The #1 Fruit Tree Planting Mistake (And the Trick for 3x More Food)

John from http://www.growingyourgreens.com/ visits the Caribbean Agroforestry Institute in Puerto Rico to reveal the #1 mistake people make when planting fruit trees—and the simple, permaculture-inspired fix that can triple your food yield with less effort and more success.

In this episode, you will learn how to properly plant a tropical fruit tree using a regenerative planting method that includes edible and beneficial support species. John and Stephanie Syson show how to create a fruit tree guild that builds soil health, reduces watering and weeding, and increases productivity over time.

Key support plants like Brazilian Spinach, Comfrey, White Turmeric, Chaya, Coleus, and Chia help feed pollinators, retain moisture, prevent weeds, and provide food even before the tree fruits. Stephanie explains why planting a tree by itself—surrounded by grass—is a recipe for failure, and how this method mimics nature to produce better, longer-lasting results.

You’ll also learn how to test your soil, build a water-holding berm, mulch with top greens, and inoculate your planting area with beneficial microbes—all without store-bought inputs. Whether you’re in the tropics or a temperate climate, this method is adaptable, sustainable, and ideal for both new and experienced gardeners.

Stephanie also shares the mission of the Caribbean Agroforestry Institute, which provides hands-on permaculture education, courses, and practical tools for growing food and building resilient ecosystems in the Caribbean and beyond.

This episode empowers viewers to rethink how they plant fruit trees—by planting a system, not just a tree—for more food, less work, and long-term abundance.

Jump to the following parts of this episode:
00:00 Start Here — This Mistake Costs You Years!
00:07 Welcome to the Caribbean Agroforestry Institute ????
00:52 STOP: Don’t Just Dig a Hole and Plant Your Tree!
01:23 Why Most People Get Fruit Tree Planting Totally Wrong
02:20 How to Help Your Tree THRIVE (Not Just Survive)
03:00 Why Brazilian Spinach Is a Groundcover Game-Changer
03:20 This Plant Feeds Bees AND Protects Your Tree ????
03:35 White Turmeric: Fast-Growing, Edible & Protective ????
04:44 Your Tree Needs Friends! Don’t Plant Alone
05:18 Super Plant: What Comfrey Does for Your Soil
05:48 Not in the Tropics? Use These Support Plants
06:46 Quick Crop: How to Grow Living Mulch with Chia
07:50 Here’s How to Plant a Mamey Sapote the Right Way
08:33 Step 1: Dig a Test Hole Like This First
09:30 Expand the Area — More Room = Less Maintenance
12:30 Tree Time! How to Properly Plant Your Sapote ????
14:50 Boost Microbial Life (No Products Needed!) ????
16:30 Why Compost-Only Holes Can Backfire ❌
17:20 Build a Berm (aka Water-Holding Speed Bump)
19:00 Planting a Ring of Comfrey Around the Tree ????
21:22 Mulch With Top Greens — Free Fertility!
21:43 Space Smart: Plant Turmeric 3" Beyond Comfrey
23:42 The WORST Thing You Can Do to Your Tree ????
24:20 Use Wood Chips + Natural Ferment to Feed Soil
25:25 Brazilian Spinach Goes Right in With Turmeric
26:30 Use Taller Plants to Block Harsh Mid-Day Sun ☀️
28:04 Coleus Cuttings: Beauty, Pollinators, and More
28:48 Chaya Cuttings: Easy Greens That Feed for Years
29:00 Tip: Use 10–12" Cuttings — Plant Half Underground
32:55 Final Step: Chia Seeds as Living Mulch ????
34:30 The FULL Guild Explained — See the Magic ✨
35:09 Rapid Q&A With Permaculture Expert Stephanie Syson
35:28 What’s That Knife? Why It’s So Powerful ????
36:00 Best Garden Tool: Barebones Hori Hori Reviewed
36:55 Best Resources for Planting Fruit Trees Naturally
39:55 No Forest? Here’s How to Still Get Great Microbes
42:17 Caution! Which Wood Chips Help vs. Harm ????
43:00 Why This Is the Opposite of Conventional Planting
43:44 What Makes Caribbean Agroforestry Institute Special
45:30 Largest Diversity of Permaculture Plants in the Caribbean ????
46:30 Want to Contact Stephanie? Here’s How to Reach Her
  
Recommended Episodes
Original Visit to Caribbean Agroforestry Institute
https://youtu.be/1NqEbsPlMz0

Tropical Vegetables That Feed you forever (2nd visit to CAI)
https://youtu.be/R89A61UvNvw

My Farm in Puerto Rico Update
https://youtu.be/Hln4dQGwaZM

Latest Puerto Rico Farm Update
https://youtu.be/cTFWcnY28GA

My 3 Acre Farm in the Tropics 2025 Update
https://youtu.be/U0RcqtKFUdE
  
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http://www.payhip.com/gyg

Caribbean Agroforestry Institute
https://caribbeanagroforestry.org/

Stephanie Syson on X
https://twitter.com/stephaniesyson

Email the Caribbean Agroforestry Institute at
grow@caribbeanagroforestry.org