Create a thriving and productive mini ecosystem that supports your fruit tree by designing a guild – a permaculture technique in which a group of plants are chosen to complement and support a central plant.
Guilds are a great way to make the most of under-utilised space in the garden and to obtain a diverse yield. Whether your garden is small or your property vast and rambling, the space under and around your fruit trees is valuable real estate. Being mindful with what you plant there can bring many benefits to the fruit trees, to your other garden inhabitants and to yourself. A guild can bring higher yields as it adds nutrients, attracts pollinators, stabilises temperatures and controls pests and diseases. By creating a little food forest of mutually beneficial plants below your fruit trees you can obtain a bountiful mixed yield, while at the same time, reducing the amount of work you need to put into it. Win win!