The recent fires in California remind us of the devastation caused to property and to the local ecology. Often the fires are so hot that most of the ground vegetation is completely burnt off. Recovery is slow and in the…
What is so special about a vetiver hedgerow? Why does a vetiver hedgerow spread water so well? In recent comments on vetiver and bananas it was observed that vetiver enhances moisture availability to adjoining plants. Why? Let me…
This blog is rather long. But it is important – so bear with me!! We face major economic and environmental problems from river bank erosion and the collapse of dykes and levees. These problems are increasing with climate changes that…
Robert Joy the Species Coordinator at USDA NRCS Plant Materials Center, Hoolehua, Hawaii has worked with Vetiver for a good many years and has produced a Plant Guide “SUNSHINE VETIVER GRASS, Chrysopogon zizanioides (L.) Roberty, Plant Symbol = CHZI”. This is a very welcome contribution in the…
Every now and then something comes up to remind us what an interesting and wonderful plant Vetiver is. Recently Fernando Cost Pinto of Brazil dug up this 4 meter plant to display at Congresso Sobrade 2009 this month. The 300 participants had never…
Vetiver hedgerows have been used by some Indian farmers for generations for soil and water conservation, forage, structural strengthening and boundary delineation. Sadly most officials involved with soil conservation in India conveniently neglected these facts. Below is a short brief…
Criss Juliard, a TVNI director, has recently been helping to train Haitians in the Vetiver System. Criss has a wide experience in Vetiver System applications, particularly in Madagascar – a very similar climate and conditions to Haiti (extreme rainfall, high…
Top left: 1995; Top Right: planting vetiver; Middle left: 2000: Vetiver hedgerows follow contour; Bottom right: 2009 Paradise!; Bottom left: Vetiver protecting irrigation channel – note how the vetiver shades aot weeds completely. In 1995 Pete Sabbe and his wife…
I am afraid that I haven’t been very active in the last few weeks. I have other distractions! However there are a few things that I want to share with you. Criss Juliard is in Haiti again and writes to…
Criss Juliard is working with the WINNER project in Haiti and has created a training program in Vetiver System propagation and application. The first three images show the establishment of quality nurseries for vetiver multiplication. Note the nurseries are focussing…
