What is a forest garden?

A forest garden or woodland garden is a garden designed to function in the same way as a young forest, with the difference that it consists of plants that are directly or indirectly for their own benefit - often with many edible plants. It can contain large and small trees, shrubs, perennials, herbs, root crops, climbers and mushrooms. They are planted in a way that optimizes the interaction between the plants and makes the garden self-sustaining.

What is a forest garden?

Self-sustaining

What makes a forest garden self-sustaining? By using nitrogen-fixing crops and other plants that draw nutrients from deeper layers in the soil, as well as activating the microorganisms in the soil, there is no need to add external fertilizer.

A highly efficient nutrient cycle is created when you develop a forest-like system that can be completely maintenance-free. The soil is kept in good condition by having a soil cover most of the time, and by using wind-breaking and frost-protective hedges.

Overall garden health is improved by using plants that reduce disease problems and plants that attract predators and predatory insects. that feed on pests and insect pests. Forest gardens can be cultivated on small and enormous scales - from a small back garden to huge fields, and the results are very rewarding.

Three-dimensional

One way of understanding the basis of biological productivity is to view the forest garden as three-dimensional, with several vertical layers. The top layer is made up of the tallest trees, which are unlikely to bear crops because they are so inaccessible.

They can be timber trees, nitrogen-fixing trees that fertilize large areas by dropping leaves and they can be windbreakers. In the layer below you'll find fruit, berry and nut trees (such as the well-known apple, pear, cherry and plum trees, but also lesser-known trees such as the American persimmon, hawthorn, white mulberry, Japanese silver bush, cherry plum, pawpaw/American papaya, black elder, black mulberry and buckthorn) - and trees/shrubs with edible leaves such as lime. In the layer below are shrubs with fruit, berries, nuts and edible leaves or other edible parts (e.g. currants, blackcurrants, bilberries and blueberries).

There is a huge variety of lesser-known edible shrubs that can withstand the changing Nordic climate). In the layer below, you'll find the perennials or herbaceous perennials (e.g. strawberries, scrub berries, artichokes, watercress, mint, fennel and hundreds of well-known and lesser-known edible perennials).

The shovel on the shelf - the mushroom renaissance

The big difference from traditional farming is, firstly, that the tradition of digging and turning the soil every spring is gone. It's laborious and also hard on the back. Perennials come up year after year and self-seed to a greater or lesser extent. This leaves room for the fungal mycelium under the soil, which plays a key symbiotic role in the forest garden: Mycorrhizal fungi colonize the host plant's roots where it receives a relatively constant supply of carbohydrates. In return, the fungi help the plant to absorb water and minerals (phosphorus, boron, copper, nitrogen, potassium, selenium, sulphur and zinc).

The vast majority of tree species, and many perennials, biennials and annuals - not only live in symbiosis with mycorrhizal fungi, but are dependent on them. The mycorrhizal symbiosis can additionally reduce drought and temperature stress, increase root longevity, improve the nitrogen fixation process, provide protection against pathogens.

The fungal mycelium can also transport nitrogen and phosphorus from plants that have a lot of access to minerals to plants growing in mineral-poor soil - tens of meters away. Plants growing in an ideal symbiosis with mycorrhizal fungi can produce 4-5 times greater yields than plants that do not live in symbiosis at all. Mycorrhizal fungi tolerate most soils, but are very vulnerable to soil disturbance, bare soil surface and nitrogen deficiency. Modern agriculture is therefore completely destructive to the fungus.

Hardiness and sun

What is suitable where requires a little thought and knowledge. Many species are only winter-hardy in coastal areas, some are picky and need alkaline soil, others need deep shade to thrive. Plant databases are plentiful and knowledge is more readily available than ever before. The forest garden can also easily be designed with solutions that allow for more sun-demanding vegetables. In fact, tomatoes, cucumbers and squash benefit greatly from being grown in a forest garden, as long as they are planted correctly and receive sufficient sun and protection from the wind.

Benefits of a forest garden

Very low energy consumption because you work with nature instead of against it
Wide range of products: fruits, nuts, seeds, vegetables, herbs, spices, firewood, mushrooms, medicinal plants, honey, syrup etc.
Perennial plants have a higher nutrient content than annual vegetables
By not digging and turning the soil, you facilitate the fungi's happy symbiosis with plant life
Resistance to extreme weather is high
Aesthetic and diverse
Zero emissions of greenhouse gases
Prevents soil erosion
Shelters buildings
Good for wildlife, many niches for small animals and insects

Images from a forest garden

Windbreaking and nitrogenfixing Siberian pea shrub with a soil cover of nettle

Straw mulch in a field with elephant garlic. Good winter habitat for many predatory insects. Both mulch, straw and other organic materials have many functions. They are intended to inhibit weeds, build up humus levels, release nutrients to plants, act as habitats for predatory insects and much much more.

Bamboo with organic soil cover of wood chips. Wood chips can immobilize nitrogen, but there are many techniques to avoid this. In addition, brown root fungi can be grown in wood chips to build up lignin levels i jorda. Bygging av organiske jorddekke med ulike substrater og sopp er en sentral del i skoghage grunnkurs.