Creating sustainable low maintenance food producing Ecosystems with Forest Gardening
There is so much to say about Forest Gardening, about creating a
sumptuous retreat outside the back porch, a meditative aesthetic
sanctuary that would lure one’s attention as often as possible, a
natural forest glen of birds, color, scents, roses, that required little
attention.
But perhaps the best, or nowadays most immediate
attraction would be that this dripping alchemical paradise can deal with
our most basic of needs; feed us. And not only that, but provide us
with our medicines, fibers, fuel, and building materials all within our
own backyards. And not only for one season, ---but for years to come,
for generations even. And not only this, but by participating in
creating this type of garden the potential for aiding in the rebalancing
and reconstituting of Nature on a planetary level and so positively
effecting global health, is limitless.
For forest Gardening is
about ecosystems. Creating and steering micro eco systems to better
serve humans. Instead of the back breaking labor intense tradition
conventional gardening has required from us, the year after year
retilling, replanting, weeding, spraying, fertilizing, pruning, daily
fawning over precious seedlings, and the great tug of war between
wildlife and preserving bounty for human consumption, forest gardening
lets go of all the work and lets nature do it for us—as our natural
ecosystems effortlessly and gladly do all around us.
Not that
there is no work left in this model, there is some, but it is cut down
considerably when we relinquish our tasks back to their rightful owner.
Walking in the forest, the meadows, along streams, we cannot but notice
harmony, balance. But who waters? Who weeds? Who sprays? Who plants,
defends, protects, feeds, nurtures?
Of course the complex unique
systems nature has developed in every area and locale are endless, but
if we take the time to observe some of what is working here that enables
such auto pilot success—we can take this information and bring it into
our own gardens recreating some of this success.
It is the
patterns we are after. The intricate patterns of behavior, relationship
wise that we look to understand and replicate in forest gardening. In
copying these we can build micro ecosystems which have the possibility
of developing into interconnected networks on the microcosmic level that
can handle the garden jobs we have taken upon ourselves as part of
unnecessary workload.
For example; we are used to planting rows
and rows of one kind of vegetable surrounded by bare earth. Now any
particular bug predisposed to that particular squash say, is having no
trouble locating his next meal, and in inviting all his cousins and
girlfriends over for the party which, will last until the buffet is
vanquished.
Back out in the woods what happens? Earl Predatorbug
scouts out no vast orgy in the waiting but only a berry or greens here
and there if he looks hard enough---and he better look out because due
to the complex nature of the place with so many differing plants and
hence differing bugs—he has to work awfully hard to score that meal and
not get eaten himself.
What’s the pattern here we can use?
Diversity.
The more differing species we plant the tighter--more complex ecosystem
we create, able to fend for herself, attracting differing bugs to
protect herself, fending off any infestations. (There are a host of
other benefits here, but for now we’ll stick to just these). This is one
of the ways we can allow the bugs to do own jobs for us.
The second issue of the squash scenario is the lonely bare earth issue.
Wherever
do we see plants growing in this way in nature-- alone, in rows, with
nothing but scrapped earth covering their roots? Nowhere. Unless in some
arid human ruined wasteland where a straggly weed has had the courage
and fortitude to bear his head. (and is this a prime example we want to
emulate in our gardens?)
In contrast we see in nature bundles of
plants all over each other hugging and climbing, happy and intertwined
with every species, on top of each other, next to, using every available
space, and all dug into a natural sheaf of humusy organic leaf litter.
What does this accomplish?
How
often do you have to water your garden in a week? I water my own forest
garden during a temperate week once every 10 days, during a hot one,
once a week------at an altitude of 3900 ft in High desert. How do I do
this? Because I mulch. Heavily. By copying these patterns and using
straw mulch this acts as a humus blanket insulating the soil and root
systems from summer heat, from winter cold, and as fertilizer as it
breaks down feeding the soil, just as her woodland cousins.
How
the pattern of the manicured garden, eternally antiseptically raked and
wrenched over, a water guzzling playground for weeds, disease and
endless work got cemented into our culture as a thing to be desired, is
unfathomable to me. Leaves and all that organic matter are what feed,
nourish, protect, insulate, build, keep and maintain a vibrant healthy
soil structure. Strip it away and disease, struggle, endless weeds, and
an extreme climate have their way abusing the system costing you all
your weekends. A truly similar analogy would be the silliness of walking
about unprotected in a winter’s snowy 15 degree day in a scanty bathing
suit. How would you thrive? Our gardens should look like our forests.
Littered. With a nice insulating jacket of leaves. This, is healthy.
This will allow your plants to flourish effortlessly, and you free time
which might be nice.
Moving along, the most obvious woodland
pattern we can observe of course is the layers. Every forest has layers
of trees, plants, in tiers all growing together, in and through each
other. There is no such thing as a natural bare orchard. Every tree has
his network of family and friends. Trees of every size, shrubs, smaller
shrubs, vines, groundcovers sprawling all over in all the leftover
spaces. So much in one space.
--What if all of these guys were edible?
And
so we have the basic forest garden idea--- a seven layered pattern
borrowed from nature. But we have interjected a canopy of standard fruit
and nut trees, a second story of dwarfing versions, a third of edible
berries and shrubs, a fourth of perennial vegetables (yes, there are
lots of perennial vegetables—get my newsletter for more on this), a
fifth groundcover of herbs, mints, a sixth of edible vines growing up
those trees—and a seventh of root crops growing at the sunny edges.
Voila. You have a forest-----of food.
With
regard to wildlife, if we are now intent on repeating natural patterns
within our gardens, how appropriate is it to be playing tug of war with
them who are so hungry and displaced and from human civilized
habitations? As a part of the circle of life so energizing natural eco
systems, the very issues that threaten our planet, isn’t it imperative
to support them too? And energetically, this is a whole conversation of
precisely what we give out recycling right back into own lives in
spades—the energy of restriction and lack—or the energy of abundance and
prosperity. When we give back to nature, she gives back to us three
fold. This expansive energy empowers the garden, the eco system, her
denizens, plant and otherwise, and brings prosperity into our lives. The
question is how, along with accomplishing our own goals of production.
This is actually a relatively easy issue when we turn around our
perspective.
Forest gardening invites wildlife and appreciates
the partnership they offer in pollination, bug and rodent regulation,
fertilization and weeding. By embracing their presence and viewing them
as partners we strengthen our created eco systems, aid in badly needed
habitat and invite prosperous energy into our lives. This can be done by
planting forage plants—human and animal edibles native or well adapted
to your area. Some good examples are the autumn olive, crabapple,
elderberry, bearberry, Juneberry. Blackberries or raspberries can be
used for fencing or planted outside of fencing—protecting the garden at
the same time feeding our wild neighbors. Additionally habitat can be
created by allowing for a corner of your garden to be left wild, left
alone with brush piled up, logs, which make great homes for these garden
helpers.
As you can see this seven layered, nature patterned
method is a complete 180 from what all of us have grown up with, but the
benefits are so sweet, even the greatest diehard traditionalist has to
sit up and take notice. A garden that when mature can be an ongoing food
source season after season, alleviate a good portion of the workload,
and aid our animal life and ecosystems and hence planetary health all at
the same time? What’s not to love?
For more information; subscribe to my Newsletter by emailing; novilisblue@gmail.com
And check out my book;
Jardin d’Or ; a Treatise on Forest Gardening
Available at; http://rp-author.com/deborhadarms/
Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com
Without a plan, without priorities in living, it's difficult - perhaps impossible - to achieve traction in experiencing your progress in a fulfilling life. I do believe life is meant to be fun, working your plan by living your priorities keeps you up to speed with all you can be, do and have.
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