Jackie Neufeld

Just found out that hard pruning worked for another neighbour. They have black knot on their yellow plum tree. pruned really hard and now have a bumper crop.
Last year 3 of my apple trees had worms. So far only one has worms.
I visited Paul Gautschi in his Back to Eden garden. He said in the beginning he had a lot of trouble with his fruit trees. Now, they are abundant and super healthy. It's all about the soil. I wonder if the soil is healthy enough that the tree can conquer the black knot.

They are trees much, much taller than our 2 story house. That's why I'm posting on the food FOREST garden. What do the roots have to offer? Roots give something into the soil don't they? The area under the trees has very little vegetation.
Yes, we have offered to take the trees down. Just wondering if cedar trees had something to offer in a food forest.

Thank you S Benji. I don't like stepping on them either!
I like your tips on what to plant underneath. Right now I've got Greek oregano, anise hyssop, calendula and nasturtiums. May try a squash to grow up but may not have enough sun. I understand that maybe once the soil has a stronger system, I might be able to grow almost anything.
We're also challenged by deer who love beans.

My hubby is getting annoyed with me planting under the fruit trees. He finds it hard to get the ladder and walk around the tree without stepping on the plants.

We got black knot in our Italian Prune and Green Gage Plum, and worms in the Honeycrisp, Gala and ? last year. This year not much fruit. What can I plant with them to remedy this?

Jackie
Aldergrove, BC,Canada

Can my neighbour's cedar trees that are along the S side of our yard be of benefit to our garden? I get frustrated with the amount of shade as they are getting huge. We've turned our front yard into edible landscaping and want to go the next level of a food forest. We planted everything that are deer resistant since it's accessible to deer.
We've been trying to negotiate with our neighbour to take the cedars down.
We've been doing the Back to Eden method with wood chips which those cedar trees will grow even faster and larger! Ahhh!!!
Aldergrove, BC, Canada

The trellis that has a frame with strings hanging from it. It was on the permies daylyish about a month ago.  It was a tall rectangular frame 10 ft by 2 ft wide and about 6 ft high. Uses strings hanging down rather than poles.

https://permies.com/t/76871/trellises

How does it stand up to wind? We've had whole trellis blown over by wind once the beans are grown to the top of our trellis>

Are your apples still maggot free? I just got apple maggot for the first time. Will try putting wood ash on the soil this winter and then a layer of wood chips. If I cover the soil enough, I'm hoping it will do something.

How did your apples do and did you end up covering your apples? I got apple maggot for the first time this year. Do you eat the apples once they got the maggot? If so, do you eat them raw or do you cook them?