How to Keep Water in the Soil with Bill Wilson

How to Keep Water in the Soil with Bill Wilson

Author: Susan Poizner, OrchardPeople.com January 1, 2025 Duration: 53:27

How can you create a self-watering permaculture garden or orchard? The secret is in the soil! We explore that topic with Bill Wilson of MidwestPermaculture.com in this episode of the Orchard People radio show. 

Learn about Bill's online course here:

https://midwestpermaculture.com/the-heart-of-permaculture/


The host of the Orchard People radio show and podcast is Susan Poizner of the fruit tree care education website www.orchardpeople.com.  


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  • (00:00) - Journey to Texas: A Surprising Landscape
  • (00:52) - Introducing Bill Wilson: Permaculture Expert
  • (01:00) - Permaculture Principles: Water Management
  • (03:20) - Online Permaculture Courses: A New Era
  • (06:35) - Rain Gardens vs. Berms and Swales
  • (08:35) - Small Space Solutions: Urban Permaculture
  • (16:04) - Aquaponics: Integrating Fish and Plants
  • (22:11) - Permaculture Tools: No-Till Farming
  • (24:27) - Permaculture Defined: Sustainable Living
  • (25:42) - Commercials
  • (28:49) - Orchard People Radio Show Part 2 Introduction
  • (29:01) - Interview with Bill Wilson: Passive Watering Systems
  • (29:47) - Gray Water Systems and Passive Irrigation
  • (32:23) - Permaculture Principles and Practices
  • (35:49) - Using Cover Crops and Plants to Make Soil More Absorbant
  • (40:20) - Soil Drenches and Compost Techniques
  • (45:50) - Final Thoughts and Reflections

Imagine stepping into your own backyard and picking a perfect, sun-warmed apple from a tree you nurtured yourself. That tangible connection to the land and the deep satisfaction of growing your own food is at the heart of Orchard People. Hosted by fruit tree care educator Susan Poizner, this podcast digs into the practical and often surprising world of cultivating fruit trees, whether you have a few pots on a balcony or several acres to explore. Each episode feels like a thoughtful conversation with a knowledgeable friend, as Susan and her guests unpack the nuances of pruning for better harvests, managing pests without harsh chemicals, and understanding the life beneath our feet through soil health. You’ll hear from specialists on topics like grafting heirloom varieties, designing resilient food forests, and integrating permaculture principles into any space. It’s more than just tips and tricks; it’s about building confidence and community around sustainable growing. Tune in to this garden-focused podcast for grounded advice that helps both new and experienced growers foster healthier trees and more abundant yields, season after season.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Orchard People
Podcast Episodes
Fool Proof Apple Preservation with Melissa K Norris [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:16
What do you do with your bumper crop of apples? In this episode, learn how to can apples easily while keeping your loved ones safe from risks like botulism and mold! Our guest is homesteading and canning expert Melissa K…
Fruit Tree Pruning Techniques with Tom Spellman [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:47
In this episode, Susan Poizner talks to Tom Spellman of Dave Wilson Nursery in Hickman California about the book "How to Prune Fruit Trees and Roses". Tom is one of a team of experts who have updated and revised the clas…
Hybrid Persimmons with Darren Bender-Beauregard [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:18
Once you had to choose: Either grow American persimmons that are hardy, but not great for fresh eating - or grow the sweet and tasty Asian persimmons that thrived in warmer climates. Well, now you can enjoy the best of b…
Regenerative Fruit Tree Sprays with Nigel Palmer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:03
Learn how to turn fermented plant juice, eggshells and other locally sourced materials into effective fruit tree fertilizers with Nigel Palmer, author of The Regenerative Grower's Guide to Garden Amendments: Using locall…
Multi-Fruit Trees with Javier Rivera [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:13
Javier Rivera of Stone River Nursery in Central Florida talks about the potential of grafting when creating multi-cultivar trees, fruit salad trees, and even trees that grow in places that you wouldn't expect them to - l…
Protecting Fruit Tree Blossoms from Frost with Kevin Folta [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:27
If you want to enjoy a harvest, you need to protect the blossoms on your fruit tree from late season freezing events. Learn how to do that with Dr Kevin Folta, Department Chair, Horticultural Sciences Department, Univers…
Fig Propagation with Sam Hubert [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:24
Learn how to find and propagate wild fig trees with Sam Hubert, a passionate "fig hunter" and nursery manager of One Green World Nursery and Garden Center in Portland Oregon.The host of The Urban Forestry Radio Show and…
Foodscaping with Matt Lebon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:42
If you love growing fruit trees and other edible plants, you might consider a career as a "foodscaper." Matt Lebon of Customfoodscaping.com talks about how to transform a garden into an edible oasis and about his upcomin…
Growing Hardy Apple Trees with Bob Osborne [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:45
Learn about some of the best tasting hardy apple trees available to northern growers with Bob Osborne, the owner of Corn Hill Nursery in New Brunswick, Canada and author of Hardy Apples: Growing Apples in Cold Climates.T…