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Canal Food Forrest in Camarillo California.

 
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Just today I was given permission by a farmer to take over a canal which from google earth looks to take up approximately 60,000 square feet. There is a lot of moisture at the bottom of the canal and I have access to free water for drip irrigation. I'm looking to put in an overstory which will be drought tolerant, grow fast, and possibly affix nitrogen. Eventually, I want to take the drip irrigation off. Also, I'm looking for other good food forest plants for this part of southern California. Any suggestions?
 
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Location: Southern California
trees chicken food preservation
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Not sure if I can be much help in suggesting plants but I would love to come check it out and hear your plans to develop the area and help out too.
 
pollinator
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Avocados!

At least that's that everyone grew when I used to live over the hill in Santa Paula (many years ago). It sounds like the canal could be an excellent source of water through the drought you are in. If so, there are many trees that could be suitable for a food forest: citrus, loquat, almond, pistachio, walnut, pear, some of the low chill requirement stone fruits.

And I can't let the topic line go without recalling a song from one of my favorite musicians:

 
Clayton Taylor
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Thanks for the information. Noland, I'll let keep you updated.
 
Clayton Taylor
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lol, just saw noticed the song. Perfect!
 
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Tamarind
Carob
Mesquite
autumn olive
seaberry
Fig
Pomagranate
citrus (cold hardy like Mandarins, tangerine, ect)
olive
pistaschios
pecans
yellowhorn
almond
Persian walnut
date palm
low chill peaches
Japanese plums
apricots
gomii
guava

The first 5 are nitrogen fixers that produce either sweet or mealy pods. Most can be propagated from seeds or cuttings cheaply. Note that pistachios and dates are either male or female but not both. Pecans are both male and female but need different biotypes to cross-pollunate. If you start planting seeds NOW, and make cuttings this December, you'll have stock to work with next spring. You can use raw almond nuts as a seed stock and graft peaches, necturines, apricots, and plums onto it.

Right now, besides obtaining your seed stocks, you could devote time to developing your watering system and maybe planting potted stock. Even in the heat of summer, potted stock like citrus trees, peaches, and such, that you can get from Home Depot, are transplantable, as long as you are carefull not to damage the root system much and provide the trees with some shade and very abundent water.

Good luck
 
Clayton Taylor
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Awesome information, thanks!
 
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