Our edible forest at Adelaide Bentley park has weathered the hot summer months and is looking great! The persimmon, black cherry, and pawpaw trees continue to grow upwards, slowly but surely reaching for the canopy as they leaf out in a beautiful manner. The elderberry, blueberry, and black chokeberry have begun to put out new shoots and even fruit, providing the local wildlife with a new source of food. Our hazelnut and beech plums are doing equally well thanks to the rain storms and consistent waterings of the past few months.

The fruiting trees and shrubs are not the only successful highlight of our edible forest so far. Several hundred perennials were also planted in late May around many of the new food forest plantings, including hoary mountain mint, cardinal flower, swamp milkweed, and spotted bee balm, the last of which is starting to bloom right now! These perennials form an important layer in the new edible forest by growing out and protecting the ground level from invasive plant encroachment. This works in conjunction with the shrub and tree layer planted, which will grow up and out to discourage invasive plants in those respective layers of our forest ecosystem. The perennial species chosen also provide an important source of food and shelter for native pollinator species.

While the trees, shrubs, and perennials are thriving, they will need continued watering, maintenance, and care throughout the fall, and indeed over the course of the next year or two while they establish themselves. NeighborSpace staff is currently seeing to the needs of our food forest ecosystem in coordination with the Wiltondale Garden Club, but more help is always appreciated! Invasive vines need to be clipped off the new plantings at regular intervals, and the space around each new plant needs to be cleared of invasive plants so that it has room to grow and spread. If you’re interested in helping take care of this wonderful new feature at Adelaide Bentley park, feel free to reach out to me via email at conor@neighborspacebaltimorecounty.org! I would be happy to demonstrate watering, weeding, and give information about the prime fruiting seasons of each plant.

Be sure to stop by at Adelaide Bentley over the next few weeks to see the edible forest plantings and all the blooming goldenrod, asters, bee balm, and other flowering plants!