I have espalier trees along a south facing wall with strawberries planted under the trees. I am thinking about planting berry bushes between the trees but am concerned that they might provide too much shade for the strawberries. * Any suggestions for berry bushes?
Try honeyberries if you are concerned about shade. tl:dr, Aurora is considered best tasting for fresh eating but you need a pollinator, Iâm going with Indigo Gem but Honeybee works well too and is tart, good for baking. The other best currently available groups are Blizzard Beauty and Beast, as well as some of Dr Maxine Thompsons selections like Maxie and Solo. Iâve done the least research on the latter group because they force you to sign non-propogation agreements with purchase everywhere Iâve seen them for sale even though Dr. Thompson has unfortunately passed away. Another newer one that goes with BBB trio is Strawberry Sensation which is harder to find.
Sources: Cuttings on the forum, www.floramaxx.ca (BBB, Aurora, Honeybee, Gem for the best price for small orders, about $5+ shipping per) Honeyberry USA or Indiana Berry for only a couple plants that are hard to find, or Hartmannsplantcompany.com for larger quantities at very low cost per plant (minimum order 100)
Honeyberries will be the earliest fruit of the season and may lose their leaves in time for strawberry season depending on the cultivar you pick.
Congrats to your gardening success. Terracing, just like raised beds, provides some good growing conditions.
Planting closer, or multi-graft trees may be your way to getting a bit more.
Female Ginkgo trees bear fruits containing nutsâŚand grass grows well under them even when the tree is large. (Youâd have to like ginkgo nuts and not mind the messâŚbut many in China and other Asian places eat gingko seeds.) (Or so I am toldâŚas Iâve not personally witnessed it.)
Anyhow that seems a compromise for someone that canât live without a lawn.
currants grow/ produce well even in some shade. black currants make the best jam/ juice. they are shallow rooted so they shouldnt compete with your trees.
My experience with female ginkos is from the Indiana University campus.
I have had an article I composed on Ginko that has appeared in several newspapers and the now-defunct âAll Things Countryâ magazine, and I even add that my college professor 45 years ago stumped everyone in class on ID-ing a ginkgo tree on campusâŚexcept me.
The first big crop of nuts I encountered came from the Lexington Kentucky Cemetery. And I noticed little foul smell. But, any rotting fruit can smell foulâŚI get that.
The âdonât plant a female ginkgoâ crowd remind me of the âdonât go out without a mask crowdââŚover dramatic.
Thereâs a big female ginkgo in a front yard on Chestnut street in Berea KY that I pass fairly oftenâŚnever have asked myself âwhatâs that smellââŚ
I suppose like raising chickens, a little smell goes with the territoryâŚ
or like beekeeping, a few stings goes with the territory.
I have a seedling Gingko in the edge of our yard. Time will tell if it turns out to be a âstinkyâ one or not 
Ginkgo is a common street tree here. Some of the male grafts have failed and you will sometimes encounter a female tree dropping fruit. I think their stink has a âvomitâ tinge to it that makes its stink a little more offensive. If it smelled strongly in a different way I feel like folks would tolerate it better.
I think there are quite a few dwarf cultivars but I donât know if theyâre male or female. My guess is male if they were being sold for ornamental value in the nursery trade.
The problem with ginkgo as food is that itâs poisonous of consumed in quantity. Itâs definitely not a food you want to hinge your diet on, but it can make a decent seasonal treat.
I see a few folks wondering what to plant under espaliers. I didnât have a dedicated bed for herbs, so at the old place I planted mint, oregano, thyme, and lavender under the espaliers.
1 2 3⌠Tree layerâŚShrub layer⌠Herb layer
This young lady covers the herb layer nicely⌠and others⌠she does permaculture food forest as a profession.
You could say the same about pawpaws, elderberries, wild yams and any number of plants. As you may know, cashew nuts are deadly if not treated properly.
Thatâs the problem, though. Even when treated properly, should only be eaten in moderation.
this is exactly how i did my yard and am still adding to it here and there. try to keep garlic and perennial onions under my fruit trees to deter pests. i keep everything in rows so i can mow in between them for ease of picking. pruning and spraying if needed. should have the forest trail effect once all my trees and bushes fill in and grow up more. id say in another 3-4 years it should be there.
@steveb4 how do you incorporate the garlic underfoot? Iâve tended to use a perennial crop/ground cover because I worry about disturbing the tree roots. I am doing espalier along a fence line, though â perhaps your situation is different.
i keep my rows mulched about 8ft wide. i plant most stuff on the outer edge of that to give some room to work on the trees/ bushes. some things spread under the trees but so far havent affected them in any way but the stuff i plant is all shallow rooted.