# Backyard Food Forest Planning...

Source: https://notesgarden.com/publish/eKUnqdeWlEhX

## 🎯 Goals, Scope & Success Criteria

- [ ] Write down the main purpose of the food forest before choosing plants.
    - Examples: household fruit production, wildlife support, shade, privacy, soil improvement, low-maintenance perennial food garden.
    - Ranking goals early helps resolve later tradeoffs such as yield versus beauty or diversity versus simplicity.
- [ ] Decide what counts as success in year 1, year 3, and year 5.
    - Examples: survival rate above 85%, irrigation installed, first berries harvested, canopy trees established, mulched paths maintained.
- [ ] Set the project size for phase 1 instead of trying to plant the whole site at once.
    - Starting with one well-designed zone usually works better than overplanting an entire yard.
- [ ] Decide how much time per week is realistically available for watering, weeding, pruning, and observation.
- [ ] Set a rough budget for site prep, trees, shrubs, irrigation, mulch, fencing, and tools.
- [ ] List who will help maintain the planting over the first 2 growing seasons.
- [ ] Create a simple project summary with site address, climate zone, total planting area, and target start date.

## 📍 Site Observation & Mapping

- [ ] Measure the site and sketch a base map with structures, fences, paths, paved areas, and existing trees.
    - Include north direction, scale, and the parts of the yard that already get heavy use.
- [ ] Observe sun and shade patterns in spring, summer, and autumn if possible.
    - A fruit tree location that looks sunny in winter may be shaded in summer by neighboring trees or buildings.
- [ ] Record slope, low spots, runoff direction, and where water already collects during rain.
- [ ] Mark windy areas, frost pockets, heat-reflective walls, and sheltered microclimates.
- [ ] Note utility lines, septic restrictions, easements, and underground services before planting trees.
- [ ] Record views you want to preserve and views you want to block.
- [ ] Take site photos from the same points so you can compare changes over time.
- [ ] Map current problem areas such as lawn compaction, invasive plants, erosion, or standing water.

## 🌦️ Climate, Water & Exposure

- [ ] Confirm the local hardiness zone and expected last and first frost dates.
- [ ] Estimate annual rainfall and how dry the hottest part of summer usually becomes.
- [ ] Identify the direction of drying winds and whether windbreak planting is needed.
- [ ] Mark sun traps and reflected heat zones near walls, patios, or south-facing fences.
- [ ] Identify cold pockets where blossoms may be damaged by late frost.
    - Early-flowering fruit trees often need more protection than currants, gooseberries, or hardy understory species.
- [ ] Decide whether the site will rely on rainfall, hose irrigation, drip irrigation, rain tanks, or a mix of these.
- [ ] List which zones of the site can stay higher-maintenance and which must survive with less attention.
- [ ] Match plant choices to the site rather than forcing high-water or heat-sensitive species into bad positions.

## 🧪 Soil, Drainage & Ground Preparation

- [ ] Test soil texture, drainage, and approximate pH before buying plants.
    - A quick jar test, infiltration test, and basic soil test are often enough to make better early decisions.
- [ ] Check whether the soil is compacted from foot traffic, machinery, or previous construction.
- [ ] Identify existing organic matter levels and likely fertility gaps.
- [ ] Decide where sheet mulching, compost, wood chips, or cover crops are needed before planting.
- [ ] Plan how grass and perennial weeds will be suppressed around new planting areas.
    - Young trees usually fail from competition and water stress more often than from lack of fertilizer.
- [ ] Avoid unnecessary tilling where possible so soil structure and fungal networks are not repeatedly disturbed.
- [ ] Mark places with poor drainage that may need raised planting, swales, or different species.
- [ ] Create a first-year soil improvement plan with materials, quantities, and timing.

## 🌳 Canopy, Understory & Layer Planning

- [ ] Choose the main canopy and sub-canopy species based on final size, not nursery pot size.
- [ ] Check mature spacing so the planting will still work in 5 to 10 years.
    - Many beginner food forests are planted too densely and become hard to manage once trees start touching.
- [ ] Decide where medium trees, large shrubs, herbs, climbers, and groundcovers will fit around the canopy plan.
- [ ] Reserve open and sunny areas for species that need strong light, especially fruiting plants.
- [ ] Avoid placing aggressive spreaders where they will overwhelm slower shrubs or young trees.
- [ ] Include support species for mulch, pollinators, nitrogen cycling, and chop-and-drop where appropriate.
- [ ] Leave enough access for pruning, harvesting, irrigation repair, and wheelbarrow movement.
- [ ] Design with succession in mind so some species can be temporary nurse plants rather than permanent fixtures.

## 🍎 Species Selection & Plant List

- [ ] Make a shortlist of fruit and nut species that are proven in the local climate.
- [ ] Check pollination requirements before ordering trees.
    - Some apples, pears, plums, and kiwifruit need compatible partners or flowering overlap to crop well.
- [ ] Choose rootstocks and varieties with mature size, disease resistance, and harvest season in mind.
- [ ] Balance reliable producers with experimental species so the system is still productive if trials fail.
- [ ] Include shrubs and understory crops that fruit earlier than trees to build motivation and quick wins.
- [ ] Prefer species with multiple roles where possible, such as habitat, mulch, pollinator support, or medicinal use.
- [ ] Screen every candidate plant for invasiveness, toxicity concerns, and local pest issues.
- [ ] Build a final plant list with quantity, spacing, source, cost, and ideal planting window.

## 💧 Irrigation, Rain Capture & Water Resilience

- [ ] Map the nearest water source and how water will reach each planting zone.
- [ ] Decide whether to install drip irrigation before or immediately after planting.
- [ ] Calculate how many trees and shrubs will need regular watering during establishment.
- [ ] Use mulch depth and irrigation layout together so water reaches roots rather than evaporating at the surface.
- [ ] Plan overflow routes for heavy rain so water slows, spreads, and sinks instead of eroding soil.
- [ ] Assess whether rain barrels, tanks, swales, basins, or contour beds make sense for the site.
    - Choose only the earthworks you can maintain and install safely.
- [ ] Mark the areas most likely to suffer in a summer drought and reserve the toughest species for those spots.
- [ ] Create a watering schedule for the first growing season by month rather than guessing week to week.

## 🛤️ Access, Edges & Maintenance Design

- [ ] Lay out paths before planting densely so movement stays easy as the system fills in.
- [ ] Decide which edges should be crisp and maintained so the planting still feels intentional.
- [ ] Keep high-maintenance or frequently harvested plants near entrances, paths, or the kitchen route.
- [ ] Leave enough room to mow, mulch, prune, and move materials without stepping through planting beds.
- [ ] Plan storage for mulch, stakes, tree guards, irrigation parts, and seasonal tools.
- [ ] Design simple tree protection if deer, rabbits, rodents, or pets are likely to cause damage.
- [ ] Identify where dropped fruit, leaf litter, or dense growth could become messy and plan for cleanup access.
- [ ] Make a recurring maintenance list for pruning, mulch refresh, watering checks, and pest scouting.

## 🐝 Biodiversity, Pest Pressure & Ecosystem Support

- [ ] Include flowering species with staggered bloom times for pollinators across the season.
- [ ] Avoid creating a monoculture of one vulnerable crop in a single tight block.
- [ ] Leave habitat for beneficial insects, birds, and soil life where practical.
- [ ] Plan sanitation for disease-prone species, especially around fallen fruit and dense canopies.
- [ ] List the most likely local pest and disease issues before planting.
    - Examples may include codling moth, aphids, fire blight, peach leaf curl, vole damage, or fungal pressure in wet summers.
- [ ] Choose prevention-first strategies such as airflow, spacing, variety choice, and monitoring rather than assuming spraying later.
- [ ] Add a regular observation routine during flowering, fruit set, and peak pest periods.
- [ ] Decide what level of cosmetic damage is acceptable so maintenance standards stay realistic.

## 🗓️ Phasing, Planting Order & First-Year Schedule

- [ ] Break the project into phases: site prep, water, paths, canopy planting, shrubs, herb layer, and finishing mulch.
- [ ] Plant structure first so trees, access, and irrigation are in the right place before filling gaps.
- [ ] Create a month-by-month schedule for ordering, site prep, planting, mulching, and follow-up checks.
- [ ] Avoid buying all plants at once if the site is not ready to receive them.
- [ ] Schedule the heaviest tasks for the right season, especially cardboard mulching, compost delivery, and bare-root planting.
- [ ] Build in extra time for unexpected delays such as weather, delivery changes, or soil work.
- [ ] Create a first-year task sequence for watering, replacement planting, summer pruning, and autumn mulching.
- [ ] Leave room to observe and adjust after the first season instead of treating the first plan as fixed forever.

## 📝 Budget, Sourcing & Recordkeeping

- [ ] Track costs separately for plants, irrigation, mulch, soil amendments, tools, fencing, and hardscape.
- [ ] Compare local nurseries, specialist nurseries, and community plant sales before ordering.
- [ ] Check plant quality, root condition, cultivar accuracy, and shipping timing before accepting deliveries.
- [ ] Create labels or a map for every planted tree and shrub so variety names are not lost.
- [ ] Keep a living record of planting dates, sources, survival, growth, flowering, fruiting, and problems observed.
- [ ] Record what worked and what failed after each season while details are still fresh.
- [ ] Take end-of-season photos and notes for comparison next year.
- [ ] Review the plan annually and update spacing, species choices, and maintenance expectations as the site matures.