Beginner - Asking for Help in locating plants

Hello, I have been researching Forest Gardening for about 5 months now. Spring really snuck right up on me and now one productive month has already past and I still don't have any plants in the ground. I have Gaia's Garden, Edible Forest Garden Vol. 2 and Ben Falk's book as well (though the title escapes me at the moment).

So I'm ready to start planting, but having a look around the internet nurseries I quickly realized a problem. I cannot locate any of the plants that I want to purchase. I have access to a neverending supply of cardboard boxes so my plan was to do some sheet mulching (and downsize the amount of grass I have to mow; 2 acres). I want to create landscape island guilds using this method but I cannot find any nitrogen fixing ground covers or any of the other plants for that matter. Comfrey, Chicory, Vetch, Clovers, etc, etc.

So where do you all get your plants from?

thanks for any links and resources you can provide.

Clovers are usually sold as seed rather than plants. I got my dutch clover from the grass seed section of my local nursery. I got red clover seed from Amazon. Check the cover crop section of seed catalogues too.
There is a thread on here about where to buy comfrey cuttings.
I've never gone looking for chicory but I suspect you will need to get that one from seed too.

Hi Lee (welcome to the forum)

Seed exchanges and plant swaps with other gardeners are good ways to acquire some plants not commonly found at garden centers. Such events at the local level can be a source of knowledge about the varieties that do well in your area.

There are many sources through the internet/mail order. Baker Creek and Seed Savers are two of my favorites. Baker Creek has Yacon plants, which Ben Falk mentioned in his book. For trees I hear a lot of recommendations for Fedco, but I have not ordered from them. Richter's in Canada has an impressive list of herbs plants. For nitrogen fixing plants, I sometimes look for nurseries that focus on prairie restoration.

http://www.fedcoseeds.com/trees/
https://www.richters.com/Web_store/web_store.cgi?show=list&prodclass=Herb_and_Vegetable_Plants&cart_id=7364432.441
http://www.rareseeds.com/store/vegetables/live-plants/
http://oikostreecrops.com/
http://www.seedsavers.org/
https://www.prairiemoon.com/home.php

The Fruit, Berry and Nut Inventory book from Seed Savers is a helpful resourse as well.

http://www.seedsavers.org/onlinestore/SSE-Books/Fruit-Berry-Nut-Inventory-4th-Edition-Softcover.html

Happy planting!

Becky

Oikos has a micro clover...http://oikostreecrops.com/products/perennials/grass-lawn-yucca/pipolina-micro-clover/

wow, thanks for all the fast responses. I'll get right to work investigating all these links. Hopefully I can even partake in the sharing of resources sometime in the future with cuttings and seeds and such.

Where are you located? Most of these you can find as seed at farm supply chains (southern states, tractor supply company, etc). should also mention deer attractant seed blends contain most of the stuff you're looking for as well (chicory and clovers) and you can usually buy the stuff at Walmart or a sporting goods/outdoor goods store around hunting season.

Clover itself you may be able to find at Lowes or Home Depot and if not they can definietly order it for you. Another resource would be groworganic.com. They have pre-made mixes but it'll be cheaper to buy the things separately probably. For comfrey, don't waste time with seed. Buy root cuttings or crown cuttings, crown cuttings will get to productive size quicker but are more expensive. I personally used Coe's Comfrey (they have a website). Buy comfrey once and you'll never need to again as it grows soooooo easily from cuttings.

I am collecting vetch seed now, and in a few weeks I will have more chicory seed than I know what to do with. Send me a PM with your address and I will send you an envelope. If you want any salsify, I can throw that in as well.