I’ve been experimenting with the limits of foodscaping.
My goal is to convert my entire yard into a bountiful source of delicious food for the coming decades. Of course, I want to accomplish this in a way that increases its potential for success by minimizing the work and expense required to maintain it.
I’ve found the best way to do this is to think in terms of systems. It’s the same whether you are planning a special ops mission with Seal Team 6 or building a successful company that will be worth billions (I’ve done both). A systems approach makes it possible to turn success into something that is routine and easy to accomplish.
In terms of foodscaping, this means working with natural systems. Here’s a small example of what I mean.
I’ve been planting blueberry bushes since they love acidic soil and I have lots of it. I could have simply stuck the bushes in the ground, but instead, I’ve put a few systems in place to increase their potential to produce. A little work upfront should pay off over the long-term.
Here’s a picture from my phone.
The blue arrow points to the blueberry bush (I bought small, inexpensive bushes). The other arrows point to the components of my blueberry system:
- White arrow. A rock-lined drainage system.
- Purple arrow. Wood-chip mulch above and below a layer of soil composed of compost and peat moss.
- Red arrow. A large flat stone above the rootball. This moderates and warms the soil below.
- Yellow arrow. A small, mulched hillock on the north side to block cold northern winds and trap moisture.
This is just one small part of the bigger system I’m working on.
I’m learning more every day as I meet more of the experts working on the edge of what’s possible. Are you using systems to foodscape? If so, what do they do?
Sincerely Yours,
JOHN ROBB
