Scotch broom has covered the 5 acres we plan to make a food forest. It is a legume and I know it is preserving the soil and improving it by the patches I have removed on my 5 acres.
How wide an area should we clear around treas we are planting until we are ready to add more under story plants?

Hans Quistorff wrote:Scotch broom has covered the 5 acres we plan to make a food forest. It is a legume and I know it is preserving the soil and improving it by the patches I have removed on my 5 acres.
How wide an area should we clear around treas we are planting until we are ready to add more under story plants?

Good question Hans,
why remove any until you are ready to plant? When ready just clear to the trees drip line. The drip line should extend every year. Or clear to the trees MATURE drip line (varies with the species) and fully plant accompanying plants. Can you use the removed broom as mulch? If so do it.

That was my basic thought. The woody stems of the scotch broom burn very intensely and will make excellent fuel for a rocket mass heater.