Imagine planting a garden that doesn’t require herbicides, pesticides, or a high degree of maintenance?
TikToker and certified permaculturist The Arcadia Project NJ (@thearcadiaprojectnj) did just that, in a step-by-step clip.
“So interesting,” a commenter observed, determined to do the same to their berry trees.
@thearcadiaprojectnj A guild is a neighborhood of plants that surround a fruit or nut tree. This species-specific curated ecosystem works to repel unwanted insects and even disease, attract pollinators, suppress weeds, mulch the soil, pull up nutrients from deep within the soil’s layers, and fix nitrogen. All species require different guild members to successfully support them, just as in nature. In this video I’m sharing an in-depth explanation about how and why we implemented this practice that has been successfully used for centuries. We use sheet mulch to create square growing spaces, discuss foot traffic concerns, and placement of different plant species. #permaculture #permaculturelife #permaculturegarden #permacultureguild #polyculture #sustainable #sustainableliving #sustainablefarming #homegrown #gyo ♬ original sound – thearcadiaprojectnj
The scoop
It’s called a permaculture guild, and it occurs naturally all the time, though anyone can kick-start the process on their own.
A permaculture guild is a series of plants (or even animals) that give and take within their circle, both drawing and providing necessities to one another.
It’s a series of helpful, symbiotic relationships, where one plant may draw specific nutrients from the soil and deposit nutrients necessary for the neighboring plant. Some, like garlic, ward off insects, providing defense for those who lack it.
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For example, the “Three Sisters” guild includes corn, beans, and squash. Corn provides the vertical structure for beans to climb, while squash spreads across the ground, suffocating weeds. The beans also release nitrogen into the soil, which feeds the corn and squash.
How it’s helping
Some of the benefits are obvious, while others are less so, and they vary depending on the plants, their unique traits, and how those traits affect other plants within the same ecosystem.
In the TikTok clip, the apple tree is the primary, with six supporting plants — fixers, accumulators, repellers, mulchers, attractors, and suppressors.
The repellers eliminate the need for insecticides, while the attractors draw in the much-needed pollinators. Clover is a nitrogen fixer that also helps to suppress weeds. Accumulators do just that — accumulate necessary nutrients for the other plants in the guild.
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In short, gardening does most of the work for the gardener, while providing fresh fruits and vegetables that taste better and don’t waste resources through global transport and mass production — an environmental benefit without all the hustle and bustle.
The term permaculture only dates back to the 1970s, but there is evidence that the practice (in a variety of ways) was commonplace as far back as 9,000 BCE, according to research published in PNAS.
It takes a little more time and preparation to set up, compared to simpler variations of companion planting, but the physical and mental health benefits, along with the results, are worth it.
What everyone’s saying
Knowledge is power, and accounts like The Arcadia Project NJ spread a wealth of knowledge to burgeoning gardeners everywhere, helping others become less dependent on mass consumption and more dependent on their own handiwork.
The comments were sparse (this is one of The Arcadia Project NJ’s early clips), but thankful for the information: “This was very informative! Good to know about comfrey and dandelion!”
Another commenter is willing to try it out for themselves: “I’ve got some service berry trees near a large honey locust that aren’t thriving, so I may add some guilds!”
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