Seeing trees without their leaves and seeing the simple beauty of winter and snow and the soil is really awesome for people living in southern regions where trees are evergreen and winter are quite warm.
It's quite useful to see the skeleton structures of each guild. I'm quite a bit further north (zone 3a) but a guild that has worked well for us so far is crabapple,carigana, black currant, and strawberries. Year 4 and despite major drought conditions, everything produced something and grew.
I agree, it is helpful to supplement leafed-out guild videos with dormant versions. I can more clearly see the arrangements. Also, since I am still building upon my initial plantings, it is helpful to see the growth patterns of some of the trees, shrubs, and vines I have planned as future additions.
I really loved this leaf-less representation of the allies in your garden. I have been deliberating how to protect the new pawpaws in my own space, and I have added black currents, Egyptian walking onions, and I do think I'll be adding peach trees ahead of them this spring. :)
Lovely video! I am further south in St Louis, MO. It has, overall, been unseasonably warm here, we have had a deep frost. This time of year is my second most favorite time in the garden. I love the coolness in the air, and being able to once again see the basic structure of my garden. This is when I take notes on how the garden grew, and when I make plans for nest year.
Sometimes when the internet doesn't run so smooth, all the various greens blur together and I have no idea where you are pointing. In this format, and no blur, I could understand much more clearly which plant you are touching and where it was in reference to the other plants. I think I prefer this way. Thanks for taking the time to show us.
I really appreciate these videos, and have for some time now. Sure, it would be classically prettier to see all of the plants with full foliage and all that, but being able to see how they fit together without all of their leaves in the way makes for a fairly comprehensive understanding of how the plants interact with each other at all times of year, not just the growing season. I would personally like to know more about how root systems interact with each other. What makes for a beneficial guild and what have you found that do not work together? It was cool that you got into that a little bit in this video. Thanks for teaching us!
I agree. The kiwi/chestnut "mistake" is just plain honest. Some folks won't show things like this but it's very good information to have. I basically killed one of the existing trees here a few years after buying the property. An old sucker growing from the base of the tree was winding upward so I cut it off near the bottom to 'clean up' the tree. It had been there long enough that the bark was loose from all the rubbing in the wind and when I removed it, some of the bark just fell off. The tree only lasted another year or two but I wonder if strapping the bark back into place somehow would have kept it alive.
I really liked this video! Very educational. You can clearly see the structure of the guilds when the leaves are gone and the ground has a bit of snowcover. If you ever feel like bundling up and filming another video like this one I would truly enjoy watching! Thanks for sharing
My thornless blackberry loves growing into the loyer branches of a short pear tree in our yard... just lovely. When i eat them together they have an especially good taste ;)
I like seeing them leafless, helpful for learning tree forms. One guild I am trying out right now is yarrow, comfrey, miniature apple, and currants. Shouldn’t get above a bush layer size and make lots of goodies
Thanks for keeping the interest going as I spend less time outside. As important as the winter season is, I appreciate continued education and tips for creating successful guilds,etc.
I enjoy seeing the tree structures without the leaves. I am still new to all of this and this is the time of year that I have the time to slow down and observe what is working or not working. Watching you describe what’s going on and hearing your thoughts is beyond helpful!
a complete newbie might find bare plant placement without leaves confusing to look at in a video but they'd also find everything confusing so honestly this is very helpful to someone like me that is somewhere between intermediate and advanced experience
I love these types of tours and discussions. The idea of weaving blackberry through low hanging branches is brilliant! I will have to give it a try. As a novice, watching what you have done helps me draw inspiration and gain confidence in my own design trials.
Another great video! I love how you call them “a cast of characters”. You use Shakespearean language to convey so many ideas, so concisely. I love it. I gave you a shout out in a couple of my recent videos about using chickens as an instrumental part of our composting system. I recommend your channel to people because you’ve taught me so much and inspired me to DO. Take care.
Thank you so much! We are a new channel, with much to learn. People like you inspire us to keep spreading the love. I'll be watching all of your videos, as always. Be well.
I just started an idea I had recently of using a thicket (Persimmon in my case) as a shade-providing structure to nurture young/freshly planted pawpaws and hazelnuts. I liked the idea because I can cut back the thicket year by year as the other trees get more established and I also get to keep a persimmon in the long run.
Sounds like a nice idea... Definitely very worth being careful that you don't cut too many Persimmons! Know who are female in there before you make thinning selections!
Finally have put our place to bed, so I have some time to catch up on videos like yours. It's very helpful to see the winter guilds, thank you. We are entering into the planning stage for the next growing season, and it's good to have that look into your choices.
Very usefull to be shown leafless guilds in winter! Apart from the visibility, I often find other good gardeners' videos frustrating if they always present in full green and sunshine. Your videos are very good, informative not too long or staged, not romanticizing but full of love and respect. Dirty fingers and cold :). Greetings from Norway!
I really enjoy this winter tour of guilds! It is very helpful for me to see a breadth of guild examples and what is working and not working! I LOVE THAT YOU SHARE YOUR CHALLENGES FAILURES - that is SO beneficial to me! I know it's a tall order, but I would love to see side-by-side pictures of these sorts of guilds in their dormant & active states. It helps to see the structure in their dormant state, but the shading and how densely they're growing is perhaps better visible when they're all leafed out - the combination of both states, seen from several angles, would be so informative!
Always good to have confirmation of what to do, and *not* to do. Some vines just don't work well in the food forest. Unless you can have them only climb the "nitrogen fixing" trees that you don't mind losing in the future. :)
Timing on this is great was just thinking about planting distance in between trees yesterday and wondering if we could put them closer together. Seems like if they are planted like that in a way that the needs of both trees are still met they could grow as a good pair. Appreciate you guys, thank you. 🌳💖🌳
I am a newbe to your channel, living in the Florida Keys and having a place in the Catskills, sounds grand , there both trailers, Ive got the keys sorted with Native plants in the garden and raised (dear, Iguana proof beds for growing veggies) up north our trailer sits on 1 and !/2 acres with a creak , very blessed , I so want to get better about learning and becoming a better steward of the land we care for. thanks for the insights 2
I like this format and to focus in on the species without the distraction of the jungly lush growth. I’d like to hear about elderberry guilds with attention to which type of elders are being discussed (Euro, American, cultivar). Everywhere I read how elderberry plants have shallow root systems and to weed out any competition around them and just mulch. I’d like to hear how you’ve been faring with tight plantings around elderberries. Thanks!
I have thornless blackberry that have survived in American elderberry thicket despite heavy deer pressure. Given elder's ease of propagation, I could see them as a useful early succession nurse plant for trees like pawpaw or hickory that thrive in deep shade when young.
great format ! thanks for sharing, is very nice to also watch the trees without the leaves and watching them in the state of dormancy, you can see the consortium more clearly i think
Another great guild video, thanks. I'm always amazed at how closely you plant and allow growth of your tree guilds. In our zone 5/6 location, there's an abundance of the black caps. They're hard to get rid of, and super flood and drought tolerant. Because of that, I know I can allow them to thrive as chestnut, sugar maple, and apple protection. IMO, possibly the best free, natural barrier for valuable trees and guilds in zone 5/6.
Respect for getting outside and make progress even when the weather turns. I find it really hard to get outside when it's grey and wet and everything is dormant. These videos you do make me a little bit more motivated to do so.
I haven't bit the bullet with the hardy kiwis. I decided on Akebia. Hopefully it won't go bonkers on me, haha. I have them in a grove of birch trees that are the right age to support them for a long while yet. I am really excited because this fall I discovered some native prickly ash on the edge of a larger guild I have. I am hoping to harvest the fruit for spice purposes. I love when the birds bring me gifts like that.
We planted Prickly Ash, really nice growing tree, fun to have in the landscape. We planted Akebia and they are powerful plants but definitely not a gnarly as kiwi.
This was really interesting, thanks for sharing! I’m a bit south of you down in Ulster County. Petra over at Fruition Seeds gave you a shout out recently. I’m looking forward to exploring more of your content.
I've got a Fever and the only Prescription is more Polycultures and Guilds vids. -been thinking for the last couple of days about a simple annual/biennial guild/bed of garlic and salsify maybe also milkweed.
Really enjoyed the dormant guild tour. So much so, that I was inspired to finally do one on my 1-year-old Northern German food forest. Thanks! And more would be perfectly fine 😊
Was helpful to learn the combinations that worked and the ones that you feel were mistakes. I didn't feel like doing it in the winter was confusing at all
Love seeing the dormant state of your guilds. It's interesting and informative to see the interactions of trunks and branches without the foliage obscuring the view. Thank you. Your kiwi/chestnut situation has confirmed for me, a design I've been toying with - planting kiwi or grape next to end-of-life balsam firs (short lived tree) at the edge of a forest. My thoughts - I won't have to worry about girdling the trees (they're near death anyway), they're a very tall (maybe 60-70') natural trellis, they'd be creating a vertical layer in an even aged stand of fir trees, and I won't have to worry about pruning. Anyone have thoughts on problems with this??
Interesting idea on the kiwi on dying firs. I would anticipate a huge pile of mess to manage at some point when the trees are pulled down. What plants are nearby? What will be damaged? Do you have the time/bandwith to clean it all up? It will 'work' so long as you are open to and interested in that inevitability... (I would find it compelling, so much biochar to make!)
Interesting. It's much easier to distinguish the different trees and shrubs in the guilds when there are no leaves! Being in Europe my choice of trees species would be a little different (and they are already there: two different apple trees), but the idea of a guild will be the same.
You can help the plants you want to thrive by building up around them, compost, mulch, etc... Sometimes, and especially with grass, it can be more effective to 'pin down' the weeds with compost/mulch than to even pull them!
Really enjoy all of your videos. Question I had: When you approach a bed in the winter and there's what appears to be just a ton of twigs, do you remember what was planted there or are there distinguishing features that you're able to spot that tell you what's currently living there?
Once you become familiar with your plants through out the seasons, you will be able to recognize them in any stage. I am a horticulturalist but my family still marvels at how I can identify almost anything no matter what stage they are in. One of my favorite things to do is help new home owners figure out what is already in their gardens.
I think when you spend enough time with plants you start to get a deeper feel for them... Just like you know your family/friends by little hints, you can get there with plants.
I really enjoyed seeing the hardy kiwi damage up close! Can you comment on pawpaw pollination? Do you worry at all about how far they're spaced in the landscape? I assume you're not hand pollinating :)
No hand pollination! Good question, and I can't say that I know what the distance should be, but these patterns play out quite often so I think there may be enough density. That, and I have a few nice thickets of seedlings around as well to bring in the pollinators.
All looks good,thanks for the information on hardy kiwis My question, how long are American persimmon seeds viable? We cleaned a bumper crop a few years back, and I have tons of seed. Thinking of setting them out to stratification .. ....
Not confusing - I'd offer the alternative word of educational. As someone who daydreams about having land and doing what you do (in a fractional way) seeing it all in a calendar year view is helpful. I'm curious if the planning of guilds takes a different sort of form or structure once you bring in elements of water (such as your new pond(s)). Perhaps a question for a future Q&A session.
Seriously asking, how on earth do you get this many varieties of seedlings or cuttings? I'm always jealous of your sheer diversity. How is it humanly possible to obtain species on this level? Trade and barter, purchase or track down to cut from?
Yes... All the things. Collecting from wild spaces, from cultivated and fancy arboreteum spaces, snuck from here, bought from there, traded, etc.... 15 years of making it the main work of my life and it adds up to a pile of plants.
This was a great format, and appreciate you taking the time to make the content. One question, are pawpaw easily propagated from the suckers? I would imagine so, but that's only my imagination.
Love the videos as always. I wanted to order some trees from you as I’m working on a new space this spring. Where is the best way to contact you with questions?
Also, what about the structure of red mulberry? I have seen others coppice their mulberries and prune to keep the center open for harvesting (I recall have only seen this done for white mulberry).Have you experimented with structures of mulberry, tall and dropping fruit for harvest Vs short and center access for hand harvesting?
How would a ground cover like strawberries work into one of these guilds? How far apart are your guilds? It looks like your Apple/Persimmion/Pawpaw is only 10'-ish to the Peach/Pawpa guild. Just looking for an idea of distance. Love this format, the 'cast of characters' are extremely helpful to me in planning out my next food forest steps. Thanks!
Strawberries will work with a lot of different things. The thing to keep in mind is spread. If you feel like maximizing your strawberry yield, you'll need to cut off the runners regularly (which you can root and sell/transplant elsewhere).
@@danarennick7003 Thank you! My idea is to use them as a living mulch at the base of the fruit tree on the south side and layer up to taller bushes on the northern side of the tree.
Strawberries are smart for the first few years as a ground cover, go for it! We plant things WAY too close because we are anticipating more climate unravelling and variables and some may die... If they don't we will have some robust and diverse firewood in our future. Win win (but that plan only works when you grow your own or have the funds to overplant!)
What I'm always interested in and you skipped, I didn't notice it anyway🥴, what's the nitrogen fixer in each guild. What else does it do/good for? Admittedly I'm mostly interested in semi-tropical nitrogen fixer that makes some sort of fruit, nut or something. Any ideas?
We have a bunch of different types, although we didn't track their names back when :( We sell them locally but haven't explored selling them online at all. Perhaps we'll get into that this year.
Seeing them without the leaves is actually quite helpful, especially when your describing positioning and shading
Enjoying the increased volume of videos thanks to the colder weather.
"the characters in a guild of performers" all playing there part in the theatre of your garden! What a performance!
Seeing trees without their leaves and seeing the simple beauty of winter and snow and the soil is really awesome for people living in southern regions where trees are evergreen and winter are quite warm.
I'd be interested in info on coppicing.
I like this type of video. Showing guilds & explaining them, helps visualize their structural relationships.
It's quite useful to see the skeleton structures of each guild. I'm quite a bit further north (zone 3a) but a guild that has worked well for us so far is crabapple,carigana, black currant, and strawberries. Year 4 and despite major drought conditions, everything produced something and grew.
I agree, it is helpful to supplement leafed-out guild videos with dormant versions. I can more clearly see the arrangements. Also, since I am still building upon my initial plantings, it is helpful to see the growth patterns of some of the trees, shrubs, and vines I have planned as future additions.
I really loved this leaf-less representation of the allies in your garden. I have been deliberating how to protect the new pawpaws in my own space, and I have added black currents, Egyptian walking onions, and I do think I'll be adding peach trees ahead of them this spring. :)
I used cages and cotton sheeting this year. Haha
Lovely video! I am further south in St Louis, MO. It has, overall, been unseasonably warm here, we have had a deep frost. This time of year is my second most favorite time in the garden. I love the coolness in the air, and being able to once again see the basic structure of my garden. This is when I take notes on how the garden grew, and when I make plans for nest year.
Very informative. Goes beyond the nursery planting instructions. Thanks
Sometimes when the internet doesn't run so smooth, all the various greens blur together and I have no idea where you are pointing. In this format, and no blur, I could understand much more clearly which plant you are touching and where it was in reference to the other plants. I think I prefer this way. Thanks for taking the time to show us.
Happy to do it.
Enjoy the informative perspective you and Sasha bring.
Rutabaga!
👍
I always appreciate your videos no matter what they are about. All your winter transplanting inspired me to go do some of my own, so thanks for that!
So psyched you went out in the cold to plant, yay!
I really appreciate these videos, and have for some time now. Sure, it would be classically prettier to see all of the plants with full foliage and all that, but being able to see how they fit together without all of their leaves in the way makes for a fairly comprehensive understanding of how the plants interact with each other at all times of year, not just the growing season.
I would personally like to know more about how root systems interact with each other. What makes for a beneficial guild and what have you found that do not work together? It was cool that you got into that a little bit in this video. Thanks for teaching us!
I agree. The kiwi/chestnut "mistake" is just plain honest. Some folks won't show things like this but it's very good information to have.
I basically killed one of the existing trees here a few years after buying the property. An old sucker growing from the base of the tree was winding upward so I cut it off near the bottom to 'clean up' the tree. It had been there long enough that the bark was loose from all the rubbing in the wind and when I removed it, some of the bark just fell off. The tree only lasted another year or two but I wonder if strapping the bark back into place somehow would have kept it alive.
I really liked this video! Very educational. You can clearly see the structure of the guilds when the leaves are gone and the ground has a bit of snowcover. If you ever feel like bundling up and filming another video like this one I would truly enjoy watching! Thanks for sharing
So good to know you find it of value... I'll make more :)
My thornless blackberry loves growing into the loyer branches of a short pear tree in our yard... just lovely. When i eat them together they have an especially good taste ;)
I like seeing them leafless, helpful for learning tree forms. One guild I am trying out right now is yarrow, comfrey, miniature apple, and currants. Shouldn’t get above a bush layer size and make lots of goodies
Very cool and informative, more of this!
I love these tours and descriptions. I learn so much, thank you!
I'm so glad!
Thanks for sharing some notes! Always learning something new
Thanks for keeping the interest going as I spend less time outside. As important as the winter season is, I appreciate continued education and tips for creating successful guilds,etc.
I enjoy seeing the tree structures without the leaves. I am still new to all of this and this is the time of year that I have the time to slow down and observe what is working or not working. Watching you describe what’s going on and hearing your thoughts is beyond helpful!
a complete newbie might find bare plant placement without leaves confusing to look at in a video but they'd also find everything confusing so honestly this is very helpful to someone like me that is somewhere between intermediate and advanced experience
Cool, I appreciate your take on it!
Yup 😊
Thank you
Definitely confusing but definitely helpful the more I watch in identifying certain trees I rely on leaves for
There is some real value in digging into understanding trees and shrubs when they are dormant.
I love these types of tours and discussions. The idea of weaving blackberry through low hanging branches is brilliant! I will have to give it a try. As a novice, watching what you have done helps me draw inspiration and gain confidence in my own design trials.
That is so great to know you are finding some value in these discussions, thanks!
Another great video! I love how you call them “a cast of characters”. You use Shakespearean language to convey so many ideas, so concisely. I love it. I gave you a shout out in a couple of my recent videos about using chickens as an instrumental part of our composting system. I recommend your channel to people because you’ve taught me so much and inspired me to DO. Take care.
Thanks for the shoutout and glad you are putting out videos! Best of luck with your channel, I subscribed and will keep an eye out for some fun ideas.
Thank you so much! We are a new channel, with much to learn. People like you inspire us to keep spreading the love. I'll be watching all of your videos, as always. Be well.
I just started an idea I had recently of using a thicket (Persimmon in my case) as a shade-providing structure to nurture young/freshly planted pawpaws and hazelnuts. I liked the idea because I can cut back the thicket year by year as the other trees get more established and I also get to keep a persimmon in the long run.
Sounds like a nice idea... Definitely very worth being careful that you don't cut too many Persimmons! Know who are female in there before you make thinning selections!
Finally have put our place to bed, so I have some time to catch up on videos like yours.
It's very helpful to see the winter guilds, thank you. We are entering into the planning stage for the next growing season, and it's good to have that look into your choices.
Lovely video. Thank you. Peaceful and informative
Very usefull to be shown leafless guilds in winter! Apart from the visibility, I often find other good gardeners' videos frustrating if they always present in full green and sunshine. Your videos are very good, informative not too long or staged, not romanticizing but full of love and respect. Dirty fingers and cold :). Greetings from Norway!
I really enjoy this winter tour of guilds! It is very helpful for me to see a breadth of guild examples and what is working and not working! I LOVE THAT YOU SHARE YOUR CHALLENGES FAILURES - that is SO beneficial to me!
I know it's a tall order, but I would love to see side-by-side pictures of these sorts of guilds in their dormant & active states. It helps to see the structure in their dormant state, but the shading and how densely they're growing is perhaps better visible when they're all leafed out - the combination of both states, seen from several angles, would be so informative!
I appreciate the request and will see what I can do. Certainly having a follow up video wander in the spring/summer can happen!
@@edibleacres =D I eagerly await that possibility, as with all of your content Keep up the amazing work! One love
Always good to have confirmation of what to do, and *not* to do. Some vines just don't work well in the food forest. Unless you can have them only climb the "nitrogen fixing" trees that you don't mind losing in the future. :)
Timing on this is great was just thinking about planting distance in between trees yesterday and wondering if we could put them closer together. Seems like if they are planted like that in a way that the needs of both trees are still met they could grow as a good pair. Appreciate you guys, thank you. 🌳💖🌳
I do film my garden once per year - in winter. This is when you really see what’s going on. I like this format - thanks for all your wonderful videos.
I am a newbe to your channel, living in the Florida Keys and having a place in the Catskills, sounds grand , there both trailers, Ive got the keys sorted with Native plants in the garden and raised (dear, Iguana proof beds for growing veggies) up north our trailer sits on 1 and !/2 acres with a creak , very blessed , I so want to get better about learning and becoming a better steward of the land we care for.
thanks for the insights
2
Glad it helps.
It works just fine. Thanks.
Excellent video thank you so much
I like this format and to focus in on the species without the distraction of the jungly lush growth. I’d like to hear about elderberry guilds with attention to which type of elders are being discussed (Euro, American, cultivar). Everywhere I read how elderberry plants have shallow root systems and to weed out any competition around them and just mulch. I’d like to hear how you’ve been faring with tight plantings around elderberries. Thanks!
I have thornless blackberry that have survived in American elderberry thicket despite heavy deer pressure. Given elder's ease of propagation, I could see them as a useful early succession nurse plant for trees like pawpaw or hickory that thrive in deep shade when young.
I love your companion planting and the care you give as to the positioning 👍🙋♀️
great format ! thanks for sharing, is very nice to also watch the trees without the leaves and watching them in the state of dormancy, you can see the consortium more clearly i think
Great info
Another great guild video, thanks. I'm always amazed at how closely you plant and allow growth of your tree guilds.
In our zone 5/6 location, there's an abundance of the black caps. They're hard to get rid of, and super flood and drought tolerant. Because of that, I know I can allow them to thrive as chestnut, sugar maple, and apple protection.
IMO, possibly the best free, natural barrier for valuable trees and guilds in zone 5/6.
Black Caps are great plants, so easy to propagate and support and so delicious, and they really help shape what happens with browse.
Respect for getting outside and make progress even when the weather turns. I find it really hard to get outside when it's grey and wet and everything is dormant. These videos you do make me a little bit more motivated to do so.
This was a good video. Sometimes all the leaves just make it too hard to see what's really going on. This was a good idea.
So glad you found it useful!
i love the winter guild discussion. love to hear about all the considerations, like shade, nitrogen fixing, deer pressure, et cetera.
I haven't bit the bullet with the hardy kiwis. I decided on Akebia. Hopefully it won't go bonkers on me, haha. I have them in a grove of birch trees that are the right age to support them for a long while yet. I am really excited because this fall I discovered some native prickly ash on the edge of a larger guild I have. I am hoping to harvest the fruit for spice purposes. I love when the birds bring me gifts like that.
We planted Prickly Ash, really nice growing tree, fun to have in the landscape. We planted Akebia and they are powerful plants but definitely not a gnarly as kiwi.
This was really interesting, thanks for sharing! I’m a bit south of you down in Ulster County. Petra over at Fruition Seeds gave you a shout out recently. I’m looking forward to exploring more of your content.
Welcome!
I've got a Fever and the only Prescription is more Polycultures and Guilds vids.
-been thinking for the last couple of days about a simple annual/biennial guild/bed of garlic and salsify maybe also milkweed.
Works for me!
Great video
Glad you enjoyed it
Really enjoyed the dormant guild tour. So much so, that I was inspired to finally do one on my 1-year-old Northern German food forest. Thanks! And more would be perfectly fine 😊
Have you talked about genetics in terms of seedlings vs selected cultivars? Would love to see more discussion about that.
I haven't gotten too deep into that, I'm not sure I have a ton to offer.
Was helpful to learn the combinations that worked and the ones that you feel were mistakes. I didn't feel like doing it in the winter was confusing at all
Love seeing the dormant state of your guilds. It's interesting and informative to see the interactions of trunks and branches without the foliage obscuring the view. Thank you. Your kiwi/chestnut situation has confirmed for me, a design I've been toying with - planting kiwi or grape next to end-of-life balsam firs (short lived tree) at the edge of a forest. My thoughts - I won't have to worry about girdling the trees (they're near death anyway), they're a very tall (maybe 60-70') natural trellis, they'd be creating a vertical layer in an even aged stand of fir trees, and I won't have to worry about pruning. Anyone have thoughts on problems with this??
Interesting idea on the kiwi on dying firs. I would anticipate a huge pile of mess to manage at some point when the trees are pulled down. What plants are nearby? What will be damaged? Do you have the time/bandwith to clean it all up? It will 'work' so long as you are open to and interested in that inevitability... (I would find it compelling, so much biochar to make!)
It works for me :)
Interesting. It's much easier to distinguish the different trees and shrubs in the guilds when there are no leaves!
Being in Europe my choice of trees species would be a little different (and they are already there: two different apple trees), but the idea of a guild will be the same.
Very helpful seeing plants in the dormant stage. For guilds where there is lots of competition, can you add lots of compost to compensate?
You can help the plants you want to thrive by building up around them, compost, mulch, etc... Sometimes, and especially with grass, it can be more effective to 'pin down' the weeds with compost/mulch than to even pull them!
I laughed at the téléphone pole guild :)
Really enjoy all of your videos. Question I had: When you approach a bed in the winter and there's what appears to be just a ton of twigs, do you remember what was planted there or are there distinguishing features that you're able to spot that tell you what's currently living there?
Once you become familiar with your plants through out the seasons, you will be able to recognize them in any stage. I am a horticulturalist but my family still marvels at how I can identify almost anything no matter what stage they are in. One of my favorite things to do is help new home owners figure out what is already in their gardens.
I think when you spend enough time with plants you start to get a deeper feel for them... Just like you know your family/friends by little hints, you can get there with plants.
I really enjoyed seeing the hardy kiwi damage up close!
Can you comment on pawpaw pollination? Do you worry at all about how far they're spaced in the landscape? I assume you're not hand pollinating :)
No hand pollination! Good question, and I can't say that I know what the distance should be, but these patterns play out quite often so I think there may be enough density. That, and I have a few nice thickets of seedlings around as well to bring in the pollinators.
All looks good,thanks for the information on hardy kiwis
My question, how long are American persimmon seeds viable? We cleaned a bumper crop a few years back, and I have tons of seed. Thinking of setting them out to stratification .. ....
Not confusing - I'd offer the alternative word of educational. As someone who daydreams about having land and doing what you do (in a fractional way) seeing it all in a calendar year view is helpful. I'm curious if the planning of guilds takes a different sort of form or structure once you bring in elements of water (such as your new pond(s)). Perhaps a question for a future Q&A session.
Seriously asking, how on earth do you get this many varieties of seedlings or cuttings? I'm always jealous of your sheer diversity. How is it humanly possible to obtain species on this level? Trade and barter, purchase or track down to cut from?
Yes... All the things. Collecting from wild spaces, from cultivated and fancy arboreteum spaces, snuck from here, bought from there, traded, etc.... 15 years of making it the main work of my life and it adds up to a pile of plants.
This was a great format, and appreciate you taking the time to make the content.
One question, are pawpaw easily propagated from the suckers? I would imagine so, but that's only my imagination.
Love the videos as always.
I wanted to order some trees from you as I’m working on a new space this spring. Where is the best way to contact you with questions?
Also, what about the structure of red mulberry? I have seen others coppice their mulberries and prune to keep the center open for harvesting (I recall have only seen this done for white mulberry).Have you experimented with structures of mulberry, tall and dropping fruit for harvest Vs short and center access for hand harvesting?
I haven't done enough there to speak to it.
How would a ground cover like strawberries work into one of these guilds? How far apart are your guilds? It looks like your Apple/Persimmion/Pawpaw is only 10'-ish to the Peach/Pawpa guild. Just looking for an idea of distance.
Love this format, the 'cast of characters' are extremely helpful to me in planning out my next food forest steps. Thanks!
Strawberries will work with a lot of different things. The thing to keep in mind is spread. If you feel like maximizing your strawberry yield, you'll need to cut off the runners regularly (which you can root and sell/transplant elsewhere).
@@danarennick7003 Thank you! My idea is to use them as a living mulch at the base of the fruit tree on the south side and layer up to taller bushes on the northern side of the tree.
Strawberries are smart for the first few years as a ground cover, go for it!
We plant things WAY too close because we are anticipating more climate unravelling and variables and some may die... If they don't we will have some robust and diverse firewood in our future. Win win (but that plan only works when you grow your own or have the funds to overplant!)
What I'm always interested in and you skipped, I didn't notice it anyway🥴, what's the nitrogen fixer in each guild. What else does it do/good for?
Admittedly I'm mostly interested in semi-tropical nitrogen fixer that makes some sort of fruit, nut or something. Any ideas?
how far away you planted pawpaw from peach tree? it looks so close, like 2 feet?
Yep, probably 2 feet or so.
Thanks for this video ! I have to temporarily cancel my susbscription to your channel but i'll be back for such great info ans sharing !
Which type of bamboo do you have Do you sell your bamboo?
We have a bunch of different types, although we didn't track their names back when :(
We sell them locally but haven't explored selling them online at all. Perhaps we'll get into that this year.
👌👍🌳🌳🌲