Guild Design

Discussion in 'Planting, growing, nurturing Plants' started by j.bruce, Feb 9, 2005.

  1. j.bruce

    j.bruce Junior Member

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    This is my first post so we'll see how it goes...

    I have been very excited about permaculture over the last several months, it's been a real life changing discovery, but, maybe because i my development has only followed what is directly applicable to me, I've been stuck on guild design. I am aware of the complimentary species of plants in both the Apple guild and the Walnut guild, and I am very much aware (through my own experimentation) of the Three Sisters. But what i lack right now is the method of determining what plant goes with what tree. For example, i understand that the apple tree draws moisture and nutrients from the surface, so grass suppressing bulbs are necissary around the trunk and dripline of the tree. I am also aware that muching is good around an apple to keep moisture to the roots, and as always insectaries and nitrogen fixers are vital. With the walnut, i understand that everything has to be relatively immune to the effects of jugulone, as most berry bushes are and nightshades seem to be. But when it comes to developing my own guild designs around such trees as the persimmon, almond, chestnut, and local natives, i'm sort of lost as for how to go about finding compatible/symbiotic species. Can anyone help me with a list of guilds that work, or provide me a method by which to create my own sound guilds?
     
  2. Douglas J.E. Barnes

    Douglas J.E. Barnes Junior Member

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    As a quick response, I suggest looking on the web for "companion planting". You'll find plenty of lists...
     
  3. j.bruce

    j.bruce Junior Member

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    Thank you very much. I've never even stumbled upon this terminology that is seeming to unlock a lot of knowledge for me, just upon first glance.

    While i look into that, could anyone do a plant list for a guild centered around the persimmon or almond trees? Actually, I may be being to specific or demanding.... anyone who can list any grouping of plants centered around a specific tree could certainly help my knowledge on guild design.
     
  4. j.bruce

    j.bruce Junior Member

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    Yes, it seems that searching for this resource limits my selection to vegetables and herbs....as wonderful as that may be (and VERY helpful in another area that i wasn't considering at the moment) I was looking for companion planting in relation to trees, as i've stated.... any resources for that?
     
  5. Douglas J.E. Barnes

    Douglas J.E. Barnes Junior Member

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    Almonds, not persimmons

    I found nothing on companion planting with persimmons, but here's what I found on almonds:

    "Peaches and almonds, being of the same family, will pollinate each other." [Riotte, Louse, Carrots Love Tomatoes: Secrets of Companion Planting for Successful Gardening, Storey Publishing: North Adams. 1998. p.105]

    The only other info I could find suggested almond and persimmon in the low tree layer of a guild. Persimmon were also said to be shade tolerant, which fits my observations here in heavily developed Tokyo.
     
  6. Chook Nut

    Chook Nut Junior Member

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    Welcome to the forum... and Permaculture!

    I can ask my boss about what will work well with Persimmons,(I work in a nursery), but i can tell you that my bosses are starting a new orchard and are going to use a lot of Comfrey with virtually all their fruit trees... they help bring up a lot of nutrients to the surface and their leaves make great compost to add around your garden in general.

    As for the Chestnuts... they like slightly acidic conditions so you could think about things like Pinus Pinea (Pine Nut).... great for a source of acidic mulch which suppresses the grass at the same time; the nuts taste great and make a good wind break. Blueberries will grow in those conditions and dont mind the shelter either.... then theres the potential for mushrooms ... and so on and so on!

    Good luck... Dave
     
  7. j.bruce

    j.bruce Junior Member

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    Awesome! Thank you guys very much.

    Can you then tell me why the walnut guild contains large berry bushes and seamingly no mulch or insectary plants? As it was explained to me, the walnut guild (in it's most basic form) consists of wolfberry, hackberry, mulberry, elderberry, nightshades, and egleanus. Let me do some internal reasoning here.... because of the jugulone, it would need no grass suppression (usually done by daisies and daffodils), maybe berry bushes are insectary enough, and the mulberry is a nitrogen fixer, and the nightshades are proven resistant to jugulone.... have i properly anylized this?

    Any other resources would be great, especially in the same vein of tree pollination (i did not know that any tree could polinate another of another species, thank you)?
     
  8. markgreywa

    markgreywa New Member

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    :wink: You are onto it project purity, don't forget the art with the science. Let your hair down and experiment your self with guilds you are out there doing it developing your reason and intuition and a wealth of knowledge you can pass on about your ecozone and plant management . To increase knowledge we have to experiment and step outside the square sometimes. Mark.
     

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