closed canopy organic gardening is food forest prep

The goal of closed canopy gardening is to cover every inch of the soil with leaves, which promotes photosynthesis and increases biomass production.

A variety of plants can be grown in a closed canopy garden, including peppers, leeks, asparagus, garlic, basil, beans, and various fruit trees such as mulberries, elderberry, and black currants.

In a closed canopy garden, weed control is managed by letting selected plants survive while pulling up unwanted plants. Heavy mulching between plants also helps suppress weed growth.

Agroforestry is a land management system that combines agriculture and forestry techniques. In closed canopy gardening, agroforestry is incorporated by including trees and shrubs as part of the garden design, such as honey locust trees and nitrogen-fixing shrubs.

Over time, a closed canopy garden will evolve as plants grow larger and new plants are introduced. Perennials will continue to expand and new plant assemblages will be formed.

Some examples of thorny plants in a closed canopy garden include honey locust trees, gooseberry bushes, and wild tomato plants.

To learn more about closed canopy gardening, homesteading, and permaculture, you can visit the forums at perm.com.