A fruit tree guild is a permaculture technique for disease-resistant, high-yield gardens. Learn more about this style of growing fruit trees that thrive.
This page may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more info.
A guild is a grouping of plants that supports a central element—such as a fruit tree—for maximum harvest and use of space.
After I learned about this technique in my permaculture design certification course many years ago, I was excited to experiment with it in my own yard. I created a fruit tree guild around my plum tree as well as cherry tree guilds, and watched as the biodiversity helped me get rid of a pest problem.
I’ve been hooked ever since!
So let’s dive into this permaculture technique and see how it works to create a low-maintenance system that also improves biodiversity.
In this article:
- Why a fruit tree guild is like a mini ecosystem
- How to size fruit tree guilds appropriately
- An example of a fruit tree guild
- Why it’s important to observe and tweak a fruit tree guild
- Beginner’s guide to building a fruit tree guild
- 7 types of plants to include in a fruit tree guild
- 6 FAQs about building fruit tree guilds
A Fruit Tree Guild is a Mini Ecosystem
The use of guilds came about by observing how certain plants would naturally group themselves together in an unmanaged setting.
Some scientists have been able to demonstrate that certain plants’ proximity to one another was mutually beneficial (like how birch trees and Douglas firs are interdependent).
This was our first look into being able to create ‘guilds’ of plants by design. However, the concept of designing human-made guilds is relatively new, and many early experiments are still in progress.
Still, guilds provide a roadmap for developing interconnected ecosystems, which may reduce our workload and increase yield over time.
The goal of the guild is to underplant a central element, such as a fruit or nut tree, with plants that are highly useful, multifunctional, and that might naturally be found growing together.
For example, under-plantings in a guild might include plants that fertilize, repel pests, attract beneficial insects, create mulch, and suppress grass, and more.
The general idea is to take advantage of the benefits of plants to reduce cost, labor, and the need to import materials.
Now, to be certain, planting a tree guild takes more effort than simply planting the tree by itself, and it may also cost a bit more at the outset for the extra plants.
However, in the long run, guilds will likely be more resilient and vigorous, even if solely from a biodiversity standpoint.
Would you like to grow food in your front yard without sacrificing curb appeal? Check out my mini guide, The Permaculture Inspired Edible Landscape.
Size Fruit Tree Guilds Appropriately
How you plant a fruit tree guild depends on your space—whether you have several acres or less than half an acre, for example. In larger spaces, you could develop a large guild under an expansive, 70-foot tall nut tree.
On the other hand, a dwarf fruit tree or berry bush, like blueberry, might be the central element in a smaller space. (Try an ‘Elliott’ blueberry from Food Forest Nursery!)
To start, choose a central element that is appropriately sized for your space. Consider linking together fruit and nut tree guilds. Toby Hemenway, author of Gaia’s Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture, calls this a “superguild.” It could also be called a food forest.
I sometimes refer to a grouping of fruit tree guilds as an orchard on steroids! Check out the 2-hour film The Permaculture Orchard: Beyond Organic for more inspiration.
A ‘superguild’ might take the shape of a linear hedgerow, which I discuss in my article how to plant a hedgerow.
The Apple Tree Guild Example
The most common example of a fruit tree guild is that of the apple tree guild. You can prevent grass from creeping under the tree and repel wildlife by planting a ring of daffodils and garlic chives at the drip line of the tree.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Central element: Apple tree (Try the disease-resistant ‘Enterprise’ apple from Food Forest Nursery)
- Suppress grass and repel wildlife: Daffodils, garlic chives*
- Attract pollinators, repel pests and diseases: Bee balm, dill, fennel*
- Fertilize and mulch: Comfrey, dandelion, yarrow, white clover
*Because apple scab fungus is a common ailment of apple trees, fennel and garlic chives provide some anti-fungal properties.
See the following articles to learn more about the “superpowers” of these plants:
- 5 Weeds You Want in Your Garden (Hint: Dandelion and White Clover are among them!)
- 5 Reasons to Grow Yarrow in Your Garden
- 8 Herbs for the Medicine Garden
Observe and Experiment
Now, for certain, the above is not a recipe, merely an example of how you can take advantage of nature’s gifts to create a fruit tree guild that works like a mini ecosystem to reduce your workload.
Even if you followed a so-called recipe such as this one, you’ll need to tweak your guild over time to accommodate the unique conditions of your site.
For example, your soil may need nutrients other than the ones provided by the under-plantings you’ve chosen. Or you may have pests that need a different combination of plants to repel them or attract the right beneficial allies.
To see how a guild might need to be tweaked for your local conditions, read about my cherry tree guilds and how I dealt with a pest problem. I originally underplanted my cherry trees with popular fruit tree guild plants, but ultimately, the trees needed a little something extra that was unique to my situation.
My cherry tree guild includes herbs like comfrey, calendula, and chives.
To clarify, permaculture guilds are not exact recipes to follow. Indeed, they are combinations of plants that people have tried growing together or have observed growing together in natural ecosystems.
For example, while hiking in a local park, I noticed wild geranium (Geranium maculatum) growing densely throughout the forest with wild ginger (Asarum canadense), so I planted the two together in a shady pollinator garden where they are thriving.
However, just because these combinations were successful in one environment, doesn’t mean they’ll work in another, so a little experimentation is always in order.
The Beginner’s Guide to Building a Guild
Before building a guild, it’s important to make some observations about your landscape to be sure what you plant will be in line with both your goals and the ecology of your land. In permaculture design, we ask a specific set of questions while we’re observing the landscape. You can download my free, 13-page worksheet, Making Observations, at the end of my article on how to use the power of observation in permaculture design.
Once you’ve selected the right spot, plant your tree. (Here are 5 steps to planting fruit trees.)
Next, measure a circle around the fruit tree using sticks or flags to mark the mature width. This perimeter is called the drip line. The roots of the tree will eventually extend to this point, and perhaps even farther.
Because of this, you can increase success by improving the health of the soil inside this circle.
Start by spreading cardboard under the tree, overlapping the ends so the ground inside the drip line is thoroughly covered. Moisten the cardboard with water, and cover it with 3-6 inches of compost soil, keeping the soil away from the trunk.
Be sure that none of the edges of the cardboard are exposed.
7 Types of Plants to Plant in a Fruit Tree Guild
Establish plants underneath the fruit tree that:
- attract beneficial insects
- deter wildlife
- fertilize
- mulch
- produce nectar to attract pollinators
- repel pests
- suppress grass
That seems like a lot of plants to fit under one tree!
However, many plants actually perform more than one function. I call these multifunctional plants “super plants”. (They’re kind of like super heroes!)
There are a lot of plants to choose from, but the following are some of my favorites:
a. Choose Daffodils or Garlic
They repel deer and other wildlife, repel fruit tree borers, and stop grass from creeping under the tree.
b. Choose Comfrey or Borage
These cousins are both herbs that produce fertilizer, mulch, and nectar, and are excellent at attracting beneficial insects.
Read more about comfrey and borage, superstars of the fruit tree guild system.
c. Choose Oregano or Chives
Their strong scents repel pests. They both can also take a little bit of foot traffic, which is helpful during harvest time.
Read more about oregano and chives and their usefulness in the garden.
d. Add White Clover
It is an excellent source of nitrogen, an essential nutrient for healthy fruit production, and is often used in orchards as a walkable ground cover.
Remember to try your own experiments. Do you have a favorite plant that can be chopped back often to create mulch or that attracts pollinators and beneficial insects? Give it a try!
Note: Only step inside the drip line for harvesting or pruning. Otherwise, stay outside the drip line to reduce soil compaction under the tree.
Now, go forth and create some fruit tree guilds (mini ecosystems) on your micro-farm!
6 FAQs About Building Fruit Tree Guilds
#1: What is a fruit tree guild?
A fruit tree guild is a permaculture technique that groups plants around a central element, like a cherry tree, to create a mini ecosystem that supports the tree’s health and productivity.
#2: How does a fruit tree guild benefit the central tree?
It can help fertilize the tree, repel pests, attract beneficial insects, create mulch, suppress grass, and increase overall biodiversity and resilience.
#3: How do I start building a fruit tree guild?
Begin by planting your tree, then measure and mark the drip line. Cover the area with cardboard and compost soil, then plant supportive species around the tree.
#4: Can I customize a fruit tree guild for my specific conditions?
Yes, you’ll want to observe your local conditions and experiment with different plant combinations to find what works best for your unique situation.
#5: Are fruit tree guilds a lot of work to maintain?
While they require more initial effort to set up, guilds are designed to be low-maintenance systems that reduce workload over time.
#6: Can I create a fruit tree guild in a small space?
Yes, you can scale the guild to fit your space, even using a dwarf fruit tree or berry bush as the central element in smaller areas.
Have you experimented with fruit tree guilds? What has worked for you?
READ NEXT:
- What is Permaculture?
- 6 Maps to Draw for Creating Your Own Permaculture Site Design
- 12 Perennial Crops for Wet Soil
Sarah says
I’m loving this blog so far! I live in a high desert environment – are there good companion plants for a fig tree guild that you know of?
Amy says
Figs are a special case because they don’t need pollinators to set fruit, though adding plants that are appropriate for your climate that attract beneficial insects can help integrate the fig trees with the rest of the ecosystem. Figs don’t attract a lot of pests or have any heavy nutrient needs. This is why I like growing figs—they are pretty low maintenance.
Figs tend to have aggressive roots that crowd out anything that tries to grow beneath it. You might add a mix of clovers, yarrow, dill, or fennel—whatever works for your climate—just to add biodiversity, and see what sticks. Whatever thrives is the ticket. If nothing thrives, then I would just add a mulch to keep the soil/roots protected.
denise says
Ants will climb fig trees and eat out the figs leaving the skin intact. They will nest under the trees and swarm all over it. I had to use tanglefoot to finally rid them from the trees.
Susan Bill says
Thank for that info – we had this happen last year, really disappointing! I also saw that you can use duct tape, with the sticky side out, around the trunk while the fruit is ripening to keep the ants away from the fruit.
Amy says
You can also try underplanting fig trees with spearmint plants. Chop and drop the plants regularly to release a fresh, minty smell that repels ants. You can also use the cuttings to make a compost tea to spray the trees with.
Vickie says
You might try the herb tansy to repel ants. It is related to chrysanthemum and the leaves naturally contain pyrethrum, a chemical used in many insecticide products. Tansy has small white or yellow flowers that look like miniature but Button mums. Tansy leaves may also be dried and crumbled around doorways and foundations to repel ants. Like daffodil, the tansy plant also releases ant repelling chemicals into the soil, so you can plant it near established ant hills to force the ants to move their queen and colony elsewhere. Other herbs that repel ants include lavender, rosemary, thyme, oregano and mints. You will want to plant mints in pots, as they can spread aggressively and become invasive.
Another strategy you could trying to plant other ant attracting plants, such as peonies, in an area away from your fig plants. The ants may then move away from your fig trees for the more attractive peonies.
Teena says
I have had a great crop of leeks under our new small fig tree
Donna says
Hi Amy
Could you recommend a good resource for different fruit tree guilds…I have apple but also cherry, haskap, pear and blueberries and want to add plants beneath them. Also, do you recommend removing the grass under the tree before laying the cardboard or just putting the cardboard over the grass and let it compost on its own?
Love your blog…it has been so helpful.
Amy says
Hi Donna, since there is no specific recipe for guilds, I would start out by growing many of the plants that I mention in this article—whichever are appropriate for your climate—under your fruit trees and see what works. You may have to adjust your guilds if you run across any problems like I did with my cherry tree guilds.
Blueberries of course will enjoy any fertilizers or mulches that help to keep the soil acidic. You’ll find some good ideas in my soil guide that you received upon subscribing. A ground cover of white clover will feed the blueberries with nitrogen. Mulches and fertilizers can be spread in late fall or early spring on top of the white clover (it will grow through).
Yana says
Is it appropriate to also harvest from the guilds? I don’t have a particularly big garden and I always felt that the space between the trees could be utilized for planting more edibles. I think guilds are essential in hot climates, they act like living mulch.
Amy says
Absolutely! While the trees are young, you could plant annuals in the alleys between the trees (outside of their driplines). This is a common practice with permaculture perennial crop farmers (tree crops, orchards, etc). I think that within the dripline, directly under the tree, planting more permanent support plants will help the fruit trees become better established and healthier. That’s because annual crops will pull nutrients from the soil, while your permanent support plants will be, well, supportive. 🙂
beth c says
How close to the trunk does one generally plant daffodils? Thanks for the great information- though I’ve done a lot of reading about permaculture, guild building still seems mysterious & scary to me! 😀
Amy says
If it is a new, young fruit tree, then give the daffodils the prescribed spacing for the variety (usually 6-12 inches) away from the trunk. If it is an older fruit tree, I would double that distance, because the tree will have a lot of roots that you might disturb in the planting. In that case, be gentle.
Sarah says
Can you plant the guild if the fruit tree is already a few years old? I don’t want to run into roots while digging to plant daffodil bulbs, for instance.
Jeanne says
Looking forward to following your Blog! I have already been inspired by your posts on fruit tree guilds. I have three new trees to plant. With your advice, they should be successful. Thank you!
-Genie, mycountrycittage1.com
karen says
Thank you so much for your contribution to the Homesteading Summit. my question is, can one guild a tree in a container? we aren’t sure about planting our trees in the ground as we are not sure if we will stay in our present residence. any info would be welcome. it is a very interesting concept to support our trees. thank you again.
Amy says
I understand your conundrum. You can plant fruit trees in containers and guild them, but here are a few things I would consider. First, choose dwarf or columnar varieties that will do better in a confined space. Second, make sure you’re planting them in a big enough pot.
At maturity, they will enjoy a 10-15 gallon pot, which is a pretty substantial size and can be difficult to move.
As for the guild, any plants you add to the container will help to bring in pollinators and/or repel pests, but I’m not sure if they will contribute fertilizer because container soils have fewer soil organisms to help break down the plant matter into useable nutrients.
Remember that if you plant fruit trees in potting soil, they will need to be regularly fertilized. I recommend watering regularly with fish fertilizer. Good luck!
Bonnie says
Greatly enjoyed your presentation at the Homesteading Summit on permaculture and just ordered Suburban Micro-Farm – looking forward to planning my next steps in a small suburban garden. I’m not sure I ordered it through your link, is it possible to send some form of confirmation of purchase and be able to receive the four downloads? They look exceptionally helpful too.
Thanks for your insights.
Amy says
I’m glad you enjoyed the presentation! Yes, just forward your email purchase confirmation to me, and I’ll share the downloads. Otherwise, the link will come with the book.
Teerry says
Thank you for this article. I haven’t really gotten into permaculture, but I do have an oval garden under my apple tree. I put some compost under it and transplanted some herbs, chives, yarrow and bee balm. Still have to plant my garlic, and I ordered some comfrey. Hoping for a good garden next year.
Amy says
This sounds like a fabulous start to a fruit tree guild! Guilds are fun to watch over time and tweak as needed for your conditions. You might discover an herb or flower that blooms at the same time as your tree to help with pollination or a plant that rejuvenates a particular mineral deficiency. The possibilities are endless!
Ray says
Such an interesting read! This is great information. Definitely putting this on my list of future goals for my garden. You mention early in the article that the concept of human-made guilds is fairly new. What about the Three Sisters method of planting? Or do guilds refer specifically to perennial plantings?
Amy says
The three sisters method is a great example of a guild. Thanks for mentioning it. Plant communities can be a combination of annuals, perennials, and/or both.
Stephen says
Hi Amy.
Thank you for this wonderful post. I have a question and it comes from a complete novice so expect a not-s intelligent garden question.
Myself and my wife have started our Fruit Tree guild out our back garden just outside Chicago. We planted our Peachtree November, prepared the soil and put down the cardboard as well as covered with mulched leaves. It has been a few months now, nice and moist and the tree is looking strong. The next step is what I need to know. I see many give advice to put the cardboard down, and leaves etc, but then go straight on to the next level of planting the plants. But, never what to do about the cardboard on top and leaves. Yes, the cardboard is good and wet but it has not decomposed as mentioned buy knowledgeable people.
My question is, what to do with the leaves and cardboard on top of our 10 x 10 space. Remove it or dig it back into the soil as we prepare to plant?
I hope you get what I mean and can help, even if I sound like a lost puppy haha.
Thanks Amy.
Stephen.
Amy says
It depends on what you plan to plant under your fruit trees. My suggestion would be to pull away the leaves and add a layer of compost on top of the cardboard. Then you can sow any seeds that you were intending to sow into the compost. Then replace the mulch on top.
If you intend to plant actual plants, then I would still add compost to help the cardboard break down faster, and then I would wait until the cardboard had composted before planting my plants, probably in the fall.
However, if you’re really gung-ho, you can cut holes in the cardboard to be able to plant into the soil. This works fine as long as you don’t have any serious weeds or grass that you were trying to kill with the cardboard.
Dale says
I’m sure Stephen is way past this question by now but I just want to add/suggest, that a 6 inch layer of woodchips over the cardboard might be a way to prepare the plot for your guild.
Marilyn Horne says
Hi Amy –
Thank you so much for the great information. I am just starting out in permaculture and find your advice very easy to follow.
I live in the Orlando FL area and have a 10 year old advocado tree that came up as a volunteer and is now about 16 feet tall! It just fruited for the first time and I really need to give it better care. I have let the grass grow up to the trunk and it has scale or rust on the leaves. Would it benefit from a guild? Compost? Worm tea.
Thank you in advance,
Marilyn
Amy says
The goal of a guild is to support the health of the tree. If this were my tree, I would sheet mulch underneath the drip line with cardboard to remove the grass, adding wood chip mulch on top, then spraying it with worm tea. This will protect the roots of the tree from the scorching sun and maintain consistent moisture. I would do this first and then observe for a year. In the following year, you may add some guild plants. There are many to choose from, but as mentioned above, research what your tree needs and which plants can provide them. I would consider a climate-appropriate nitrogen fixer as your first planting.
Kyle says
Hi Amy, I may have missed this point but since apple trees need more than one tree should I be planting two trees in the centre of the guild, appropriately spaced, or creating two similar but seperate guilds? Thanks.
Amy says
You could do either. 🙂
Nick says
Hi Amy,
I’m really wanting to start my fruit tree guild and integrate other vegetables and edible plants into the growing space. I’m working on land that was previously used as an organic farm and has very healthy soil currently covered with a couple cover crops. Like Stephen above, I feel like I’m ready to start planting but also appreciate the value in sheet mulching to set up a garden or guild for success. Do you think I would be safe to simply plant my guild in the healthy soil through openings in the cover crop I create, then covering the rest of the space with cardboard, compost and mulch?
Thank you so much for all your work in spreading the permaculture movement. Your knowledge and expertise is what keeps us novices going!
-Nick
Amy says
I don’t think sheet mulching is a requirement, especially if you already have healthy soil. You could plant guild plants directly into the native soil. However, if you’re starting from seed, the existing cover crop may overpower it.
Cris says
Hi, I am using the permaculture technique around my fruit trees . My question is I have mountain yarrow growing and I feel like if left go it probably would take over and my concern is eventually it will be right up to the trunk of the tree. Not sure if it will hurt the tree that close. What r ur thoughts please…???
Amy says
Yarrow is highly beneficial to fruit trees. But like many other useful plants, it’s important to know how to use it to capitalize on its awesomeness! It probably won’t hurt your tree if it grows prolifically. However, if you’re trying to grow a diversity of plants in your understory guild, then simply pull out some of the growth and thank it for being so useful!
I chop yarrow back frequently and lay as mulch (leaving just a few here and there to flower). This holds in moisture as well as offers nutrients for the tree, without allowing it to set seed everywhere and dominate the understory. Balance is key. Read more about yarrow here.
Emma says
Hi! I have two Elderberries that are in almost full shade. What could I plant around them to help support them with this method of a Guild that will survive in shade? All of the plants you recommended need a lot of sun. Thank you!
Amy says
You could seek out forest medicinals to plant as an understory such as ginseng, black cohosh, goldenseal, and trillium. Maybe wild ginger. All of these would protect/build soil and protect against erosion.
Alternatively, rather than thinking about what to plant below the elderberries, you could consider planting a larger guild around them, by adding trees like American persimmon and pawpaw.
Shanna says
Hello, I have learned so much here….just bought 5lbs of crimson clover, and some yarrow. We moved 8wks ago to some land that had a 100×50 garden already started. The rows were ready for fall planting. I recently direct sowed lots of veggies, lettuce, herbs etc. The previous owner had already planted several fruit trees in this space. 2 pear, 2 plum, 1 white mulberry, 2 brown turkey figs….I want to leave them in this space, but was recently told by a friend who visited it will shade my garden eventually. my question is….can I keep these fruit trees in the 100×50 garden with veggies and still have success with both? I am nervous about transplanting and losing them
Amy says
You may get too much shade if the trees are on the south or east side of the garden. Otherwise, I would probably keep them. Gardens often do well with a bit of evening shade.
If the trees are still young, you could try Backyard Orchard Culture to keep them small, or transplant them. I wouldn’t transplant older trees.
California Delta girl says
Is your friend going to help you dig up and transplant those trees? If not, leave the trees where the previous owner planted them. All of them can be held to a height to allow gardening beneath them. If this were my garden, I’d thin the branches of the trees each season to develop an open vase framework. That pruning style will allow sunlight into the crowns and to the ground. I’d put shade-loving companion plants in the north-east area of the drip line, and sun-tolerant companion plants in the south-west area under each tree.
Kitten says
Does anyone know what plants would be especially good for a pawpaw guild and a persimmon guild?
Amy says
It sounds like you’re growing in part shade/shade? I like plants in the serviceberry/juneberry family (Amelanchier spp.) for this application. You might try American plum, hazelnut, or gooseberries/currants (Ribes spp.). Ground covers like ramps, ginseng, and goldenseal should also do well.
The book Integrated Forest Gardening: The Complete Guide to Polycultures and Plant Guilds in Permaculture Systems includes one wonderful guild with both persimmon and pawpaw, along with 15 other plant species in it. There’s also second pawpaw guild that includes 10 plant species, and a second persimmon guild with 12 plant species. It’s a great book!
Emily says
Can a guild approach be used for espalier fruit trees where there is little space?
Amy says
Certainly, just select for herbaceous plants that meet your spacing requirements, such as a ground cover of clover or sweet alyssum.
sunshine Leach says
Wow, can’t wait to get started. I’ve attempted once to start a guild under my dwarf apple trees. Somewhat successful but ran into a few issues. You’ve cleared up those issues for me. Can’t wait to fix it after I go through your free permaculture course. Thanks for sharing!
Beth says
I’ve been doing a lot of researching on a plum tree guild. Your article is the most helpful and informative. Thank you, Amy!
Andrew says
I see you recommending white clover in several articles on fruit tree guilds. Any reason to specify white clover instead of other varieties? White clover is not native to my area and I’d rather use the native.
Amy says
I like to use white clover because it’s relatively low-growing and walkable, which makes it easy to harvest and do maintenance on the fruit tree. If you’re doing an all-native fruit tree guild, then use what you like. As I mentioned in the article, there are a lot of support plants to choose from, I’m just sharing some of my multifunctional favorites.
Finola Jennings Clark says
I live in Saint Lucia, a tropical island in the Caribbean, so our plants and systems are a little different, but I have to say that I find your blog so useful – you are very generous with your information and that’s very much appreciated! We do have a couple of regional permaculture institutes and I do hope one day to follow a formal course, but for now, I am learning a lot from you, so thank you!
Pattie says
This is my favorite article on your blog! We live on Hawaii island and planted a small orchard two years ago. This year I underplanted the fruit trees with comfrey, calendula, chives, oregano, thyme, apple mint, nasturtiums and heather. The honey bees love the new additions!! So far we are growing avocados, mango, lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruit, bananas and pineapples and all are doing well.
Judy Gros says
Hi Amy, we live in central Texas, which is hot and dry. We are currently in a drought. Any suggestions on fruit trees and guild plants suitable for this climate. Oh, and I have a 10 year old fig tree that has its fruit stolen every year by raccoons, foxes, squirrels and birds. I’ve tried netting, individually bagging the fruit and repellent sprays. Nothing works. 2 years ago we had a severe freeze and froze it to the roots. It put on a few gigs last year but so late they never ripened but were still eaten by something. I’m not sure the variety of fig I have as it was gifted to me.
Amy says
There’s no secret recipe to creating fruit tree guilds. 🙂 Simply underplant them with aromatic herbs and beneficial flowers that grow well in your climate.
Figs should be protected over the winter (even so-called “hardy” varieties) so as to protect the main scaffolding that grows the new shoots which produce the fruit. That way, fruit can develop prior to the end of the season.
As far as keeping critters from eating your harvest, I suggest a portable electric fence, which can be set up around a crop at harvest time and then removed. It’s been my most successful strategy to date.
Wren Everett says
Would I be able to use your photo of the cherry tree guild for an article I’m writing on polyculture? I would give full attribution to your original post and a link to your site. Please let me know, if you can!
Lydia says
Hi! I am getting ready to plant my first two cherry trees. Do I plant the tree and let it get established the first year, and plant companion plants later for the guild so they don’t compete? Or do you plant it all at once? Want to give these trees the best shot at surviving! Thanks!
Amy says
You can plant guilds at the time of planting the tree. You can also retroactively plant guilds with mature trees. I like to plant them while they’re young to set them up for success. I tend to plant no closer than 2 feet from the trunk so that I don’t smother the new tree. I also tend to plant shorter things on the sunward side so as not to shade out the new tree.