#Edible Forest Gardening 101: Of Guilds, and Photosynthetic Efficiency
Permacultural Guilds are groupings of organisms that function well together: little microcosmic ecosystems which stack functions upon functions to maximise the overall efficiency of the system.
Above is an example of a 1-year old guild growing in my forest garden.
The Soil Surface Layer: Strawberries form a dense mat of groundcover, preventing moisture from evaporating from the soil..
The Herbaceous Layer: Rhubarb and Daylilies provide perennial sources of food for humans and pollinators, and Autumn mulch to improve biodynamic soil nutrition.
The Shrub Layer: Two cultivars of honeyberry cross-pollinate each other, and grow to an intermediate height between the perennials and tree.
The Canopy Layer: An ash tree, which provides shade in the summer and thus conserves water, and also provides coppicewood for woodwork, firewood, and mulch.
Studies in agroforestry have shown that the efficiency of photosynthesis in a single plant has a cap that is well below the input given by unfettered overhead sun: many plants that are conventionally grown in open areas can photosynthesize at the same rate with 1/10th of the solar energy input. Therefore, it is a more efficient use of photosynthetic reactions to stack layers of crops on top of one another.
This area is about two square metres in total, so it only comprises minute portion of the total area with which I work. However, it produces four abundant flowering food crops (strawberries, rhubarb, honeyberries, and daylilies can all be eaten, and attract pollinators at different blooming times), and also delivers a huge amount of biomass for compost and soil building every year.
Many permaculture guidebooks will give examples of classic guilds of plants, but I would encourage you to experiment and discover new combinations of plants that work. Do your research beforehand into things like shared plant diseases, allelopathic chemicals, and companion planting, but once you have a decent idea about the ecological niches of the plants you are working with, go nuts in creating mini self-sustaining ecosystems! You will find that a successful combination requires neither water nor fertiliser to remain lush year after year.
#guilds #permaculture #agroforestry #forest gardening #edible landscaping
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