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I am planning to plant a food forest in the northeast United States zone 7B. I have an area in my yard where we recently tore down a stand of 10 jersey pine trees that were completely overgrown with Japanese honeysuckle, Asian bittersweet, garlic mustard, poison ivy, non-native wineberry and no native raspberry bushes.

I’m trying to plant natives as much as possible, and the space previously was home to a flower garden and child’s place it about 30 years ago. There is a very large 47+ year old. Deutzia scabara and a similarly aged but very poor condition weigelia. We also rescued a native dogwood and plan to leave it alone.

Currently in my plans are a row of blueberry bushes, various varieties. I want to establish A row of pawpaw trees, which I’m trying to reintroduce to my area. Orchards are very common around me, mainly apple cherry peaches and pear. We have a large problem with spotted lantern flies.

I don’t believe I have space for more than four paw paws. I also want to add almond trees, at minimum two apple trees, current and elderberry bushes. The space is approximately 100 feet long by 30 feet deep. Am I being too ambitious and what would you recommend planting in that space?

I am also curious about your thoughts on planting in rows versus planting intermittently more natural forest style . This year is all about reclamation. We are covering everything in a thick layer of cardboard and pine chips from the trees we took down to try and smother all of the non native weeds.

This space backs up to 40 acres of undeveloped forest which is heavily infested with a litany of non-native invasive so it’s going to be a constant battle establishing natives in the space and avoiding deer damage.

I have been given the opportunity to partner with a farm and take over an established orchard of mostly apples, with some pears and plums. They are in standard rows, multiple varieties interplanted, but no mulch and just grass under them. Theres the occasional garlic chive. He reports them producing pretty well. Not a lot of disease/fungal pressure, and he reports good pollination. I presented the idea of planting black raspberries between the trees to improve biodiversity, and the response was a little hesitant, because he wants to make sure we can still get around the trees and tractor chickens through. Which is great consideration, but I’m a little worried about having good options to improve the overall ecosystem. They also dont mulch, or compost, they just rely on chickens to feed the ground. I am hoping to do some composting and utilize a wood chipper to start better feeding the soil. I just dont want to start friggin’ terra-forming the place on this old farmer. I want to focus on one positive step in the right direction at a time. And in general, it will be good practice to only change one thing at a time anyways.

The farmer is pretty on board with most of what I have to say, and is willing to let me do just about anything within reason.

What would your words of wisdom be for me? I have loads of book smarts on this subject, but this will be my first hands on orchard and permaculture adventure in this sort of setting.

Much thanks!

Hello! I’ve just moved and I’ve also JUST had a baby, so I have little time and few resources to get my garden started in the way I’d really like. I also live in the Canadian prairies so gardening time here is precious because you get so little of it. That said, we are starting a garden from scratch at the new house. I’ve bought raised beds and a poly tunnel. I spent a LOT of money on making beds at the last house and the results weren’t amazing (the soil I bought ended up being garbage). This time, I’m hoping to do lasagna method beds and plant right into them and just hope for the best. My idea was cardboard or wood chip mulch/hay at the bottom, then layer hay and aged manure, leaving a thick mulch layer at the top. Is this a terrible idea? Is there a cost-effective solution or amendment you’d make to avoid issues. I’m mostly worried about the stability of this substrate mixture and also disease that could come from only using hay and manure. Thanks in advance.

Newbie here trying to implement permaculture concepts into my first garden (17’x10′). I would love to have an abundant garden with lots of different food. However, I also want it to be accessible, of course. All input highly appreciated!

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I read that I am supposed to thin my dwarf peach trees (first year with them), but I’m confused about when to do it. Research turned up late May to early June for where I am and said “when the fruitlings” are about the size of a marble or a nickel. It’s early May and they are that size. They are covered in fruit! I am so excited and also so sad I have to toss a bunch, womp! And I just pick them off, is that right? Needed to verify this with some actual humans. Also, thinking of placing mesh bags over the entire trees. When is the right time, exactly? Thanks for any advice!