A really important part about nitrogen fixers is that they only release the nitrogen nodules when they are pruned. The plant adjusts by shedding rootmass to balance the cut up top you just made. So make sure any nitrogen fixers you put into guilds, you constantly are pruning them. Also the nitrogen fixers don't get the nitrogen from the soil, but rather the atmosphere. That's what makes them so amazing!
I'm writing from Chihuahua, Mexico, dry land. I think there is a lot of paranoia in respect to grasses near fruit trees. The most critical position is near the tree's drip line and not near the trunk. It's only during the first few years that grasses need to be suppressed near tree seedlings because grasses do not require miccorhizal fungi and this is essential for drought resistance . During this time one can plant other small companion plants like clover, thyme, carrots, parsley. Once the tree or grape vine is twice the height of grass seed heads, grasses actually help the trees by opening up the soil with their roots, providing a micro climate for other plant species that grow in the grass such as dock, alfalfa, clover, dandelions, daisies, wild broccoli, rocket... these plants provide food for voles, squirrels, hares and then the tree bark is usually saved because it's more bitter. If there are more than five plant families, the group will provide all needed nitrogen even without any nitrogen fixers. As the food forest progresses, the fungi in the soil makes it difficult for grasses to grow even if you want lawn. The mini mulch ring around the trunk makes lawn mowing easier.
I don't understand the science that well but my 1 through 5 year old trees seem to be doing just fine surrounded by rye and other native species of grass.
@@brittoncooke1890 this is another link that might help explain the process. It talks about how plants, grasses for example use bacteria as nutrients. The hard core part comes after the beginning chit chat ua-cam.com/video/YHjBqjss1Fg/v-deo.html
Thanks Malissa, I really enjoy hearing your Dad. I am about the same age as he and have been writing all the stories I can remember. My family were settled near the mouth of the Skagit river around 1890. I and a friend were talking some time ago, we had a question ,were going to have to ask an old timer. Then realized there was no one left to ask. From Lake McMurray , Warner
yes please! We just planted our first fruit trees this year and I'm having a hard time deciding what to plant under and around them and we have a whole pasture to fill up with tree guilds!
When you go to the wild patches of miners lettuce, harvest the large leaves, they are not bitter at all. You can put your fingers under the large leaves and pull them strait up so that the flowers are not sacrificed, though they can also be eaten. The small plants that still have spoon/spade shaped leaves can be pinched out at soil level and added to salads or light soups like egg flower or chicken or put onto sandwiches or turkey rolls. My family loves them
Another idea my great grandmother did is plant comfrey circle around fruit trees. Tap root blocks grass out and she would chop and drop the leaves 3x each summer. Comfrey feeds the soil with nitrogen and also brings up minerals to benefit the tree. Been doing it to mine and they flourish. Great channel by the way! Glad I found you.
@@iqtidarbaig8532 I actually just planted 3 rootlets around in a circle about 3' out from the tree. Warning, wherever you plant it, it will always be there. And make sure you get Russian Blocking 14 variety so it doesn't spread out of control.
On nitrogen fixators, it's important not to let them flower. The plants store the nitrogen in it's roots but release it and sends it up the stem to help produce the flowers. You should chop and drop before flowering. The nitrogen is used up with the production of flowers. But I always let a few flower to gather their seeds at the end of the season. Also, with apple trees I use borage and creeping rosemary. (Zone 8)
You beat me to this. Nitrogen fixers fix nitrogen for their own use in flowering and baring fruit. They won't release the nitrogen unless they can't flower and.or make fruit. You're 100% correct on that.
3:10 Legumes (like peas) are plants that draw nitrogen out of the air (Humans can that too, but it is an energy intensive process. The lupines give you the benefit of the long roots (getting up _other nutrients from deep down that are out of reach for many plants), and I think they are also good for some butterflies maybe also for useful insects. And aditionally they harvest nitrogen out of the air for you (well the bacteria that they feed in their roots do, it is sugars from the plant in exchange for nitrogen: good ole' bartering).
I planted lupine seeds in my front yard 4 or 5 years ago. It is a California native plant and when in bloom in April it has beautiful blue flowers running up its 2 foot stalks. It repopulates itself with scattered seed. What started as 3 plants now populates about 40’ x4’ and would go beyond if not for the adjacent city sidewalk. People sometimes stop their cars to enjoy the sight. They are stunning in mass. The downside is while waiting for the seed pods to mature and drop seed for the next spring the plant becomes brown and leggy. In my Los Angeles dry climate it blooms for two or three weeks. I suspect that might be longer in a wetter climate. You are going to love them!
Ok, I laughed out loud so much about the Miner's Lettuce. I love that stuff and have it all over too. Get ready to have it EVERYWHERE. Mine has already dropped it's seed and crept into the depths to wait until next spring when it pops up everywhere again. Wood sorrel is yummy too - we have the yellow "sour grass" kind and the one with the tiny yellow flowers. It's going to spread like crazy. :)
Hey Melissa; first off, great video. Second; if you have trouble with moles around your fruit trees you can add "Mole plant" to you groupings as moles are repelled by it. They also will not come near a Elder tree , so mulching with some elder trimmings really works a treat as well.
Love this! Would love to see more of the food forest planting. Also, I saw that miners lettuce and was like “is that miners lettuce?” And when you said you never tried it before I was like “it’s sweet! It’s sweet try it!” 😂 Miners lettuce is my absolute FAVORITE green ever.
Thank you for sharing your garden and knowledge with us. I’m a UA-cam gardener too. It’s my 3rd year as a gardener and I’m still learning as I grow. This year I’m trying to add companion plants to my garden. This is perfect because I have space around my strawberries. This is very helpful and I and so happy I found your channel because it has so much to offer. I hope we can learn more from each other as we grow our gardens and our channels!
Some great information in this video, but a few minor corrections are required. Plants that are known as nitrogen fixers do not pull nitrogen up from deep down in the earth. In fact, the plant itself does not fix nitrogen at all. In a symbiotic relationship Micro organisms fix nitrogen which is pulled from the atmosphere and stored (Fixed) in nodules in the root system of the host plant for use by the host plant. It only becomes available to other plants when the host plant dies.
Yes! Please! Take us along on your food forest journey. Its my ultimate goal for our little 3/4 acre. Old age grazing retirement funding insurance 🤣 Anything you can share will be a blessing to us! Thanks.
I just planted some wood sorrel in my strawberry beds. I've been missing it for years. When I was growing up, there was a patch we used to eat flowers from. We kids didn't know what it was called, but the flowers had a bit of a pickle flavor, so we called them "pickle flowers".
@@ruralcanadianmom8964 They do. I was concerned that they weren't going to grow well here in the desert, but I planted them along the shady edge of my planter, where there's a bit of a lip, and they're coming up well. I got a few different varieties. My daughter was happy to see the "purple shamrocks" come up.
Last year we used grass clippings around our fruit trees and they did wonderful. This year we’re trying the garden of Eden method in our orchard 🤞🏼 Great information on companion planting...if they’re blooming at different times that’ll be great for the pollinators ❤️
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So glad to see a popular vlogger educate us on fruit guilds. I saw one at a friend and fellow Master Gardener's homestead late this summer. Within weeks our 3 fruit were transformed and watering issues stopped! Yay God! I'll watch your food forest video next. :)
Good morning. Here in GA, the weather is perfect for getting everything into the ground. Great idea. This video was very informative. I will be doing this for sure
Thank you for taking the time to make wholesome gardening content. I feel like you genuinely care about your garden, and land, and it makes me feel that I can have the same outcome from my efforts. Well done!! I'm subscribed, and watching!! Love it!!
Attracting “pollinators” in our yard isn’t a problem since we keep bees but I definitely want to work towards growing more edible plants instead of just decoration.
Another great plant that you should consider is baptisia. Sometime it is called "false blue indigo". There are a few species, but they are native to the US, come in all kinds of flower colors, and are nitrogen fixers as well. The flowers look similar to lupine.
One of the weeds you dug up (with the arrowhead shaped leaves) looked like sheep sorrel! I only got a glimpse, but if it is, it's a delightful wild edible too!
Loved learning more about the fruit tree guild. I have planted native plants too, not realizing that I had seen them while wild crafting other plants 😃 Great video. Look forward to seeing how it looks later in the season.
I've been so confused about what to plant under my apple tree AND how I could find room for a lupin. You made my day! I remember watching Fruition do a video on this 'amazing green'. Yep, miner's lettuce. Which also grows all over my yard on Vancouver Island! So delicious!!
Last year, I moved a few Russell Lupins in my fruit 'hedge' (which is a mixture of gooseberries, currants, thornless blackberries and lots of other berrying shrubs that I'm growing in a line to grab the best of the sun). They are definitely helping the fruit bushes and I intend to save a bit of the seed to grow more. Also, as well as Bitter Blue Lupins, I got hold of seed of something called an Edible Lupin (edible seed). I've not heard of this before, but it's germinated well and look forward to trying that later on. One thing about the sorrel, I have (British) Wood Sorrel in my garden, but was warned to eat very sparingly of it. If you have a tendency to develop kidney stones avoid sorrels altogether, as it can aggravate the condition. The native British one has dainty leaves that taste just like apple peel (Granny Smith apple to be exact).
Wood sorrel is the very first edible plant I learned to identify. It started a life-long interest in edible wild plants and was my first foot on the trail to more research and learning about natural systems. I was able to get some wild plants in a starting try and am trying to justify keeping tem in a pot on my porch. The only warning I would offer is that any of the oxalis family can cause kidney stones if eaten too often or too many at a time. If you don't go on a week long binge of only eating oxalis sp. I don't think there's a real problem, but there may be a few people who need to look into it. Best thoughts! (Just found your channel and am loving it!)
Awsome my fruit trees need this kind of help! Also as an experienced Lupine grower, it will have a MUCH deeper taproot if plated by seed and left undisturbed 🌞
I plant strawberries under our peach trees which covers the soil and provides fruit above AND below. 😁🌱 Looking forward to watching now. 👍 I previously stated that strawberries were nitrogen fixers which someone told me that they were but a viewer below, Jerry here corrected me and thankful for that. 😁🌱
Strawberry plants are N-fixers? I don't think so, though I did find that some lab experiments have been done to modify strawberry plants. But most strawberries ARE NOT. link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11627-997-0020-z
@@jerrysimon6938 Thank you for correcting meJerry and I made a mistake in saying so. I was told that by someone and believed that without some research. I'm grateful for the correction so that I don't pass that along as erroneous info. 😁👍🌱
I love this list thank you. I actually plant alliums around the fruit trees. It does help with pests. Having a larger list that's good for the tree is really nice.
You said the long tap root will "draw up available nitrogen." I don't think you have that quite right. As a nitrogen fixer it will chemically bind atmospheric nitrogen (which happens to be in the soil) for use in its own tissues, but this won't be available to the tree until the lumpine dies, or at least until some of its nitrogen-containing tissues die and decompose. In any case, I would bet that most of the nodulation that occurs on the lupine's roots is in the upper few inches of soil.
Reveiwing the literature on the process of nitrogen fixation pathways in actinorhizal plants appear to show that it is quite a complex process: The following article (www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/actinorhizal-plant) suggests that 'Excess nitrogen is excreted by some actinorhizal plants resulting in an improved soil fertility.' Also, nitrogen absorbed from the leaves of the host actinorhizal plant over the growing season will be returned to the soil when the plant looses its leaf in the fall. Actinorhizal species have been shown to effectively improve soil fertility through this means.
@@sagaravajra2965 Thank you for the thoughtful reply. I had not heard the term "actinorhizal" before, so I looked it up. The Wikipedia article on actinorhizal plants is pretty good: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actinorhizal_plant As it turns out, it represents a nitrogen-fixing symbiosis similar to but distinct from that employed by legumes. Since lupines are legumes, and are not actinorhizal, whatever you learned about the actinorhizal association may or may not apply to them. The term "excess nitrogen" should be used with caution. The theoretical expectation is that in a highly co-evolved relationship, the host plant will not nodulate and supply carbohydrate to hosted bacteria if they are able to get enough fixed nitrogen from the soil. Section 3, "Nitrogen-Metabolism", in this article describes this.: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6784058/. As a practical matter, I think it is safe to assume that in most cases legumes will not supply carbohydrate to "pay for" fixed nitrogen that they don't need, so there will be no excess in most cases. I think that the only way other plants have access to the nitrogen fixed by legume is when the legume dies and decomposes.
@@MartinMMeiss-mj6li -. Intersting explorations! I had my forest gardeners hat on when I replied. As most nitrogen sources I use are of the perennial Actinorhizal varieties - And ofcourse, as you say Lupins are legumes. Most legumes are annuals and die after the growing season. However lupins are a perennial legume - which don't die but become dormant. this study suggests that lupins can sequester between 34 and 138 kg per ha. If this study can be trusted it would seem to be highly worthwhile' www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0378429087900694
Love Lupine! We have high PH, so they don't love it where I'm at. You are sooo soo lucky! Also, if you want to grow more from seed, they seed really well if you gently sand the seeds before you sow them! Best of luck and I'm excited for updates!
Great video! I put down a weed barrier and mulch around my apple trees. This their third summer since planting them. I need to add some of your recommendations around the trees.
Thank you so much!! I agree with you about grass near trees--especially in PNW where it grows like 2 feet a day in April and May--lol. You offer some ideas that I didn't think of for sure. LOOVE lupine in a guild but also like calendula and so many others in a guild. Runner beans and peas look pretty twining up the tree trunk. I usually include an herb or two: basil, thyme, oregano, parsley, sage, dill, or cilantro. Strawberries make a great ground cover. Boking 14 comfrey (doesn't spread by seed) is wonderful as a nutrient accumulator, long-rooted soil aerator, beneficial insect attractor, medicinal herb, livestock food, and mulch plant--plus it grows and grows. Garlic, chives, onions, shallots, and daffodils deter rodents and other pests. I like the edibles and it looks like you already have dandelion there. The little leaves are good in salad, and the bigger ones are good as with other steamed greens such as kale and spinach. Thx again and have a lovely, blessed day.
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@@MissChievousRN ~Comfrey tap roots go several feet down bringing vital vitamins and minerals that helps feed the trees.lathe flowers bee’s and other insects absolutely love which is another plus to bring in the pollinators..I make a healing salve from it also that I would never be without..this amazing salve even got rid of my lines on my chest from to much Sun..It will also feed your livestock. So overall Comfrey besides my Elderberry is priority to have growing on my property.
My orchard is coming along nicely. I don't want to pull too much out into other plants and away from the trees. I do have clover mix and alfalfa seeded every year for the nitrogen fixing and grazing. My comfrey is coming in down by the creek to mine the bottom land and then cut for fertilizing but I could easily transplant some directly in the orchard. Im definitely planting a ton of medicinals, not only because I've been using herbs for decades personally, but because if everything collapses, I may end up being the town healer!!!
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I use pot ash from the wood stove and it surely helped the cherry tree produce double its usual yield. I feed my blueberries using peels from oranges and lemons as they love high acidity 👍🏼
Problem with it is it takes so long to harvest that no one uses it for the most part, true. Little itty bitty leaves and tough stems, so the leave is what you eat.
It’s delicious, wood sorrel. My brother says it tastes just like rhubarb to him. The flavor pops. We have it growing abundantly on our property here in southern PA. Of course, I don’t allow any broad leaf spray here, so we are growing a great accidental herb garden here. It’s amazing how many useful plants are at our disposal.
Lupine is a legume and also eatable. I've never eaten it though. I didn't know about it being a nitrogen fixer, I'm going to see about getting a few and putting them by my apple trees. They are beautiful, one of my favorite flowering perennials.
Wow. This was amazing info. I'll have to check out the nursery. I'm always looking for more places to buy perennials from. I have lupine in a few of my garden beds. I'll have to collect some seed and put some under my trees now too!
Melissa K. Norris, I have missed you and your sites and UA-cam for the longest time, just finding you today! I would give my right hand (being left-handed), to get the snap-beans/string beans and other vegetables my granny used to grow and cook and can! Love your videos, ang give people a taste of the past!
I've been trying to get rid of the lupine I have growing in my wild flower garden because it grows so huge it was shading out and killing the other flowers. But I didn't think to try it in my (on the way to being a permaculture) orchard/food forest to shade out the grass I'm always fighting there. I'm definitely going to try it! It has been reseeding itself quote productively for the past couple years so I have plenty to try with. Your thing with the miners lettuce made me laugh. I once ordered special seeds for an exotic veggie (based on its catalogue description) and when it grew, I realized it was the same "weed" I'd been trying for years to eliminate from one of my beds that grew wild in our area.
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Love this one! I have garlic under my fruit trees but I'm just now starting research to turn my orchard into guilds next year. I hope you do more of this type of video!
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Sorrel contains oxalic acid, which gives it the pleasant sour taste (like rhubarb). I recommend that it not be steamed, as other sorrels will go grey (and this one may also display that characteristic). I recommend that sorrel be wilted on the hot steamed vegetables after they have been cooked. My favourite way to eat sorrel is to place the cut up plant in the bottom of my soup bowl, and pour the hot soup over the sorrel to wilt it, and maintain its green colour.
Love it! I have a work in progress food forest on our acre in Marysville (howdy, neighbor!😁). I thought I would let you know I’m going to be doing a meat bird experiment starting in July. I’ll be raising CX on organic starter feed, half fermented, half not and calculating their consumption and cost. I’ll also be raising 2 dual purpose (not rangers) breeds and keeping track of consumption and cost for them as well. And, of course, comparing the final product. We really want to find a heritage meat chicken to continue to raise. I’m gna attempt to make a video of this... haha but I know the experiments, fermenting and all of it is up your alley😊 We ferment for our layers and I have for our meat birds to this point too but I want to see the comparison all the way thru.
Redwood Sorrel tastes like Green Apples to me, it has that bite and little punch of sour+greens. SO GOOD! They’re all over here in Oregon where I live, I’m so happy to find that they do well with fruit trees! Looks like I need to go plant shopping in the woods. 🥰🍀
In the category of flowering perennials that are edible: Try Daylilies for their edible flowers (sweet, crisp, and better than any lettuce, tubers are edible as well, like little fingerling potatoes), and Violets (edible greens and flowers) Canna Lily are terrific too, just past the drip line (Edible flowers and tubers, BIG tubers, tastes like potatoes, with a little dietary fiber, GOOD STUFF) Keep up the good work!
French sorrel is a perennial herb that tastes like green apple. I love it in my Midwest garden. And calendula flower petals can be used in tea, or to color baked goods. Bees love them and they will reseed each season.
Claytonia is a great green. I love the larger leaves, and if you get them with the flowers sometimes there’s nectar. I love them. They’re my favorite “weed” 😂 I planted mine from seed I got from High mowing seeds. And they spread all over, but they’re so easy to pull too, I really don’t mind at all. They’re a super tender, mild green.
I didn't know what miner's lettuce look like I'm planting some from seed this year love your videos keep up the hard work inspires me to get out and work on the yard
It’s funny that you bought a plant that grows wild in your area. I have been buying seeds for some of our native “weeds” because I don’t trust my plant identification abilities. I want to see how they grow so I can identify the full life cycle. I have planted comfrey, chives, oregano, and peppermint under some of my fruit trees. They seem to have helped my trees a lot by repelling insects. I have also planted onions all around my brassicas to repel the cabbage moths. It really has helped!
Same here. I'd rather know it's right and grow it watching it's different stages. I added Chicory this year and an assortment of tobacco plants from seed. My gardens are doing well aside from the slugs this year. I read about an old remedy that said slice a cucumber and put the slices in an old pie tin out in the garden. The reaction creates a gas and odor that will drive them out. Humans cannot smell it and it's not harmful so I read. Anybody ever try this? We'll see.....
We had a nice orchard going but our goat literally ate the young trees, the winter freeze we experienced here in Texas this winter damaged my last 2 trees. Thanks so much for this video, by the way our soil here in South Texas is sandy to sandy loam.
Where I am, also Texas (The Golden Crescent? South-southeasterly of Houston) we have black gumbo clay. I lost most of a mulberry tree, so will have some wood once I cut it back, and the chickens had frostbite, but that's the excitement of growing things.
Goats are brutal on fruit trees. Even full grown trees. A fenced area air the only way to go. Goats are relentless which is why we like them for brush removal.
We have created a second orchard/grove and are including guilds around the plum, nut and even scuppernongs. I am a bit concerned about deer coming up that far from the creek area. So excited to see you doing yours. Wood sorrel grows like crazy here and I wasn’t aware of their edible status. Hmmmmmm. Thanks. Keep the ideas and inspiration coming. Ps. Love the mountains in the distance.
I'm not sure if you know this but deer love eating lupine...beware, my mom had it happened to her many times and she was sooo frustrated. Love seeing your start of the food forest. We started our first food forest this year as well so I'm learning too. :) #insearchofasimplelife
I Also get deer trouble. I make little sparkly 'scarers' from crisp bags and garden twine (so they move in the wind), and sprinkle human urine near plants. Red and Roe Deer don't hang around long.
If I am not mistaken, nitrogen fixers take nitrogen from the atmosphere, not from under the soil, and deposit in nodules on its roots, where it will become bioavailable in the second year and beyond.
I have wood sorrel growing wild n my lawn. Its the oxalc acid (calcum compound) that gives it the citrus taste. I just eat it plan when I pull it from between vegetables. Great idea to fill the understory area of the fruit trees.
Miner's lettuce I would just toss seeds out for, not even bother planting transplants -- they are very easy to grow and if you let them go to see you'll get a million more next year. Awesome that you have a local source! Good for you, going for native species!
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@@alexwilson9459 using peat in gardens is really bad ecologically, as anyone can find out by googling about whether peat use is sustainable. You're just muscling here in to sell the commercial product you want to profit from.
We just planted more fruit trees in our orchard and we are looking at doing some guilds around them. Would never have considered Lupine even know it grows wild in our fields here in Maine.
There is something else which is also really good for undergrowth of trees: Stinging nettle. At least here in Europe. It also makes the soil really loose and fluffy. You can also harvest it for tea and for soup and mashed potatoes. It also makes a nitrogen rich environment.
Fermented nettle fertilizer too... but also spreads through the roots so pick a permanent home for it that you don't have to worry about the kids. It does hurt.
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At our old house we had a lovely old Fuji apple tree and I planted nasturtium and chamomile underneath it. Beautiful to look at and the chamomile had such a lovely apple scent. I did find it annoying having to work around them to fertilize, pick, and prune the tree though. We moved last summer and had to leave them all behind. But if anyone has tips on how to tend to the needs of the tree without having to step on or dig up smaller under-plantings, I would love to know.
Hey that sounds great but I have heard that it is poisonous to livestock. I keep my ducks in my orchard to keep the grass down. The chickens are too aggressive and like to roost in the trees but the ducks just like grass.
I could be wrong in my observation, but living at the top end of California's Sacramento Valley I'm seeing most of the trees are being attacked and killed by some type of lichen or fungus that appears to be all over your cherry tree as well. It was so pervasive by the time I really noticed it that for my trees I think it's too late for intervention, but some seem to be helped by watering with a diluted 35% food grade hydrogen peroxide. I hope that this problem isn't what is causing the white bark on your cherry, but you might want to take a closer look just in case.
I will be heading out and getting some Lupin now... Also, it looks like you should be able to plant those plants in their container. They look biodegradable. Thanks for the video!
Sorrel tastes like green apple to me, mallow is a very common weed in Michigan. Have you ever tried planting King Staphoria (sp?) mushrooms in your garden? you have the wood chips down already, might as well get some mushrooms from the garden too.
A really important part about nitrogen fixers is that they only release the nitrogen nodules when they are pruned. The plant adjusts by shedding rootmass to balance the cut up top you just made. So make sure any nitrogen fixers you put into guilds, you constantly are pruning them. Also the nitrogen fixers don't get the nitrogen from the soil, but rather the atmosphere. That's what makes them so amazing!
I'm writing from Chihuahua, Mexico, dry land. I think there is a lot of paranoia in respect to grasses near fruit trees. The most critical position is near the tree's drip line and not near the trunk. It's only during the first few years that grasses need to be suppressed near tree seedlings because grasses do not require miccorhizal fungi and this is essential for drought resistance . During this time one can plant other small companion plants like clover, thyme, carrots, parsley. Once the tree or grape vine is twice the height of grass seed heads, grasses actually help the trees by opening up the soil with their roots, providing a micro climate for other plant species that grow in the grass such as dock, alfalfa, clover, dandelions, daisies, wild broccoli, rocket... these plants provide food for voles, squirrels, hares and then the tree bark is usually saved because it's more bitter. If there are more than five plant families, the group will provide all needed nitrogen even without any nitrogen fixers. As the food forest progresses, the fungi in the soil makes it difficult for grasses to grow even if you want lawn. The mini mulch ring around the trunk makes lawn mowing easier.
Thank you for your vast knowledge
Thank you! That is very useful! :)
Squirrels, especially, but also deer, raccoons, etc. consistently take all of our apples. What advice have you to avoid this?
I don't understand the science that well but my 1 through 5 year old trees seem to be doing just fine surrounded by rye and other native species of grass.
@@brittoncooke1890 this is another link that might help explain the process. It talks about how plants, grasses for example use bacteria as nutrients. The hard core part comes after the beginning chit chat ua-cam.com/video/YHjBqjss1Fg/v-deo.html
Thanks Malissa, I really enjoy hearing your Dad. I am about the same age as he and have been writing all the stories I can remember. My family were settled near the mouth of the Skagit river around 1890. I and a friend were talking some time ago, we had a question ,were going to have to ask an old timer. Then realized there was no one left to ask.
From Lake McMurray , Warner
Also, please tell me this is going to be part of a deeper series about creating a food forest!
I’m sure I’m not the only one who would love that! :)
yes please! We just planted our first fruit trees this year and I'm having a hard time deciding what to plant under and around them and we have a whole pasture to fill up with tree guilds!
Me Too!
I’d love to see this too!
Yes I'd love it too!
Yes please👍❣️
When you go to the wild patches of miners lettuce, harvest the large leaves, they are not bitter at all.
You can put your fingers under the large leaves and pull them strait up so that the flowers are not sacrificed, though they can also be eaten.
The small plants that still have spoon/spade shaped leaves can be pinched out at soil level and added to salads or light soups like egg flower or chicken or put onto sandwiches or turkey rolls.
My family loves them
Another idea my great grandmother did is plant comfrey circle around fruit trees. Tap root blocks grass out and she would chop and drop the leaves 3x each summer. Comfrey feeds the soil with nitrogen and also brings up minerals to benefit the tree. Been doing it to mine and they flourish. Great channel by the way! Glad I found you.
How many comfrey plants per fruit tree please?
@@iqtidarbaig8532 I actually just planted 3 rootlets around in a circle about 3' out from the tree. Warning, wherever you plant it, it will always be there. And make sure you get Russian Blocking 14 variety so it doesn't spread out of control.
On nitrogen fixators, it's important not to let them flower. The plants store the nitrogen in it's roots but release it and sends it up the stem to help produce the flowers. You should chop and drop before flowering. The nitrogen is used up with the production of flowers. But I always let a few flower to gather their seeds at the end of the season. Also, with apple trees I use borage and creeping rosemary. (Zone 8)
That's good to know. Thanks!
You beat me to this. Nitrogen fixers fix nitrogen for their own use in flowering and baring fruit. They won't release the nitrogen unless they can't flower and.or make fruit. You're 100% correct on that.
Ehh... nitrogen goes to producing seed. seeds are high in protein. to make protein you need nitrogen. so yes you can keep the flowers.
@@electicdarkjedilordvectivu5537 The flowers turn into the seeds. My point is that if you let them flower you're losing the Nitrogen.
3:10 Legumes (like peas) are plants that draw nitrogen out of the air (Humans can that too, but it is an energy intensive process. The lupines give you the benefit of the long roots (getting up _other nutrients from deep down that are out of reach for many plants), and I think they are also good for some butterflies maybe also for useful insects.
And aditionally they harvest nitrogen out of the air for you (well the bacteria that they feed in their roots do, it is sugars from the plant in exchange for nitrogen: good ole' bartering).
Always appreciate your no-nonsense approach Melissa! 🙂
The first time I tasted miner’s lettuce the lady asked me to describe the flavor. The best I could come up with was, “Green.”
I planted lupine seeds in my front yard 4 or 5 years ago. It is a California native plant and when in bloom in April it has beautiful blue flowers running up its 2 foot stalks. It repopulates itself with scattered seed. What started as 3 plants now populates about 40’ x4’ and would go beyond if not for the adjacent city sidewalk. People sometimes stop their cars to enjoy the sight. They are stunning in mass. The downside is while waiting for the seed pods to mature and drop seed for the next spring the plant becomes brown and leggy. In my Los Angeles dry climate it blooms for two or three weeks. I suspect that might be longer in a wetter climate. You are going to love them!
Mallow is great in smoothies and soups as well. Its a very helpful one.
Ok, I laughed out loud so much about the Miner's Lettuce. I love that stuff and have it all over too. Get ready to have it EVERYWHERE. Mine has already dropped it's seed and crept into the depths to wait until next spring when it pops up everywhere again. Wood sorrel is yummy too - we have the yellow "sour grass" kind and the one with the tiny yellow flowers. It's going to spread like crazy. :)
Hey Melissa; first off, great video. Second; if you have trouble with moles around your fruit trees you can add "Mole plant" to you groupings as moles are repelled by it. They also will not come near a Elder tree , so mulching with some elder trimmings really works a treat as well.
Love this! Would love to see more of the food forest planting.
Also, I saw that miners lettuce and was like “is that miners lettuce?” And when you said you never tried it before I was like “it’s sweet! It’s sweet try it!” 😂 Miners lettuce is my absolute FAVORITE green ever.
Thank you for sharing your garden and knowledge with us. I’m a UA-cam gardener too. It’s my 3rd year as a gardener and I’m still learning as I grow. This year I’m trying to add companion plants to my garden. This is perfect because I have space around my strawberries. This is very helpful and I and so happy I found your channel because it has so much to offer. I hope we can learn more from each other as we grow our gardens and our channels!
Some great information in this video, but a few minor corrections are required. Plants that are known as nitrogen fixers do not pull nitrogen up from deep down in the earth. In fact, the plant itself does not fix nitrogen at all. In a symbiotic relationship Micro organisms fix nitrogen which is pulled from the atmosphere and stored (Fixed) in nodules in the root system of the host plant for use by the host plant. It only becomes available to other plants when the host plant dies.
Dies...or dies back after heavy pruning.
Yes! Please! Take us along on your food forest journey. Its my ultimate goal for our little 3/4 acre. Old age grazing retirement funding insurance 🤣 Anything you can share will be a blessing to us! Thanks.
I just planted some wood sorrel in my strawberry beds. I've been missing it for years. When I was growing up, there was a patch we used to eat flowers from. We kids didn't know what it was called, but the flowers had a bit of a pickle flavor, so we called them "pickle flowers".
Do they grow well with the strawberries?
@@ruralcanadianmom8964 They do. I was concerned that they weren't going to grow well here in the desert, but I planted them along the shady edge of my planter, where there's a bit of a lip, and they're coming up well. I got a few different varieties. My daughter was happy to see the "purple shamrocks" come up.
@@PurePondering Great. I'm ready to start my strawberries, hence why I was asking. Thank you!
@@ruralcanadianmom8964 you're welcome. I'm looking forward to having them again. It's been so long.
@@PurePondering I've never grown sorrel but my friend gave me some to try. I can't wait to grow them
Last year we used grass clippings around our fruit trees and they did wonderful. This year we’re trying the garden of Eden method in our orchard 🤞🏼 Great information on companion planting...if they’re blooming at different times that’ll be great for the pollinators ❤️
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@@alexwilson9459 mmñl
So glad to see a popular vlogger educate us on fruit guilds. I saw one at a friend and fellow Master Gardener's homestead late this summer. Within weeks our 3 fruit were transformed and watering issues stopped! Yay God! I'll watch your food forest video next. :)
Good morning. Here in GA, the weather is perfect for getting everything into the ground. Great idea. This video was very informative. I will be doing this for sure
Thank you for taking the time to make wholesome gardening content. I feel like you genuinely care about your garden, and land, and it makes me feel that I can have the same outcome from my efforts. Well done!! I'm subscribed, and watching!! Love it!!
I Agree! Me too! 🙂👏🏽🌱
Attracting “pollinators” in our yard isn’t a problem since we keep bees but I definitely want to work towards growing more edible plants instead of just decoration.
Another great plant that you should consider is baptisia. Sometime it is called "false blue indigo". There are a few species, but they are native to the US, come in all kinds of flower colors, and are nitrogen fixers as well. The flowers look similar to lupine.
Thanks! This is great information - I appreciate how you did your best to describe the flavors for us!
We had wild miner's lettuce all along the creek beds growing up. I never thought of planting it in a garden. What a great idea.
One of the weeds you dug up (with the arrowhead shaped leaves) looked like sheep sorrel! I only got a glimpse, but if it is, it's a delightful wild edible too!
Fantastic. Yes guilds. Yes food forest. Thank you!
Borage and Comfrey with nice long tap roots are two more good candidates for a guild 👍
Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us. This is very informative and interesting for me to try on my fruit trees.
I just listen to that podcast the other day while shoveling bark! It got me so excited to start our food forest soon
Loved learning more about the fruit tree guild. I have planted native plants too, not realizing that I had seen them while wild crafting other plants 😃 Great video. Look forward to seeing how it looks later in the season.
I've been so confused about what to plant under my apple tree AND how I could find room for a lupin. You made my day! I remember watching Fruition do a video on this 'amazing green'. Yep, miner's lettuce. Which also grows all over my yard on Vancouver Island! So delicious!!
Last year, I moved a few Russell Lupins in my fruit 'hedge' (which is a mixture of gooseberries, currants, thornless blackberries and lots of other berrying shrubs that I'm growing in a line to grab the best of the sun). They are definitely helping the fruit bushes and I intend to save a bit of the seed to grow more.
Also, as well as Bitter Blue Lupins, I got hold of seed of something called an Edible Lupin (edible seed). I've not heard of this before, but it's germinated well and look forward to trying that later on.
One thing about the sorrel, I have (British) Wood Sorrel in my garden, but was warned to eat very sparingly of it. If you have a tendency to develop kidney stones avoid sorrels altogether, as it can aggravate the condition.
The native British one has dainty leaves that taste just like apple peel (Granny Smith apple to be exact).
Wood sorrel is the very first edible plant I learned to identify. It started a life-long interest in edible wild plants and was my first foot on the trail to more research and learning about natural systems. I was able to get some wild plants in a starting try and am trying to justify keeping tem in a pot on my porch.
The only warning I would offer is that any of the oxalis family can cause kidney stones if eaten too often or too many at a time. If you don't go on a week long binge of only eating oxalis sp. I don't think there's a real problem, but there may be a few people who need to look into it.
Best thoughts! (Just found your channel and am loving it!)
Awsome my fruit trees need this kind of help! Also as an experienced Lupine grower, it will have a MUCH deeper taproot if plated by seed and left undisturbed 🌞
It's so great to find a well done permaculture video done in the PNW!!! Excellent job!! Thank you for sharing your experience with us!
Wood sorrel is lemony and bright and it stays that way. It grows wild here in MD. I’ve eaten it since I was a kid and it is very good in salad.
insanely high in oxalate! beware
Comfrey is great for planting under fruit trees, it increases nitrogen and works wonderfully as a chop and drop mulch.
I plant strawberries under our peach trees which covers the soil and provides fruit above AND below. 😁🌱
Looking forward to watching now. 👍 I previously stated that strawberries were nitrogen fixers which someone told me that they were but a viewer below, Jerry here corrected me and thankful for that. 😁🌱
Strawberry plants are N-fixers? I don't think so, though I did find that some lab experiments have been done to modify strawberry plants. But most strawberries ARE NOT.
link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11627-997-0020-z
@@jerrysimon6938 Thank you for correcting meJerry and I made a mistake in saying so. I was told that by someone and believed that without some research. I'm grateful for the correction so that I don't pass that along as erroneous info. 😁👍🌱
I love this list thank you. I actually plant alliums around the fruit trees. It does help with pests. Having a larger list that's good for the tree is really nice.
You said the long tap root will "draw up available nitrogen." I don't think you have that quite right. As a nitrogen fixer it will chemically bind atmospheric nitrogen (which happens to be in the soil) for use in its own tissues, but this won't be available to the tree until the lumpine dies, or at least until some of its nitrogen-containing tissues die and decompose. In any case, I would bet that most of the nodulation that occurs on the lupine's roots is in the upper few inches of soil.
Reveiwing the literature on the process of nitrogen fixation pathways in actinorhizal plants appear to show that it is quite a complex process: The following article (www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/actinorhizal-plant) suggests that 'Excess nitrogen is excreted by some actinorhizal plants resulting in an improved soil fertility.' Also, nitrogen absorbed from the leaves of the host actinorhizal plant over the growing season will be returned to the soil when the plant looses its leaf in the fall. Actinorhizal species have been shown to effectively improve soil fertility through this means.
@@sagaravajra2965 Thank you for the thoughtful reply. I had not heard the term "actinorhizal" before, so I looked it up. The Wikipedia article on actinorhizal plants is pretty good: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actinorhizal_plant
As it turns out, it represents a nitrogen-fixing symbiosis similar to but distinct from that employed by legumes. Since lupines are legumes, and are not actinorhizal, whatever you learned about the actinorhizal association may or may not apply to them.
The term "excess nitrogen" should be used with caution. The theoretical expectation is that in a highly co-evolved relationship, the host plant will not nodulate and supply carbohydrate to hosted bacteria if they are able to get enough fixed nitrogen from the soil. Section 3, "Nitrogen-Metabolism", in this article describes this.: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6784058/.
As a practical matter, I think it is safe to assume that in most cases legumes will not supply carbohydrate to "pay for" fixed nitrogen that they don't need, so there will be no excess in most cases. I think that the only way other plants have access to the nitrogen fixed by legume is when the legume dies and decomposes.
@@MartinMMeiss-mj6li -. Intersting explorations! I had my forest gardeners hat on when I replied. As most nitrogen sources I use are of the perennial Actinorhizal varieties - And ofcourse, as you say Lupins are legumes. Most legumes are annuals and die after the growing season. However lupins are a perennial legume - which don't die but become dormant. this study suggests that lupins can sequester between 34 and 138 kg per ha. If this study can be trusted it would seem to be highly worthwhile' www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0378429087900694
Love Lupine! We have high PH, so they don't love it where I'm at. You are sooo soo lucky! Also, if you want to grow more from seed, they seed really well if you gently sand the seeds before you sow them! Best of luck and I'm excited for updates!
Great video! I put down a weed barrier and mulch around my apple trees. This their third summer since planting them. I need to add some of your recommendations around the trees.
Thank you so much!! I agree with you about grass near trees--especially in PNW where it grows like 2 feet a day in April and May--lol. You offer some ideas that I didn't think of for sure. LOOVE lupine in a guild but also like calendula and so many others in a guild. Runner beans and peas look pretty twining up the tree trunk. I usually include an herb or two: basil, thyme, oregano, parsley, sage, dill, or cilantro. Strawberries make a great ground cover. Boking 14 comfrey (doesn't spread by seed) is wonderful as a nutrient accumulator, long-rooted soil aerator, beneficial insect attractor, medicinal herb, livestock food, and mulch plant--plus it grows and grows. Garlic, chives, onions, shallots, and daffodils deter rodents and other pests. I like the edibles and it looks like you already have dandelion there. The little leaves are good in salad, and the bigger ones are good as with other steamed greens such as kale and spinach. Thx again and have a lovely, blessed day.
Really enjoyed this video. Your inner child came out. It's how I feel sometimes in my food forest 😃
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I grow comfrey under my fruit trees along with other medicinal/edible plants.
I was actually going to ask about comfrey under the trees!!
@@MissChievousRN ~Comfrey tap roots go several feet down bringing vital vitamins and minerals that helps feed the trees.lathe flowers bee’s and other insects absolutely love which is another plus to bring in the pollinators..I make a healing salve from it also that I would never be without..this amazing salve even got rid of my lines on my chest from to much Sun..It will also feed your livestock. So overall Comfrey besides my Elderberry is priority to have growing on my property.
My orchard is coming along nicely. I don't want to pull too much out into other plants and away from the trees. I do have clover mix and alfalfa seeded every year for the nitrogen fixing and grazing. My comfrey is coming in down by the creek to mine the bottom land and then cut for fertilizing but I could easily transplant some directly in the orchard.
Im definitely planting a ton of medicinals, not only because I've been using herbs for decades personally, but because if everything collapses, I may end up being the town healer!!!
@@MissChievousRN ~You are my Hero🤗 being the healer of the s hits the fan. I, too have lots of knowledge using medicinal herbs. I have many planted, foraged and grow annuals . I make my own medicines, salves, rubs and body products plus more. I figure between my skills as in pressure canning, water bath canning, dehydrating, cook/bake from scratch, many money saving things I do daily to many to list then add medicinals and foraging I will at least be worth something since I can’t physically do much like I use to..I will at least have these skills to make me valuable and not disposable ..
@@MissChievousRN +!a
I use pot ash from the wood stove and it surely helped the cherry tree produce double its usual yield.
I feed my blueberries using peels from oranges and lemons as they love high acidity 👍🏼
Love sorrel...we call it "sour apple clover" we love that stuff...also grows native her in the PNW...love your videos
I live in the northeast. We have it here as well, it's like nature's sour patch kids!
I believe sorrel is related to chard. The lemony flavor you were trying to place is the oxalic acid present in species of this family.
Problem with it is it takes so long to harvest that no one uses it for the most part, true. Little itty bitty leaves and tough stems, so the leave is what you eat.
PNW here, I have not heard of Sorrel! I love Lupine!!
It’s delicious, wood sorrel. My brother says it tastes just like rhubarb to him. The flavor pops.
We have it growing abundantly on our property here in southern PA. Of course, I don’t allow any broad leaf spray here, so we are growing a great accidental herb garden here. It’s amazing how many useful plants are at our disposal.
Beautiful land. Beautiful state.
Wood sorell grows wild everywhere, I snack on it a lot because it has such a nice lemony sweet flavor. It’s also a good one to forage with kids.
Lupine is a legume and also eatable. I've never eaten it though. I didn't know about it being a nitrogen fixer, I'm going to see about getting a few and putting them by my apple trees. They are beautiful, one of my favorite flowering perennials.
Wow. This was amazing info. I'll have to check out the nursery. I'm always looking for more places to buy perennials from. I have lupine in a few of my garden beds. I'll have to collect some seed and put some under my trees now too!
Melissa K. Norris, I have missed you and your sites and UA-cam for the longest time, just finding you today! I would give my right hand (being left-handed), to get the snap-beans/string beans and other vegetables my granny used to grow and cook and can! Love your videos, ang give people a taste of the past!
I've been trying to get rid of the lupine I have growing in my wild flower garden because it grows so huge it was shading out and killing the other flowers. But I didn't think to try it in my (on the way to being a permaculture) orchard/food forest to shade out the grass I'm always fighting there. I'm definitely going to try it! It has been reseeding itself quote productively for the past couple years so I have plenty to try with.
Your thing with the miners lettuce made me laugh. I once ordered special seeds for an exotic veggie (based on its catalogue description) and when it grew, I realized it was the same "weed" I'd been trying for years to eliminate from one of my beds that grew wild in our area.
Perfectly timed video for us to see! Thank you!
Love your videos Melissa! Thanks for sharing so much of your journey.
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Love this one! I have garlic under my fruit trees but I'm just now starting research to turn my orchard into guilds next year. I hope you do more of this type of video!
This is a cute fun video! I was going to do flowers under my fruit trees, never though of putting veggies under them!
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Sorrel contains oxalic acid, which gives it the pleasant sour taste (like rhubarb). I recommend that it not be steamed, as other sorrels will go grey (and this one may also display that characteristic). I recommend that sorrel be wilted on the hot steamed vegetables after they have been cooked. My favourite way to eat sorrel is to place the cut up plant in the bottom of my soup bowl, and pour the hot soup over the sorrel to wilt it, and maintain its green colour.
Thank you for the tips!
Love it! I have a work in progress food forest on our acre in Marysville (howdy, neighbor!😁). I thought I would let you know I’m going to be doing a meat bird experiment starting in July. I’ll be raising CX on organic starter feed, half fermented, half not and calculating their consumption and cost. I’ll also be raising 2 dual purpose (not rangers) breeds and keeping track of consumption and cost for them as well. And, of course, comparing the final product. We really want to find a heritage meat chicken to continue to raise. I’m gna attempt to make a video of this... haha but I know the experiments, fermenting and all of it is up your alley😊 We ferment for our layers and I have for our meat birds to this point too but I want to see the comparison all the way thru.
Redwood Sorrel tastes like Green Apples to me, it has that bite and little punch of sour+greens. SO GOOD! They’re all over here in Oregon where I live, I’m so happy to find that they do well with fruit trees! Looks like I need to go plant shopping in the woods. 🥰🍀
In the category of flowering perennials that are edible: Try Daylilies for their edible flowers (sweet, crisp, and better than any lettuce, tubers are edible as well, like little fingerling potatoes), and Violets (edible greens and flowers) Canna Lily are terrific too, just past the drip line (Edible flowers and tubers, BIG tubers, tastes like potatoes, with a little dietary fiber, GOOD STUFF) Keep up the good work!
French sorrel is a perennial herb that tastes like green apple. I love it in my Midwest garden. And calendula flower petals can be used in tea, or to color baked goods. Bees love them and they will reseed each season.
thank you for this video, I've been researching guilds and started one under my apple trees this year.
Miners lettuce Is a great winter salad green where I live. Also a great way to stop weeds coming up as mine self seeds every year almost like a carpet
I’m really excited today too! But because you’re here!
🥰
Happy to have you here!
Yes, I agree. My friend gave my Sorrell for thr first time and I couldn't describe the tast either, but it IS good.
Claytonia is a great green. I love the larger leaves, and if you get them with the flowers sometimes there’s nectar. I love them. They’re my favorite “weed” 😂 I planted mine from seed I got from High mowing seeds. And they spread all over, but they’re so easy to pull too, I really don’t mind at all.
They’re a super tender, mild green.
I didn't know what miner's lettuce look like I'm planting some from seed this year love your videos keep up the hard work inspires me to get out and work on the yard
Hello Melissa and greetings from Somerset, UK. Lovely to watch - a plant or two new to me here in the Old Country (as my Canadian son-in-law
One of my favorite “greens” to add to my sandwiches are radish seed pods, mmmmmm so darn good.
Really clear and comprehensive. Thank you very much. I'm interested in lupin seed as a food supplement.
The mallow I’d best in a smoothie. Packed with vitamins and the fruit of smoothie makes it yummy.
It’s funny that you bought a plant that grows wild in your area. I have been buying seeds for some of our native “weeds” because I don’t trust my plant identification abilities. I want to see how they grow so I can identify the full life cycle. I have planted comfrey, chives, oregano, and peppermint under some of my fruit trees. They seem to have helped my trees a lot by repelling insects. I have also planted onions all around my brassicas to repel the cabbage moths. It really has helped!
Keep an eye on that oregano as it will spread a lot, rosemary and basil are also very good at repelling pests.
Same here. I'd rather know it's right and grow it watching it's different stages. I added Chicory this year and an assortment of tobacco plants from seed. My gardens are doing well aside from the slugs this year. I read about an old remedy that said slice a cucumber and put the slices in an old pie tin out in the garden. The reaction creates a gas and odor that will drive them out. Humans cannot smell it and it's not harmful so I read. Anybody ever try this? We'll see.....
We had a nice orchard going but our goat literally ate the young trees, the winter freeze we experienced here in Texas this winter damaged my last 2 trees. Thanks so much for this video, by the way our soil here in South Texas is sandy to sandy loam.
Can u eat sweet pea
Where I am, also Texas (The Golden Crescent? South-southeasterly of Houston) we have black gumbo clay. I lost most of a mulberry tree, so will have some wood once I cut it back, and the chickens had frostbite, but that's the excitement of growing things.
Goats are brutal on fruit trees. Even full grown trees. A fenced area air the only way to go. Goats are relentless which is why we like them for brush removal.
We have created a second orchard/grove and are including guilds around the plum, nut and even scuppernongs. I am a bit concerned about deer coming up that far from the creek area. So excited to see you doing yours. Wood sorrel grows like crazy here and I wasn’t aware of their edible status. Hmmmmmm. Thanks. Keep the ideas and inspiration coming. Ps. Love the mountains in the distance.
Sorrel is really good. It grows wild in my yard. If you've ever had cranberry hibiscus, it tastes a lot like that.
I'm not sure if you know this but deer love eating lupine...beware, my mom had it happened to her many times and she was sooo frustrated. Love seeing your start of the food forest. We started our first food forest this year as well so I'm learning too. :) #insearchofasimplelife
I Also get deer trouble. I make little sparkly 'scarers' from crisp bags and garden twine (so they move in the wind), and sprinkle human urine near plants. Red and Roe Deer don't hang around long.
Asparagus is a legume and I’ve been told dear stay away from them. Any thoughts?
@@davidgrooms3463 Asparagus is not actually a legume.
I planted leaf lettuce under my Cherry tree, lettuce likes cool weather and some shade helps.
If I am not mistaken, nitrogen fixers take nitrogen from the atmosphere, not from under the soil, and deposit in nodules on its roots, where it will become bioavailable in the second year and beyond.
I have wood sorrel growing wild n my lawn. Its the oxalc acid (calcum compound) that gives it the citrus taste. I just eat it plan when I pull it from between vegetables. Great idea to fill the understory area of the fruit trees.
🤣🤣🤣 to funny!! Realizing you have much on your property 🥬🤪🤪
Yes, I use cardboard A LOT & Woodchips! Nice to know about lupine 👍
Have a great day 🍅🧤🍒
Miner's lettuce I would just toss seeds out for, not even bother planting transplants -- they are very easy to grow and if you let them go to see you'll get a million more next year. Awesome that you have a local source! Good for you, going for native species!
Hahaha! "I am just going to have lunch here" You are just a darling.
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@@alexwilson9459 using peat in gardens is really bad ecologically, as anyone can find out by googling about whether peat use is sustainable.
You're just muscling here in to sell the commercial product you want to profit from.
We just planted more fruit trees in our orchard and we are looking at doing some guilds around them. Would never have considered Lupine even know it grows wild in our fields here in Maine.
So timely. I'm putting an edible garden in my front yard
Will have to look for the miners lettuce!! Thanks!!
Welcome!
There is something else which is also really good for undergrowth of trees: Stinging nettle. At least here in Europe. It also makes the soil really loose and fluffy. You can also harvest it for tea and for soup and mashed potatoes. It also makes a nitrogen rich environment.
Fermented nettle fertilizer too... but also spreads through the roots so pick a permanent home for it that you don't have to worry about the kids. It does hurt.
Oh my gosh! We have tons of miners lettuce, Port Ludlow! Didn’t know it was edible.
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You could also put Clover around the trees - As clover also fixes nitrogen?
yes indeed
At our old house we had a lovely old Fuji apple tree and I planted nasturtium and chamomile underneath it. Beautiful to look at and the chamomile had such a lovely apple scent. I did find it annoying having to work around them to fertilize, pick, and prune the tree though. We moved last summer and had to leave them all behind. But if anyone has tips on how to tend to the needs of the tree without having to step on or dig up smaller under-plantings, I would love to know.
Hey that sounds great but I have heard that it is poisonous to livestock. I keep my ducks in my orchard to keep the grass down. The chickens are too aggressive and like to roost in the trees but the ducks just like grass.
Wow, its absolutely beautiful there ❤
I love the watering can. I use plastic ones that crack after a couple seasons and don't seem to pour very well. I will look for one of these.
I could be wrong in my observation, but living at the top end of California's Sacramento Valley I'm seeing most of the trees are being attacked and killed by some type of lichen or fungus that appears to be all over your cherry tree as well. It was so pervasive by the time I really noticed it that for my trees I think it's too late for intervention, but some seem to be helped by watering with a diluted 35% food grade hydrogen peroxide. I hope that this problem isn't what is causing the white bark on your cherry, but you might want to take a closer look just in case.
Claytonia doesn't get bitter at all. It is a great plant to leave to self seed and give you free greens all winter and spring.
I will be heading out and getting some Lupin now...
Also, it looks like you should be able to plant those plants in their container. They look biodegradable.
Thanks for the video!
Sorrel tastes like green apple to me, mallow is a very common weed in Michigan.
Have you ever tried planting King Staphoria (sp?) mushrooms in your garden? you have the wood chips down already, might as well get some mushrooms from the garden too.