Last year our drought kept us from doing much body of work on the food forest . It hit hard , part at the end of June and continuing right through until our first frost . There was plenty we wanted to get done but could n’t , yet the initial trees and shrubs came through it alive ( thanks to some dragging the hose around ) so we go for to continue our plans for phase two this class .
We ’ve already summate in a lot ofTithonia diversifoliaplants , along with filling in the bush layer with more plants . We ’ve also put a few piles of compost out there and implant our mixed - up Seminole “ compost pile ” Cucurbita pepo on them .
Someone latterly ask on YouTube why we have Gunter Wilhelm Grass in our food timber :
I ’m singular about why you mature the grass rather than Dutch Clover or something … Are there any specific reasons to grow monocots over just legumes?I’ve thought a lot about it and I always kind of suppose my future food timberland to be a lawn of various flowering nitrogen fixers between well mulch islands with fruit trees then berry bushes under those then herbs under those and then mushroom under those . Someday soon I ’ll do !
The answer is simple . We started with smoke , and the pasturage remains . It ’s not easy to eliminate 1/4 Akko of grass unless you ’re uncoerced to spray , tarp , or deal repeatedly . If we started with plain soil , we could have grown clover , but we did n’t . The grass will get shaded out over time , and we ’ll also sheet mulch over it , as we ’ve already done in some islands . The nutrient woods gets some oeuvre on occasion as we have time – it is n’t our main line of work right now , as the Grocery Row Gardens get much more of the care since they ’re our main nutrient manufacturer .
But , this scuttlebutt does relate to a “ food forest hack ” we train back in our North Florida food forest project .
That is – found your trees and shrubs , then mop path between them to make ordination in the scheme . you may sort of see it in these pictures I took this morning :
Once I mop again , the paths will be much more unmistakable .
We are develop “ islands ” in the intellectual nourishment woods as it develop , moving towards more lasting pathway . We just mow twisty way of life around the clumps of trees and shrubs we ’ve already planted . Next , we ’ll sheet mulch those islands to crush out the forage and contribute more birthrate , like this :
I took that picture last year . Now that little goumi Charles Edward Berry is three time the size of it and is covered in fruit .
route make even an un - pout grand look deliberate . Mow courteous meandering strips and you ’ll create a nature pass . Or , get more serious and put down some lasting pavers or mulch , like we did in The Great South Florida Food Forest Project :
As the weather warms and the grass get down to grow in our yard again , we ’ll have passel of sheet - mulching fabric . Stay tune up for food forest updates .
Also , I ’m mold on a food timberland design class which I hope to declare presently . It ’s a multi - part seminar sharing all you require to know on how to turn your grand into a jungle of food , without Brobdingnagian expense , preparation , or lots of fourth dimension regard .
in conclusion , my Spring Gardening Masterclass is THIS SATURDAY in Ft . McCoy , Florida – learn more and get tickets here .
( Finally , I was disport by thisTactical Garden Trowel . skillful . )
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