What is a food forest?

A food forest is a layered, perennial food growing system, designed to mimic nature, albeit typically containing more edible plants. It can be modelled on a young woodland, in terms of biodiversity, density of planting, light levels reaching plants, shading of soil and the interconnected self-supporting functions of the forest.

 

Food forests employ plants of different heights, making the most of the varied light and soil conditions, maximising total growing space.

 

They contain a mixture of heights, including canopy layers which are large fruit and nut trees, dwarf fruit trees, shrubs (in particular fruit bushes), herbaceous layers which include herbs and perennial vegetables, edible root plants and climbing, vine plants. Within the different layered heights, it’s also important note that you can find wildflowers for pollinators and beneficial insects.

 

These are symbiotic systems where different plants support one another.