Certified permaculture designer Megan (@rharian.fields) recently shared three key pointers for keeping a food forest healthy and thriving.
The scoop
“Here are a few things I do to sustain my food forest,” said Megan.
@rharian.fields a good food forest should get easier over time. less weeding. fewer pests. more shade. more snacks. you still have to show up, chop and drop, add compost, keep an eye on stress, but the system starts to carry itself #gardentok #FoodForest #permaculture #gardendesign #beginnergardener #growingfood #houstongardening #texasgardening #tiktokcreatorsearchinsightsincentive #gardening101 #sustainableliving #gardening ♬ original sound – megan | rharian fields
These tips are more for the long haul of keeping things going. Ideally, a food forest should be self-sustaining, so the maintenance isn’t too heavy.
First, she started with mulching. Megan mulches two or three times a year, and does a lot of it by leaving pruning cuttings on the ground. The bottom line is to ensure moisture is being retained.
Next, Megan said she composts. She admits she’s been pretty haphazard about this, but the big thing she emphasized was observing. Problems with plants crop up gradually, so being able to notice those challenges evolve can better inform solutions.
How it’s helping
Food forests are a novel way of growing your own food and saving a few bucks at the grocery store.
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Instead of just making a garden full of edible varieties, a food forest is designed to contain a full ecosystem. It includes a dense and wide variety of plants at varying heights, mimicking a natural forest. Perennials are favored, so fruit can be produced year after year.
When all of this is growing in your back yard, it doesn’t need to travel nearly as far as store-bought produce. This means more tasty and nutritious food in your kitchen and lower emissions. As an added bonus, gardening is great for mental and physical health, too.
If done correctly, a food forest can reduce or eliminate the need for pesticides and herbicides. These harsh chemical treatments leave harmful residues on edible plants, and have negative effects downstream.
For example, pesticides can often end up poisoning wildlife that would normally feed on pests. They can even end up contaminating local water supplies.
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What everyone’s saying
Megan’s TikTok viewers were all on board with her food forest tips.
“Love it,” said one viewer.
“Know your land. understand your land!” replied another.
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