Favorite Understory Choices?

[Finchj]

Garlic in USDA zone 7b (average min temp -17.78 C) can grow alright as an understory, but only during the fall-early spring months before your trees leaf out. We grew three garlic plants each under a willow oak (dense shade) and river birch (moderate shade) along with our main plantings in full sun. As soon as shade sets in the garlic retreats to bulb form, but will return in the fall. Although I have to add that the overall temperature underneath even the oak can pass 30 C, so it is probably a combination of shade and high heat!

My favorite understory plant this year were volunteer tomatoes that grew under the same oak tree. But then again, we just started this past year so our experience is very limited.

[Grasshopper]

pepino's do really great, makes a great living mulch with fruit everywhere!
very easy to layer and you could keep it spreading out for acres if you like.

I've heard the fruit fly love them.
Can anyone in a fruit fly area confirm?

[FREE Permaculture]

no idea about fruit fly, I guess they would love pepino and other fruits since their called fruit fly.
ants like them too, they start a little hole and eat 'em out, but the're considerate, unlike birds that like to take a peck from every fruit, ants stick to it until it's gone, then move onto the next.

[FREE Permaculture]

went out and took a pic of my pepino under the lemon/orange tree, the spread here is about 3m x 3m, the height is around 2 ft, they have a lower and slower spread with more sunlight..



some fruit ready to pick, and the vines tangling through, you just need to throw a shovel of compost over the vines and they set root and continue on from that point.

[annette]

Looks great free!