Nashville Plants

I have a third of an acre area that I want to plant.

Following are it's characteristics:
1) It has a layer of wood chips on it maybe 4 inches thick.
2) It is at the bottom of a valley and gets cooler temps
3) The soil has no rock and is maybe 10 feet deep
4) It is fenced in from deer.
5) the area floods maybe once a year
6) the area can stay muddy for weeks at a time.
7) Chickens are running on it but can be moved easily

I would greatly appreciate any ideas regarding the best utilization of this space.

Hi Campy,
I have a similar project in a Western KY flood plain on which I am planning to experiment with serviceberry, comfrey, paw-paw, black walnut, wolfberry, and maybe pecan.  I don't know how these may grow on the site, only that I have some cheap access to either seed or seedlings for these. 

What are your plans for the site in the short and long runs?

Best,
--Bill

That sounds interesting.
We are going to try many of those plants you mention.

Where are you getting your seed/plant stock for pawpaw?

I just planted a bunch of Persimmon seeds.

I'll get Paw Paw seedlings from a local program here in Louisville that gives away native seedlings on the condition that you let the seedling grow for at least five years.  Paw paws don't like transplanting, so I'm also looking around for a source of seed.

I don't really know exactly what I'm doing with the site; I'm pretty much planning things right now through the winter.  My main goal is foster some biodiversity to the windbreaks in a large monocropped river bottom farm. 

How did your site get so many woodchips?  What kind of trees are they from?

The tree companies bring me all the wood chips I want.

We planted some Pawpaw, Mulberry, Persimmon and fig.
Berry bushes are on the way.