An Orchard Polyculture Design
This is a spatial design of a polyculture. Very open, airy and quite useable. Over time the canopy grow to a point where the understory will creep out from underneath or perish. They will have to be replaced with shade loving plants. This design would be implemented around each tree.
It needs a bit more ground cover.
What do you think?
Any suggestions?
Dan
Comments
Neither would be good in the understory since the raspberries would be shaded, need to be moved every 3 to 4 years and the blue berries need acid soil. If you have acid soil I would suggest as outlying area for them and focus the nutrients and ecological services on the anchor tree. Dill and Fennel definitely bit use comfrey and chicory for OM and tap root mineral accumulation in the leaves. Keep in mind that the perennials all have a big seed load that needs to be harvested or you will build up a rodent population that may damage the trees and eat your fruit. Seasonal field sanitation and harvesting is essential to plant health. Low plants increase the air flow, high plants slow air and cause humidity to increase the moisture and disease threat.
Thanks, Dan
I'm surprised I haven't happened across your blog before. I thought you might be interested to know that for Zoe Farm the Strawberries were very slow to establish and runner, so yes, some other ground cover would be helpful. The Comfrey grew abnormally large though,completely covering the ground in many of the guilds. So it worked out anyway.
I am considering using Birdsfoot Trefoil in place of the Strawberries. Any thoughts?
I have established a guild using Strawberry as a ground cover by interplanting Borage between the Strawberries.
Looking forward to your visit later this month.
Luke Simon