An Oregon gardener's compact food forest is drawing attention online for showing just how much can fit into a relatively small backyard. The space has grown into a densely planted system of fruit, nut, and berry crops — and the harvest sounds almost overwhelming.
What happened?
"Lawn to food forest in 3.5 years," the poster wrote above before and after photos of the space.
"Deep mulch syntropic-inspired design with annual/perennial veggie rows between tree rows. Portland, OR zone 8b. I've learned so much from this space," they explained. "Currently drowning in berries."
They added, "You can keep fruit trees small! These are spaced at 13' on center which is pretty tight, but summer pruning makes it possible."
The poster further detailed the different growing layers in a comment for those interested in how to plant an effective food forest.
Why does it matter?
A layered food forest can turn a lawn into a productive space that supplies berries, fruit, nuts, and vegetables while also helping shade the soil and suppress weeds through deep mulch.
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Growing your own produce can help cut grocery bills, especially for expensive crops like berries, tree fruit, and nuts. Homegrown food often tastes better, too, since it can be harvested fully ripe instead of picked early for shipping.
Gardening can also support mental health by reducing stress and giving people more time outdoors, while the digging, pruning, mulching, and harvesting provide steady physical activity.
Diverse plantings can also make gardens more resilient, reducing the odds that one failed crop wipes out the whole harvest. In some cases, that kind of biodiversity can also make it easier to control pests without chemicals.
What are people saying?
Commenters were understandably impressed with the OP's hard work and results.
"Very impressive. Must have been an incredible amount of work," one said.
"How do you control the animals?" another asked. "My property was a little like this and now the animals eat everything."
"Hasn't really been an issue yet. Tons of abundance probably helps," the OP responded.
"I'm so proud of you for your accomplishment. And the willingness to share with others how to do it is equally deserved good vibes your way," said one more.
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