leeks/garlic instead of daffodils in fruit tree guilds

Way back when I was first learning and permaculture, I kept hearing about how it's a great idea to plant daffodils around fruit trees because they stop grass wildlife. And, hey, they're pretty! So, I planted them around my fruit trees. Years went buy, and it made more sense to plant elephant garlic and leeks around the trees, because they're yummy and bulb in the same way, and I needed somewhere to plant them.

But, I never pulled up the daffodils. It just didn't seem necessary to mess with them, even though they never really stopped grass or anything. Well, this year, before the daffodils had sent up blossums, my son thought the leaves looked just like the leeks he loved to munch on, and I caught him eating them.

In case you didn't know, daffodils are poisonous.

And while a small taste of them made my mouth tingle like crazy, they didn't have that effect on my son. He just thought they tasted mild. I called poison control. We rinsed our mouths out per poison controls recommendations, and thankfully he had no reactions.

But, the next day I went out and pulled up ALL the daffodils and replanted them by my hydrangeas to make a not-edible garden.

I like the idea of having everything under the fruit tree be something edible. This makes it handy when looking for food--wander around the fruit trees and there's something to munch on almost all year round. And I like that there's no poisonous look-alike plants.

And, really, why plant something non edible like a daffodil when you can have something that useful and yummy there instead. I'm pretty sure the garlic and leeks will repel animals and pests just as much as--if not more than-- the daffodils. And it's edible. And, frankly I don't think I can grow enough garlic and leeks. Almost everyday, for 3/4ths of the year, I pick some garlic or leek leaves to use in any dish that calls for garlic, onions, etc. They're edible, useful, perennial, fill the same bulbing roll as the daffodils, and I don't have to worry about my kids getting poisoned by them.

To me, alliums are a far better fit for my fruit tree guilds than daffodils, and maybe they would be for you, too! (and, my kids love munching on them. Just today, my son made a kale, sorrel, miners lettuce and leek leaf "sandwich" while he was out in the garden. I love that!)

Same here, I am very careful to put something non edible or even poisonous in our garden since the kids are used to eat from the garden. Alliums are definitely perfect for a fruit tree guild. I'd recommend strawberries, chives and mint too. I have a peach tree guild with this and can do a great summer fruit salad with peach, strawberries and mint.