As summer fades and autumn begins to make its presence known, March is a pivotal month in the food forest and syntropic agroforestry system. It’s a time of both harvest and preparation—gathering the abundance of the season while laying the groundwork for resilience in the cooler months ahead.
Key Tasks for March in the Food Forest & Syntropic System
1. Harvest & Preservation
March is a time of abundance, with many summer crops reaching their peak. Here’s your reminder to harvest any annual produce and the last of the summer fruits before the cooler weather slows their growth.
• Seed Saving – Select the strongest, healthiest plants for seed collection to ensure resilience and adaptation to your local microclimate.
• Preservation – Consider drying, fermenting, or bottling surplus harvests to extend food availability through winter.
2. Chop & Drop – Feeding the System
One of the core principles of syntropic agroforestry is continuous organic matter cycling. March is an ideal time to implement a chop and drop strategy, pruning fast-growing biomass plants and ground covers to nourish the soil.
• Trim back support species like tagasaste, tree lucerne, inga bean, tithonia, and pigeon pea to let in more autumn light and encourage their regrowth.
• Cut and spread banana and comfrey leaves, bana grass, lemongrass, and other dynamic accumulators to add organic matter to the soil.
• Mulch pathways and around trees to retain moisture and suppress weeds as autumn rains arrive.
3. Planting for the Cooler Months
While the summer crops may be finishing, March is a great time to establish cool-season vegetables if you are still in the annual cycle, and succession plant perennials.
• Vegetables: Direct sow leafy greens like spinach, silverbeet, rocket, and brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage) as the temperatures cool.
• Nitrogen Fixers: Add in more legumes like lupins, broad beans, and clover to boost soil fertility.
• Perennials & Trees: If planning new plantings, March is still warm enough for establishing trees, especially native shelterbelts, nitrogen-fixing support species, and future fruiting trees.
4. Soil & Fungal Network Care
Autumn is the perfect time to support the soil food web with added organic inputs.
• Mycorrhizal Inoculation – If introducing new trees or plants, ensure the soil is rich with fungal activity by adding mycorrhizal fungi or woodchip mulch.
• Compost & Liquid Fertilizers – Apply a final round of compost, worm tea, or seaweed extract to boost soil biology before winter.
5. Water & Irrigation Management
As rainfall increases, it’s a good time to assess water movement through the system.
• Check for areas where erosion or water pooling might occur and adjust swales or mulch accordingly.
• Reduce irrigation on trees and perennials as natural rainfall takes over.
• Ensure rainwater collection systems are in place and functioning well for the drier months ahead.
6. Observing & Planning for the Next Cycle
March is a time to pause and reflect on what worked well and what can be improved.
• Take notes on plant performance, soil health, and microclimate shifts within your system.
• Plan for winter cover cropping to protect soil from heavy rains and build fertility.
• Start designing new syntropic rows or refining your food forest layers based on lessons learned from summer.
Embracing the Transition
March is about embracing the shift from summer’s intensity to autumn’s slower, more regenerative energy. By focusing on soil health, planting cool-season crops, and refining the balance of your system, you’re setting up your food forest for resilience and abundance in the months ahead.
Take the time to work with the land, observe the natural changes, and enjoy the ongoing evolution of your syntropic agroforestry system. Every action you take now is an investment in a more productive, regenerative future.