Plant Stacking - Work With Nature

Plants grow naturally in nature in what is known as a "stacked" layout. It is a method that can be incorporated into your gardening practices to allow for a greater utilization of space, and a greater productivity. Permaculture works in dimension, unlike traditional methods of gardening do.

Plant stacking emulates the way plants grow naturally in the forest, trees being a canopy, shrubs the next level down, herbaceous plants below them, ground cover plants at the lowest level, root crops beneath the surface, and vines growing in the background vertically.

Family Nature

In the garden these same methods that nature uses can be emulated by companion and succession planting. Permaculture works more with dimension than the traditional methods of gardening do. It also works in the dimension of time that involves planting crops in succession through all the seasons, all year. This allows for plants of various heights to grow together as companion plants.

Plant Stacking - Work With Nature

To increase the yield in a vegetable garden you would plant root crops such as carrots,radishes, or onions below the surface, clover or even herbs as a ground cover, corn tomatoes and peppers as low shrubs, climbing beans as vine plants, and fruit trees as the tallest plants all in the same area.

Stacking with time involves succession planting. Nature protects soil by regenerating plant growth, meaning that plants are replaced as others die off. This is where timing and planning of a garden is very important. If you plan the timing of new plants while existing plants are coming to the end of their productive cycle, you are stacking plants in time, and extending getting the most productive time throughout the growing season while keeping the soil protected with plant grow.

Planning the proper variety of crops to grow throughout the entire season, and even into the winter is very important for the soil structure. Soil in an organic garden needs to be replenished, or feed, to stay healthy. Mulching with organic mulch like compost and planting legumes ground covers to add organic matter and nutrients back into the soil is very beneficial to the structure of a healthy soil.

Nature has its own way to keep everything in balance naturally. Observe and take note of what is happening in the environment around your yard, and neighboring properties. Permaculture is all about emulating natures practices in your own yard and gardens, and don't be afraid to experiment in your garden with different plant varieties to see what works best for you.

Plant Stacking - Work With Nature