most weeds are and medicinal, if you start a foodforest there is not way around it - you will get dandelions and other weeds. the only way around is is heavy mulching with mulch made from bark ( large particles ) like pine bark mulch. OR you can plant groundcovers that supresses weed..MOST groundcovers are invasive. when you choose a groundcover choose one that is really good looking and reliable, do not get groundcovers that become very high or bushy. Alot of groundcovers have medicinal properties and alot of them are edible. pachysandra terminalis looks natural and is easy to pull Ajuga reptans lysimachia nummelaria ''aurea'' ( less invasive cultivar ) some bergenia cordifolia cultivars do not get too large and are evergreen, will grow in any type of condition. Fragaria 'Lipstick' for example is edible one ( doesn't taste like normal strawberry tho). you also have creeping chamomille which has edible foliage ( for herbal tea), Creeping thyme, Creeping prostrate rosemary ( just layer all branches, rinse and repeat ). if your zone isn't too cold you may consider growing gotu kola. Cornus canadensisis a edible creeping groundcover, there are 2 cultivars that stay smaller than one foot. you also have small shrubs like Gaultheria procumbens, certain edible dwarf mahonia species, Certain grass species like acorus gramineus '' licorice'' has sweet tasting foliage that is edible , its low creeping evergreen species that can be easily propagated. 2 links : http://www.pfaf.org/user/cmspage.aspx?pageid=81 http://www.pfaf.org/user/DatabaseSearhResult.aspx just check the edible rating and medicinal rating and what parts are edible from each plant. Just make sure that you get the right plant for proper locations, in edible / foodforest gardens it's often shade tolerant species. This post was edited by Lodewijkp on Mon, Aug 25, 14 at 16:13

Over the last year I've added 2 varieties of apples, purple leafed plum, lavenders, german chamomile, roman chamomile, chicory, yarrow, elderberry, wolfberry, another hazelnut, borage, garlic, and comfrey, as well as veggies like peppers, tomatoes, radishes, scarlet runner beans, and I've just sown 2 varieties of kale. I added some things a bit late (I just recently found out about edible forest gardens!), so I may need to replace a couple of things that look iffy. This fall I'm hoping to add raspberries, thornless blackberries, red currants, grape vine, and a mulberry.

You really inspired me to check this out, Rebecca! Very interesting concept that I guess could closely identify with permaculture. I am attaching a website that I found that lists a few vegetable companion plants for forest gardening. At the top of the page, at the end of the list, you can click on "resources and links" and you'll get some ideas on where to look for plants. There is a lot of other information on this website, too. For native plants, I highly recommend Prairie Moon Nursery on the web. Some plants you may be able to find at local nurseries, depending on where you're located in the state. I grow a lot of native plants myself, because the focus of my garden is urban wildlife - butterflies, moths, bees, birds, etc., for which I grow several larval host plants. I then raise the caterpillars, feeding them the appropriate food, and release them when they have reached adulthood. My yard is small so I really don't have enough space to meet the qualifications for forest gardening, but I do try to feed me and the critters while I'm at it. I do love the idea, though. Although this webpage doesn't directly refer to "forest gardening", I think that the idea is also used for "intense planting". For books, I found recommendations for the following: How to Make a Forest Garden, by Patrick Whitefield (once again, from the UK, but an updated "how to" book) Creating a Forest Garden: Working With Nature to Grow Edible Crops, Martin Crawford The elite book on the subject is probably going to be Edible Forest Gardening (2 Vol. set) by Dave Jacke and Eric Toensmeier. Check out on Amazon if you're interested: "Edible Forest Gardening" It's kinda expensive - $94.50, and that's with 37% off. You may find it less expensive elsewhere on the web, perhaps Abe's Books. The authors are American, and at least you would get the American perspective on the issue. I also found an article in Mother Earth News, entitled Plant an Edible Forest Garden, by Harvey Ussery, August/September 2007 issue: "Mother Earth News Article" This website, containing info at the Veganic Agriculture Network, on forest gardening, and has a list of nurseries that have available and suitable plants for forest gardening. Once you develop a plan of action, including what plants you'd like to grow, if you come back to the forum, we can help you with whether or not you can probably find them locally, or if you will need to use a mail order source. "Nursery Listings, Etc." I for one, am very interested in your progress, and would appreciate updates on how things are going for you and your lovely garden. So excited for you! Susan Here is a link that might be useful: Avant-Gardening

Good idea to plan before you plant! I realize that you have some north/south sunlight issues, but those trees are going to shed a LOT of leaves all around your house, with the associated clean-up. It would be nice if you could place them where the leaves could drop to be self-mulching. The trees will only be producing a crop about once a year, if that, so they generally need less attention. Your more-attention crops would be better nearer the house, if you could work out the sunlight issues. Just keep in mind that when the annual crops are actually growing, the sun is more or less overhead, so don't worry too much about how low the sun is in winter, early spring and late fall. High-maintenance crops (and chickens, etc) get more attention if they're near the house. And then there's the winter issue of tromping out through snow, ice and mud every day or so. I'm not an expert on bees, but I really don't think they need their own yard -- that's probably wasting space that could be used better. Maybe putting them near the tree edges would be better? And I think you could scatter them around a bit, just tucking them in where they wouldn't form a barrier (as in a line). Do you really need so many standard-sized fruit trees? They take up a lot of room on a residential lot, and it appears they would block the solar access to your home and and some of the surrounding vegetation. There's no indication of how large your salad garden area is, but it looks like you're going to have to walk on some plants to harvest the others. Tempting, but not practical. Perhaps you could redesign it using keyhole walkways, thus having the most access with the most veggies? By the way, it's usually easier to read a map if the N is on the top side. ;-) Sue