Make a spiral swale

A spiral swale is a good solution for capturing heavy rainwater run-off. This one was designed by permaculture specialist Jamie Shepherd for a steeply sloping Highveld garden, where run-off from a higher adjacent property pours in through drainage holes in the fencing during the summer months.

A trench was dug in the shape of a spiral because the curved lines deflect the water gently instead of head on, reducing the chance of erosion. A Curves also enhance “the edge effect”: the principle that growth vigour is multiplied where two environments meet, for example, at the edge of a pond.

The trench was filled with branches and smaller organic material in-between. B Non-organic material can also be used. Compost and manure were added, and then soil. The excess soil was used to make berms between the loops of the spiral. Logs provide stepping points along the berms. At the start of summer, seeds for large, medium and small vegetables were planted in succession on both the berms and swales, which were raked gently between each broadcast. A twig mulch was placed on top of the berms and swales. No initial watering took place. With only rainwater run-off as irrigation, a flourishing summer food garden was created. C