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RE: How to Plant a Food Forest!

in #homesteading7 years ago

Sustainable fruit forests are such a great idea. I first came across it in a Ted Talk by Shubehendu Sharma: https://www.ted.com/talks/shubhendu_sharma_how_to_grow_a_forest_in_your_backyard
I'm wondering if it would possible to grow a vegetable forest as well? Especially in semi-arid regions of the world?

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Interesting idea of a vegetable food forest. What would be the big trees??

Trees that can provide dappled shade for the growing plants.

I'm not a farmer but most vegetables seem to have a life-span of only a few months.

I've heard about alley-cropping, a farming technique in which trees are planted in rows to provide shade for crops during hot dry seasons in parts of Africa. The trees used belong to the legume family so in addition to shading the crops, they add fix nitrogen in the soil. The extra branches are pruned back when it rains.

I'm thinking the two ideas could maybe be blended to create vegetable forests?

Nice. Alley cropping is a great idea. Love this comment chain. New ideas!