Planning a Food Forest

Food forests are just like they sound: a carefully designed ecosystem that includes various plants working together in synchrony to produce food.

A home food forest in Broward County with a gravel path running through mulched areas with banana trees and other edible plants. — A food forest in South Florida. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Di Giacinco, UF/IFAS Extension Broward County.

Whether you are looking for the convenience of harvesting edible plants from your backyard or hoping to gain the nutritional value and improved taste of homegrown food, a food forest might be a commitment well worth the effort.

Layers and Players

Food forests consist of multiple vertical layers, starting with the canopy layer, with trees 20 feet and taller. Next, you might have lower trees that range in height from 10 to 20 feet. The shrub layer roughly extends from 3 to 10 feet in height, while the ground layer and rhizosphere layer (root layer) include the lower portions of the forest near and below the ground.

Not all the plants in a food forest need to be producers of edible parts. The contributions of the species are intertwined, each with their own unique purpose. You can have fruiting plants that provide sustenance, but also plants that create biomass with leaf layers. The organic matter can be used as compost and help form organic, rich, biodiverse soil.
Some plants are nitrogen fixers and add nitrogen to the soil, while others can block the wind. You even have plants that can deter pests or attract beneficial insects. And since the food forest will produce a lot of shade, you will need some shade-loving plants below the canopy.

Right Plant, Right Place

A fully grown pineapple still on the plant in a Florida home garden.

One of the key considerations when creating a food forest is to assess your land’s environmental conditions to know what you are working with. Evaluate the amount of light that your property receives, and what areas have more or less sun. You should also note the prevailing wind strength and direction, and plan to use more wind-resilient plants in windy areas, or avoid planting there altogether.

How water moves through your property is also important to understand. Figure out if you are in a flood zone and if there are nearby rivers, lakes or retention ponds. Take note of where drainage is directed and what areas stay wetter than others.

Soil is another important factor. We recommend a soil test to determine the pH and soil profile. This will help you decide if soil amendments are necessary and what types of plants will thrive there. Climate will also determine what to plant, so visit the USDA’s online Hardiness Zones map and use it to decide which plants belong in your area.

To receive plant recommendations suitable for your area, contact your local UF/IFAS Extension office. They will be able to provide a list of species likely to have success in your food forest based on the local conditions. You can also check to see what else is growing in your neighborhood and nearby areas with similar microclimates.

Time and Money

Before getting started, figure out the cost of the project. Are you retrofitting an existing landscape or starting with a clean slate? Do you have the time to plant and design everything yourself, or will you need to hire a designer? What is in your budget? These questions and more should be addressed at the get-go. The good news is, you can create a food forest at different scales depending on your needs and limitations. Small-scale projects can be made in garden beds or even containers.

Methodology and Techniques

There are various directions you can take your food forest, and there is no single right way. You could model your system after permaculture design, a system integrating all aspects of society, economy and ecology. Its focus is on creating self-sustaining, resilient environments that can create food while giving back to nature.

Creating a biointensive garden is another option. The goal is to create a mini-ecosystem that uses sustainable agricultural techniques like companion planting, composting, and using calorie-efficient and carbon-efficient plants. Double-digging, one technique used in this gardening style, involves loosening compacted soil by digging down into the ground about 2-3 feet to enhance root growth and improve water and nutrient retention.

Hügelkultur (a German word meaning hill or mound culture) is a unique method that entails placing twigs, soil and mulch over a tree stump and planting over top the mound. It increases the surface area of the garden and increases nutrient quality of the soil as the deadwood breaks down. Moisture-loving plants can be installed near the bottom and drier plants on top.

Illustration showing a cross section of a hugelkultur mound, so you can see the different sizes of logs and sticks buried under the dirt to make the raised mound. — Typical cross section of a hügelkultur. Illustration by Carmen Wright, Oklahoma State University, for “Sustainable Landscapes: Creating a Hügelkultur for Gardening with Stormwater Management Benefits,” by Qing Lana Luo, Casey Hentges, Carmen Wright. OSU Extension.

You can also choose from organic production techniques or decide to be chemical-free. Adopting an integrated pest management plan can protect against pests while limiting pesticide use. If pesticides are deemed necessary, only use gentler options such as neem oil and Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt).

Many people are also drawn to certain aesthetics in their garden. Do you want certain shapes, textures or color palettes? Do you want a formal design, or a more wild approach? Do you want a tropical food forest or more traditional options? What are your HOA’s limitations? These questions and more can help guide your planning.

Production

Fruit of roselle are fleshy and garnet colored. Called "hips," they are the bottom of the flower and what's left after the petals fall. — Roselle “hips” are popular for tea and other drinks. UF/IFAS.

When deciding what and when to plant, take into consideration the time of the fruiting and your capability to harvest and process the crops. Freezing, preserving and canning are multiple ways to save your harvest for future consumption. You could also give away excess quantities to neighbors or friends. Be sure to have a plan before harvest time so that you are not overwhelmed with your bounty and end up with rotting fruit and vegetables that go to waste. It might be useful to keep a record of when you plant, what you are growing, and how the plants are interacting and behaving.

NOTE: Be aware of allergies to plants you will be installing in the landscape and understand exactly what the plant identification is. Don’t overconsume by eating too much of one thing because some plants can cause an accumulation of toxins in the body. Other plants have to be cooked in exactly the right way, or they might make you ill.

Through careful planning and research, you can build a sustainable food forest on your property and reap the rewards for years to come. It can be done by beginners, so most importantly, don’t be afraid to make mistakes.

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More Cooperative Extension

Sustainable Landscapes: Creating a Hügelkultur for Gardening with Stormwater Management Benefits–Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service