permaculture

[Bob Waldrop <bob@bobwaldrop.net>]

The Pig in the Mud blog's author is a friend of mine from New Zealand

who studies permaculture in the same lineage as I (Dan Hemenway of Elfin
Permaculture). This particular post is an excellent discussion of
plants beneficial in an orchard understory. The discussion also works
for folks in cities who maybe have a handful of  fruit trees. Plants to
help with fertility, soil conditioning, to attract beneficial insects,
to repel not-beneficial insects.

http://www.piginthemud.com/content/understory

Below is his list. I would add yarrow and purple Echinacea, both of
which, as with clover, alfalfa, and comfrey, are medicinal herbs in
addition to helping support the growth of the surrounding plants. Much
more info is in the original message plus the other journal entries at
the site.

Nitrogen fixing

Subterranean clover -- Trifolium subterraneum

Dutch white clover (Trifolium repens)

Red clover (Trifolium pratense)

Beneficial insect attracting

Umbeliferae family

dill (Peucedanum graveolens)

bishops weed (Ammi Visnaga)

queen anne's lace (Daucus carota)

white alyssum (Lobularia maritima benthamii)

nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)

marigolds (Calendula officinalis)

Pollination/Green manure

phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia) often called the lacy phacelia,

Chicory (Cichorium Intybus)

buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum)

Soil Conditioning

daikon (Raphanus sativus) sometimes called the Japanese radish,

lucerne (Medicago satvia) also known as alfalfa,

comfrey (Symphytum peregrinum)

Bob Waldrop, OKC
http://www.ipermie.net