-30'') [web10]

     
Ditch and dam to collect rainwater, diagram on a blackboard [42].
 
Dam system for forest construction on the permaculture site of Sadhana Forest near Auroville in India [43] - Dam system as path system for forest construction on the permaculture site of Sadhana Forest near Auroville in India [44].

Inclined terraces on a slope are retaining rainwater

-- terraced slopes have existed since ancient times
-- the width of the terraces depends on the steepness of the slope
-- terraces are inclined inward up to 18º so that not a drop of rainwater is lost (5'29-58'') [web10]

Terraces are inclined inward up to 18º so that not a drop of rainwater is lost, scheme on a blackboard [45]

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Free warm water by a compost heap - the compost water heating
Photo: https://www.pinterest.de/pin/342977327846512023/

Example: warm water comes from a wood chip compost heap of wood chips without any power or gas

In all cold regions or during all cold seasons, it's possible to install a water heating with tubes passing a compost heap which is hot inside. This produces hot water WITHOUT POWER nor GAS.

Video: Compost-Powered Water Heater provides Free heat for the Hot Tub and helps me grow organic food (2'30'')

 
Video: Compost-Powered Water Heater provides Free heat for the Hot Tub and helps me grow organic food (2'30'')
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbArnw2Tfu0 - YouTube channel: Grow Food Well: https://www.youtube.com/@GrowFoodWell  - installed on June 3, 2016

Ohio ("USA"): a compost heap is also a water heater [48]

  

Tom Bartels presents his pool with a compost heating [49,50]

  

The water in the pool has 104 degrees Fahrenheit, that is 40 degrees Celsius - also IN WINTER [51,52]

  

It's possible to take a bath in winter times with 40ºC [53] - this water heating comes from a compost heap with wood chips [54] (wood chips are rotting the slowest, they need about 6 months for being converted into new humus soil).

    

The system consists of 1) compost with wood chips, this provokes 2) compost and 3) a hot bath tube [55]. -- Cross-section of a compost heap with wood chips and a long garden tube where cold water is coming in, is passing the center of the compost heap and warm water comes out [56]

  

The maximum of temperature is 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius) [67] Compost [58]

  

The maintenance of the compost pile consists of 1) watering a little and 2) using the rake for spreading the leaves on top [59] With the bark compost, the vegetables in the garden become stronger and stronger [60].

  

With the bark compost, the vegetables in the garden are getting stronger and stronger every year [61] - tomatoes [62]

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Water tricks: construct your own water filter

Water filter in a PET bottle: Build your own water filter [46] The water passes all layers from top to bottom 1) a cloth 2) a layer of carbon (carbon powder) 3) a layer of sand 4) a layer of ashes 5) gravel 6) absorbent cotton [web12]

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Pouring water - in the evening is best


Watering flowers with watering can [2] - the trick with permaculture is that you don't need to water much at all if you apply mulch, partner plants and wood in the soil.

Plastic watering cans are problematic, they give off microplastics and plasticizers.

Principles for watering:
1) You should water when the sun is not at its strongest, that is, in the morning and in the evening, so that not too much of the water evaporates [web01], preferably in the evening, because hardly anything evaporates overnight [web03].
2) On large farms, you can install automatic irrigation systems with a timer and hoses with drip irrigation [web03].
3) With infrequent, deep watering the plant develop deeper roots than by frequent, short watering (!!!) [web03].

Additionally, it could be observed that plants are growing most during the NIGHT and NOT during the day [observation Palomino].

Watering: For "water plants" that need a lot of water: Make small trenches: For plants that need a lot of water, make small trenches in the bed and direct water specifically to them, e.g., tomatoes [web01].

Watering: Planting the same vegetable in several rows: keep distances: The recommendations of "spacing instructions" have their sense: vegetables planted too densely in a monoculture take each other's water away [web01]. So partner plants are much better anyway (link: companion plants).

========

The drip irrigation with a hose

When there is not much mulch, when there are no partner plants, and when there is no wood in the garden bed, then a drip irrigation has to be installed for having a normal growth during summer times [web01].

But hoses with holes actually have nothing to do with permaculture, because the plastic with plasticizers also passes to the water [conclusion Michael Palomino].

Without mulch and partner plants, the soil and soil animals are exposed to the blazing sun in summer, and the soil deteriorates [conclusion Palomino].

Techies who don't know about mulch, partner plants, or wood in the garden bed can install sprinkler systems with timers in the greenhouses [web03]. But maybe it is better to learn mulching, to learn about partner plants and to learn about wood in the garden bed....

-- link: mulch and mulching
-- link: companion plants


Water tricks: The drip irrigation with a water pipe

Another emergency aid are perforated pipes, for example, next to trees in parks or avenues, to provide water directly to the roots during summer [web20,web21]. The additional watering through the drainage pipe is especially necessary for young trees that do not have long roots yet, which cannot reach so much water yet and are very vulnerable during long droughts. Even desiccated trees become green again when watered with a drainage pipe and the water reaches the root zone directly [web04]. But mulching seems the easier method of keeping the soil moist in a ring around a tree, but make sure that the mulch does not touch the tree trunk! Link: mulch and mulching

  
Water tube for watering tree seedlings in a dry zone, scheme, but the tube is not enough [3]

People who love working with PET bottles can also install a PET bottle for watering [web01]. But with this, also microplastic reaches the soil which should be inhibited. Mulching seems to be the simpler and better solution - link: mulch and mulching

 
The PET bottle freaks can also use a PET bottle as an irrigation pipe [web01]. The only thing is that plastic and plasticizers get into the soil, which is to be avoided absolutely [4].

Water tricks: The string irrigation as an emergency solution

For short periods of up to 2 to 3 weeks, one can install a string irrigation for houseplants, where a constant even climate prevails.

The fully automatic bottle-cotton cord irrigation
It is even possible to provide irrigation with a bottle or a kettle next to the plant and a cotton cord: The plant draws in water via the string [web05]:
The plant is pulling it's water via a cotton string [web05]. [For starting the cotton string has to be moist].

  
A plant pulls in bottled water via a cotton cord [5] - Plants pull in pot water from above via cotton cords from a water pot, it almost does it by itself [6]
[SEE THIS: starting has to be with well watered cotton cords - and the system can fail after two weeks].

Video: This Will Water Your Plants While on Vacation Works Like A Charm (3'14'')

Video: This Will Water Your Plants While on Vacation Works Like A Charm (3'14'')
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQc3yENYuSk - Natural Ways - hochgeladen am 21.7.2017

The best trick for this is to put the bottle under a slowly dripping faucet. Then the vacations can last up to 2-3 weeks. More is not advisable, because the conditions in the apartment or house can change and adjustments may be necessary.

The rim of the kettle must also be smeared with anti-rheumatic ointment or tiger balm again to prevent mosquito cultures [Palomino experience].

Video comments say:
-- the maximum time to stay away is 3 weeks, then the pet bottle is empty
-- you can put the bottle under a slowly dripping faucet so that the bottle keeps refilling, then the vacation can go on indefinitely
-- after the vacation with cotton string watering, the plants look better than before
-- the cord must be cotton and not too thin, so if you have doubts, you can twist a double cord, or take a shoelace with cut ends, then the plant will draw water and the cord will remain wet
-- those who have to live in humid areas with dehumidifiers can use the water from the dehumidifier directly for the plants [web05].

My own experience in a patio corner with water kettles and shoelaces shows,
-- flat shoelaces conduct water less well than round shoelaces [Palomino experience].
-- some plants pull more water and others, so the plants need to be at different heights to the water kettle [Palomino experience]
-- so there are factors for the water supply to depending on the shoelace or plant position [Experience Palomino]
-- you can also connect plants to each other with shoelaces, so plants can also exchange signals and water with each other [Experience Palomino].

Also seedlings can pull water, e.g. also from below - wine bottles can be cut open and used for plants - or at shady places one bottle can supply several plants with water at once with shoelaces:

        
Plants suck water from below when the connecting cord easily conducts water [7] - Cord irrigation using wine bottle with cork insulation [9] - Cord irrigation from central bottle to different plants simultaneously [10].

String irrigation in a field is unrealistic

String irrigation in a field with a high kettle is NOT PRACTICAL because the kettles will be continuously empty and in the sun the strings will dry out [8].

String irrigation in a field is unrealistic,
-- because far too much water is sucked,
-- because the kettles will be constantly empty, and
-- because in the blazing sun the strings between the plants dry out [Palomino experience].

On an open field it's really better:
-- mulching (link: mulch and mulching), so condensation water is forming that keeps the soil moist in the morning with the falling water drips
-- plant partner plants in a dense way (-- link: companion plants) so the whole field is in the shadow of the plants.

<<           >>

Permaculture: countering the drought with mulching, partner plants, and wood in the garden bed -- Cleaning gutters -- Rheumatic cream or tiger balm against mosquitoes on the rain barrel -- Gray water for plant watering -- Flooding during rain -- Dead water - living water -- Go for capturing rainwater on slope: install small ditches and dams+groundwater table will rise -- Ditches and dams on slopes 1) against erosion 2) for infiltration of rainwater+to raise the water table -- Collect rainwater in the area: Water ditch / seepage ditch with tile/fabric+gravel -- Circular trench networks with soakaways for the trees -- Project Sadhana Forest (India): Water ditches / seepage ditches cause the groundwater level to rise by 6m in 10 years -- Kailash Akhara Project (Northern Thailand): Water ditches / seepage ditches have a big effect: return of biodiversity -- Dams for stopping the rainwater - can form whole dam systems -- Inclined terraces on a slope are retaining rainwater -- Free warm water by a compost heap - the compost water heating -- Example: warm water comes from a wood chip compost heap of wood chips without any power or gas -- Water tricks: construct your own water filter -- Pouring water - in the evening is best -- The drip irrigation with a hose -- Water tricks: The drip irrigation with a water pipe -- Water tricks: The string irrigation as an emergency solution -- Video: This Will Water Your Plants While on Vacation Works Like A Charm (3'14'') -- String irrigation in a field is unrealistic --

Sources
[web01] Andy Hamilton: The Ecologist: Growing without water: how to garden in a drought:
https://theecologist.org/2010/jul/27/growing-without-water-how-garden-drought
[web02[ https://permaculturenews.org/2011/04/11/spring-permaculture-tips-and-tricks/
[web03] Permaculture News: https://permaculturenews.org/2011/08/19/summer-permaculture-tips-and-tricks/
[web04] Trees with water bootle catheter: https://www.bauexpertenforum.de/threads/baeume-mit-katheter.43621/
[web05] Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQc3yENYuSk
[web06] Living water: https://www.grander.com/international/einsatz-anwendung/garten-teich
[web07] Australia: Deep green agriculture: https://deepgreenpermaculture.com/diy-instructions/starting-your-permaculture-garden/
[web08] Beat Rölli: Water culture in permaculture (Aquakultur in der Permakultur – ökologische Grundlagen. Provisorische Version Okt. 2013 nur für internen Gebrauch):
https://sdc055e80a649b614.jimcontent.com/download/version/1466970462/module/12171485323/name/9.1%20Oekologie-PK-Aquakultur.pdf
[web09] News from communication partner Lake of Zurich in an e-mail from Aug 1, 2019
[web10] Video: 9 Earthworks (10min.): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeAHynOPw-o&t=317s 

[web11] Helmut Aggen: Video: Express gutter cleaning within minutes (Express Dachrinnen Reinigung eine Minutenangelegenheit):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ovabT9gkz4
[web12] How to make a water filter at home (¿Cómo hacer un filtro casero para el agua?) - filter of tissue, sand and stones, etc.
https://www.pinterest.de/pin/715861303241347724/
[web13] Ultraviolet solar filter with earth in a plexiglass box: https://www.pinterest.de/pin/574490496201198398/

Photo sources
[1] Giving water with a water can:https://www.pinterest.de/pin/264938390557823135/
[2] Keep rain water in giant barrels of ceramics on a rice farm in Thailand: photo by Michael Palomino 2013
[3] Water tube on a tree seedling, scheme: https://www.pinterest.de/pin/156148312066145900/
[4] Pet bottle becomes little water can: https://www.pinterest.de/pin/93871973468311514/
[5] Plant pulling water by a cotton lace: https://www.pinterest.de/pin/611152611906011846/
[6] Plants pulling pot water by cotton laces:  Video: This Will Water Your Plants While on Vacation Works Like A Charm:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQc3yENYuSk (1'59'')
[7] Lace watering from downwards with several laces: https://www.pinterest.de/pin/452330356309432734/
[8] Lace watering in a horizontal way with plants in rows: https://www.pinterest.de/pin/302796774927565129/
[9] Lace watering with wine bottle and cork: https://www.pinterest.de/pin/863917140993532676/
[10] Lace watering from one bottle to several plantas at the same time: https://www.pinterest.de/pin/636626097300113422/

[9] Table: oxigen content in water and fish population:
https://sdc055e80a649b614.jimcontent.com/download/version/1466970462/module/12171485323/name/9.1%20Oekologie-PK-Aquakultur.pdf

[13,14] Ditches and dams on a slope where rain water seeps: Video: 9 Earthworks (10min.): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeAHynOPw-o
[15-18] Seeping ditches with fleece / tissue+gravel being covered with earth: Video: 9 Earthworks (10min.): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeAHynOPw-o
[19] Seeping ditch in a terrace: https://www.kaderli.ch/shop/sickergraben-als-entwaesserung/
[20] Sadhana Forest, permaculture zone, entrance: https://www.inspirock.com/india/auroville/sadhana-forest-a4514721439

[21,22,23] Sadhana Forest in India, reforestation with water rings around the trees:
Video: 9 Earthworks (10min.): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeAHynOPw-o
[24] North Thailand, permaculture yoga center Kailash Akhara: Video: 9 Earthworks (10min.): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeAHynOPw-o

[46] Filter device with a PET bottle: ¿Cómo hacer un filtro casero para el agua? - a filter with tissue, sand and stones, etc.:
https://www.pinterest.de/pin/715861303241347724/
[47] Earth filter: https://www.pinterest.de/pin/587016132662955891/
[48-62] Video: Compost-Powered Water Heater provides Free heat for the Hot Tub and helps me grow organic food (2'30'')
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbArnw2Tfu0 - YouTube channel: Grow Food Well: https://www.youtube.com/@GrowFoodWell  - installed on June 3, 2016

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