Learn how to choose the best companion plants for your fruit trees, build simple and effective guilds, and avoid common mistakes.
Permaculture educator, co-founder of the Shenandoah Permaculture Institute, and co-author of Mulberries in the Rain: Growing Permaculture Plants for Food and Friendship, Ryan Blosser shares plant combinations that work — and the stories behind them — from dynamic accumulators to barrier plants, beneficial insect attractors, and more.
The host of the Orchard People radio show and podcast is Susan Poizner of the fruit tree care education website www.orchardpeople.com.
Susan is the author of four books on fruit tree care. Learn more here: https://learn.orchardpeople.com/books
She is also the creator of five-star rated premium online fruit tree care education at: https://learn.orchardpeople.com
HOW TO TUNE IN TO OUR PODCAST
The show airs on the last Tuesday of every month on RealityRadio101 at 1:00 PM ET! While it’s no longer live, you can still watch or listen anytime—and catch the recorded podcast anytime afterward.
📺 Video Podcast: Watch the recorded episode anytime on our YouTube Podcast Playlist.
🎧 Audio Podcast: Download the podcast and listen on your favorite app after it airs.
🌐 Article: Read the article linked to the show "Companion Planting Fruit Trees: A Beginner Permaculture Guide" and find the video and podcast links there too!
✍️ Do you want to learn to grow organic fruit trees successfully? Sign up for OrchardPeople.com's free monthly newsletter at https://orchardpeople.com/sign-up/
For premium fruit tree care education visit: https://learn.orchardpeople.com/.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON GROWING FRUIT TREES THAT THRIVE:
✂️ How to Prune Fruit Trees:
https://orchardpeople.com/how-to-prune-and-train-fruit-trees/
🪲 Fruit Tree Pests and Diseases:
https://orchardpeople.com/protecting-fruit-trees-from-pests-and-diseases/
🌳 How to Feed Fruit Trees:
https://orchardpeople.com/how-to-feed-fruit-trees/
🍎 The Best Fruit Trees to Grow:
https://orchardpeople.com/best-fruit-trees-to-grow/
🌱 How to Graft Fruit Trees:
https://orchardpeople.com/how-to-graft-fruit-trees/
MORE PODCASTS TO EXPLORE WITH RELATED TOPICS:
Willow mulch
Willow Mulch for Fruit Trees with Dr. Glynn Percival
Relationship with trees and companion planting
Know Your Fruit Tree's Name with Jason Adkins, and Brown Turkey Fig Trees in Philly with Erica Smith Fichman
Beneficial insect attractor
How Good Bugs Can Protect Your Fruit Trees From Pests with Jessica Walliser and Brian Spencer
Autumn Olives
Autumn Olives - If You Can't Beat Them, Eat Them! with Dustin Kelly
Perennial Vegetables
Growing Perennial Vegetables with Ben Caeser
Cover Crops
Cover Crops with Christina Currell
Nitrogen Fixer
Do Nitrogen Fixing Plants Improve Soil Fertility with Stefan Sobkowiak
Pollinator Garden
Bee Garden Design and Fruit Trees with Lorraine Johnson
Food Forest
Turning Your Backyard Into a Food Forest with Dani Baker
Food Forest Design with Lincoln Smith
Foodscaping with Matt Lebon
Persimmon
Hybrid Persimmons with Darren Bender-Beauregard
These show notes may contain affiliate links to products. We may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links at no cost to you. Thanks for your support!
- (00:00) - Introduction to Fruit Tree Care
- (00:47) - Exploring Relationships in Fruit Tree Growing
- (00:58) - Introducing Guest Expert Ryan Blosser
- (04:09) - The Art of Relationships in Permaculture
- (05:13) - The Importance of Human Relationships in Permaculture
- (07:37) - Understanding Companion Planting and Guilds
- (17:20) - Building a Companion Planting Guild, or Groups
- (25:01) - Exploring Willow Trees in Permaculture
- (30:59) - Beneficial Insect Attractors and Pollinator Gardens
- (32:37) - Borage: The Beneficial Attractor
- (32:56) - Attracting Beneficial Insects with Color and Scent
- (33:07) - Color and Smell: Attracting Pollinators
- (34:09) - The Importance of Flower Variety in Gardens
- (35:35) - Stories from the Farm: The Rooster and the Goumi
- (43:54) - Lessons from Hunting and the Persimmon Story
- (50:56) - Companion Planting Insights
- (54:54) - Insights on Specific Plants: Strawberries, Sorrel, and Nettles
- (56:21) - Stinging Nettles and Other Ground Covers
- (58:03) - About Shenandoah Permaculture Institute
- (59:16) - Final Thoughts on Permaculture, Relationships, and Advice for Gardeners