BEYOND COMPANION PLANTING –‘Guild Building’ a Forest Garden

In one of our recent articles I wrote about companion planting and the specific plants my husband and I have grown successfully together -or not- when growing our seasonal food crops.  This time I’d like to write about the function and use of plants grown in polyculture and how each plant species has inherent characteristics that benefit an entire plant community or plant guild (polyculture is growing many different types of plants together -as compared to monoculture).

SYNERGY

Similar to companion planting when you design a plant guild or forest garden you are grouping together plants which relate synergistically –benefiting each other by warding off pests or by supporting each other in some specific way.  YET within a plant guild or forest garden we are trying to do more than compliment the plants individual relationships we are trying to compliment the arrangement as a whole ecosystem –soil biota to unique microclimate, insects to animals, plants to people.  Creating plant specific polycultures which provide food for humans as a priority and either preserve or create an ecosystem is a step beyond companion planting and toward a more diverse and secure future -for food and natural resources.

A forest garden can be many things… in our trials and experimentation it is comprised of several plant guilds grown in a spatial pattern that becomes self sustaining over time.  A plant guild is simply a polyculture of plants -generally with a central plant species- when grown together make efficient use of space and resources requiring little input from humans. 

Companion Planting Information and Chart

Companion planting at it's best -corn, climbing beans and squash form the ancient Three Sisters Guild

We recently received an e-mail from a gentleman in China looking for...

"what plants you may have in your garden that you can transplant next to your Rose or your Apple tree to see how they nurture each other over time"

I thought I would post our own updated list of companion plants for him and anyone else interested. While I would love to say this plant or that plant are "best" I feel I must remind folks to keep in mind your climate, soil and many, many other factors that determine how well these plants cooperate together.  Trial and error is the best choice to begin companion planting but the chart below should lead you in the right direction...

CHARD

Beta vulgaris (many varieties)

Native to Europe’s Mediterranean climate chard is a delight for any Northern California winter garden.

Chard is a tall leafy green vegetable in the same family as beets and spinach.  Without a significant edible root like beets, chard instead has a thick, crunchy stalk which can measure almost two feet in length.  The stalk and mid ribs can be white, red or yellow with either smooth or curly green or red leaves -depending upon variety.

red chard

Cover crops for your new Forest Garden…

crimson clover seedlings

When you are getting started with your Forest Garden there are inevitably spaces in your guilds which are not yet filled by the plants of your choice.  While you wait to 'grow in' or purchase those special species fill the empty spaces with specific annual and perennial cover crops designed to build soil and provide habitat. Your favorite plants will be healthier for it.

FYI: Cover crops mine nutrients from the subsoil and deposit them in the topsoil increasing nutrient availability for soil life to feed on.  A large and diverse population of critters in your soil ensures organic matter and humus production and also improves overall soil structure.  Cover crops also provide erosion control, increase water infiltration from rainfall and irrigation and provide competition for ‘weeds’.  Choose seasonal varieties for best results.  For forest gardening purposes we do not recommend using cover crops as ‘green manure’ which are cover crops grown for tilling  under (the soil before flowering).

A brief lesson in photoperiodism...

Moonflowers are Short day plants

 Photoperiodism is the effect of the length of day and night on plant growth and development.

The effect of photoperiod on flower development is diverse among plant species.  Not all plants respond the same. There are three distinct groups: Short day, Long day and Day neutral plants.

Short day = Long night

Long day = Short night

Long nights (Winter) and short nights (Summer) are really the basis for this effect in plants.  It is generally spoken of in terms of day length when in reality it is the amount of DARKNESS that triggers the flowering response. 

Moonflowers (see 10/1/2010 post) are one of the Short day plants we're very fond of...

Costmary

 Tanacetum balsamita

Costmary is a native of the Orient, but has now become naturalized in many parts of the world.  While not as popular today as it was historically it has a particular charm in the garden; if given room to spread out.   The scent of the leaves is the quality of Costmary people find soothing; it has a balsam smell with a slight mint aroma.   

Below are a few of the uses of Costmary:

Costmary is a lovely garnish for lemonades, iced teas and other beverages. When the leaves are young it can be added to fruit salads, cold soups and green salads.

Use the leaves for a bookmark.  Dry leaves between layers of clean paper, under a heavy weight; this will ensure that pages of the book don’t warp or become discolored with use.

The fresh leaves can also be used much like geranium leaves by laying them in the baking pan before pouring in the batter for a cake or other baked dessert.

Rinse water: use in rinse water after wash cycle

• 2 tablespoons dried costmary
• 2 cups boiling water
• Glass bowl
• Infuse for 1-2 hours
• Strain
• Use in rinse water

Mentha

MINT -Mentha species

Mint has been used for thousands of years as a remedy for digestive ailments and as a flavor for food. The leaves and stems can be used fresh or dried; they are harvested for drying in August as the flowers start to open.  Mint is a rhizomatous perennial plant grown for its culinary and medicinal properties or just for ground cover.  

Pollinator insects, specifically honey bees, favor mint flowers.  All Mentha species are very prone to hybridization (seed does not always breed true) thus the content of medicinal oils vary with each new generation. If you want to keep a particular aroma of mint in your gardens it’s best to propagate them by cuttings or division.

Spearmint Mentha spicata - L.

The original European mint, the name 'spear' mint comes from the pointed leaf tips.  Many hybrids today are some form of spearmint cross.  Besides the normal digestive therapy mint provides, the stems are also used as a poultice on bruises.

Peppermint Mentha x piperita
A natural hybrid of M. aquatica x M. spicata peppermint cannot bear viable seed so must be propagated by cuttings or division.  The essential oil, menthol, is obtained from the whole plant, is considered an antiseptic, strongly antibacterial and toxic in large doses.

Applemint Mentha x rotundifolia
A very vigorous mint, applemint effectively out-competes Bermuda grass.  We use applemint as a tool when forest gardening and find it aggressive enough to dominate over weeds like Bermuda grass but easily removed too. 


‘Wintermint’ Mentha spicata x rotundifolia
A natural hybrid of M. rotundifolia x M. spicata –we speculate; this particular variety germinated mid-winter a few years ago amongst the last potatoes.  The leaves appear similar to spearmint but the flavor is sweeter and mild, more like the applemint.

Spearmint Mentha spicata - L.

Applemint Mentha x rotundifolia

Peppermint Mentha x piperita

Wintermint Mentha spicata x rotundifolia

Yet Another Edible!!

Hollyhock Alcea rosea 

The young tender leaves and inner portions of the stem can be eaten raw or cooked.  The young leaves and flowers can be chopped finely in salads.  The roots can be eaten like potatoes and are quite nutritious.

Medicinally, the flowers and roots can be harvested and dried for use as a mild tea which is said to help with inflammatory issues.

Hollyhock's further uses:

• Dynamic accumulator –can be used to activate (bacterial) decomposition of compost
• Paper –fiber from the stems
• Litmus –anthocyanin pigment in flowers
• Dye –brown colored dye from flowers

Source: Plants for a Future

Red Valerian

Centranthus ruber

Taking a break from our Fungus Friends this month we wanted to share a plant some folks may not know about.

Red Valerian is a common flower seen this time of year but the leaves of Red Valerian are pretty special.  They can be eaten like lettuce or spinach in a salad and taste even SWEETER when picked small!  The larger leaves can be steamed and eaten plain or even stir-fried with a little kale.

We feel it's important for people to understand just how much FOOD grows in their garden.  Contact us for a consultation and we'll tell you what's what in your gardens! 

[FYI: Red Valerian is not the same as Valeriana officinalis, a medicinal herb.]

ROSEBUD SAGE

 Salvia involucrata

This beauty is native to Mexico growing in shady places such as the edge of forests.  Salvia involucrata is a great tall accent plant growing more than 8 feet tall.  

Hummingbirds and butterflies love this late blooming Salvia.  Autumn through Winter (in warm climates) this abundant nectar is adored. 

While tender to frosts dipping past 20 degrees the plant will survive colder spells.  Make sure to mulch well and cut back the top in the spring!

NASTURTIUMS Tropaeolum majus

MEDICINE: A native to South and Central America Nasturtiums have long been used in Andean herbal medicine; as a wound-healing herb, and as an expectorant to relieve chest conditions.

FOOD: Any part of the plant can be eaten if it is harvested during the growing season and used fresh.  The mature seed can be ground into a powder and used as a pepper substitute.

ART: The seeds yield a high percentage of a drying oil that can be used in making paints and varnish.

Companion Planting, Plant Guilds and "Who likes What?"

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Companion planting is an ancient gardening method which makes use of the synergistic properties found in Nature: cooperation to achieve optimum health and viability. Creating a plant guild utilizes companion planting, among other methods, to create functional connections between plants, soil, animals –one that mutually benefit all elements in the guild.

We humans have a task to help Mother Nature in our own gardens by choosing plants that respond well to each other, nestle and help each other grow and in some cases actually feed their neighbors.

Have a peek at the chart in our blog post HERE and see what plants you may have in your garden you can move next to your Rose or your Apple tree to see how they nurture each other over time. Contact us if you need help!

Calendula officinalis

Calendula, sometimes called Pot Marigold, is an easy and carefree addition to any garden.  Its origin is practically unknown but history shows it was readily used in ancient Greek, Roman, Arabic and Indian cultures as a medicinal herb as well as a dye for fabrics, foods and cosmetics.   This versatile plant has too many functions and benefits to list here but a few of them to include are:

• Medicine –used to treat skin problems and inflammation
• Companion plant –attracts beneficial predatory insects to gardens
• Human Food –leaves and flowers are good in salads and sandwiches
• Nutrient accumulator –stores nutrients vital to soil health/compost activator
• Self sustaining –self sows and maintains itself in the garden
• Yellow dye –food coloring or cloth  
• Cosmetics –salves, creams and hair coloring

 

 

Food Forests and Pomegranates

FOOD FORESTS

A food forest is exactly what it sounds like… an abundant and self sustaining forest of edible, medicinal and other useful plants. 

There are 7 layers to a food forest:

1. CANOPY: oak, pecan, walnut, olive

2. SUBCANOPY:  almonds, cherries,  dwarf fruit trees

3. SHRUBS: currants, berries, paw paw, elderberry, bamboo

4. HERBACIOUS:  echinacea, comfrey, mugwort, parsley, cilantro

5. GROUNDCOVER: strawberries, creeping thyme, some mints

6. CLIMBERS: grape (wild, table or wine), scarlet runner bean, akebia, kiwi

7. RHIZOSPERE: daikon, radish, beets, carrots, onions

The soil layer down to 6” or so is the next layer essential for all the layers above; the microsphere.  This layer consists of the soil food web; organic matter (mulch) feeding fungi, bacteria, protozoa, nematodes and the larger arthropods.

Let us design this type food system for your property!  Contact us today for reduced cost!

Pomegranate   Punica granatum

The pomegranate is a deciduous tree growing to 20ft in height by 15ft wide.  A native from Iran to the Himalayas in northern India it has been cultivated since ancient times throughout the Mediterranean region of Asia, Africa and Europe. Because of the many seeds found in pomegranate fruits, they were regarded as a symbol of fertility by the ancient cultures of Egypt, Greece, and Rome.

The fruits ripen 6 to 7 months after flowering.  The fruits improve in storage if not split and become juicier and more flavorful.  The juice sacs may be frozen intact or the extracted juice may be concentrated and frozen, for future use.

Akebia and Elderberry

Native Plant with Multiple Functions

Elderberry: Sambucus mexicana is our local Elder Tree.   At least six (6) useful attributes with only one plant!

•  Tall tree-like shrub provides shade decreasing ambient temperatures

•  Flowers provide insects with pollen and nectar

•  Berries provide humans and wildlife with food

•  Wood can be used for making arrows (as Maidu Native Americans still do)

•  Autumn leaves and branches provide food for the soil;  imperative for all of Nature’s cycles

don’t forget…

•  Absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere while releasing oxygen back out!

Akebia quinata

Akebia quinata is a deciduous climbing vine growing to 36’ at a fast rate.  A native to China, Korea, and Japan it flowers in clusters of fragrant purple from April to May while the large seedpods ripen from September to October. 

Ideal for food forests or container gardening!  It grows well trained as a ‘living wall’ on North, East or West facing walls.  Ensure watering does not encourage spread as it can become a rampant if left to grow near riparian areas.  The dense mat of vines can displace native understory species.

USES: Akebia quinata fruit has a delicate flavor and a soft, juicy texture while the peeled stems are very pliable and can be used in basket making.

Moon and Narcissus

Does the Moon affect plant growth and health?

It has been said for hundreds of years that the moon's monthly cycle (lunar cycle) of waxing and waning has a very definite influence on plant growth and health; particularly moisture.

Though little research has been conducted on this idea, the gravitational pull of the moon does affect the flow of tides in the ocean...   we believe there must be something to be said for the plants on terra firma.

Narcissus

Narcissus is the genus of bulbous herbs in the amaryllis family.  The genus is native to Europe, North Africa, and Asia and is widely cultivated in gardens.

Other common names for Narcissus include daffodil, daffydown-dilly, fleur de coucou, Lent lily, and porillon.