Looks great! Noob question. Do the veggies around the tree bases do much to sap nutrition from the mangos or banana/papaya? Or do they make no difference/ actually help the soil ecosystem?
I know some of the plants like legumes actually return nitrogen to the soil but figured tomatos and peppers would suck it all out if given the chance.
I do give the vegetables some fertilizer to take care of them. Yes, I'm sure they share nutrients and water with the others in the system, but they also give back to me! The banana and papaya have roots up to 10 feet in diameter so they are well beyond the extent of mango roots at this time. However, eventually they will leave the system and when they do their network of roots can provide pathways of at least some organic matter running through the soil. There's no question that nature abhors a vacuum and in typical orchards this would be mowed grass. My plan is long term and I am looking through to the future and how things will eventually be. So the idea is a management of succession mimicking how nature runs it's course from bare ground through brushy growth and towards forest. During that time the mix of plants and trees changes and offers opportunities which can be directed in a positive way. There is a train of thought that believes plants actually do cooperate in the root zone and definitely share photosynthesis spatially. I'm trying to maximize use of the existing solar energy to benefit the land in a systematic way.
For example, over the past year I've picked papaya, peppers, eggplants, beans, yams, cassava, herbs, greens and thanks to the garlic chives I've altogether stopped buying onion and garlic, those are perennial and just keep coming. I've sold hundreds of $ sweet potato, cassava, yams and papayas. Hundreds of guavas are now on the trees, they are marketable. The bananas and plantains are starting to come in and they are being sold. I've added turmeric to the system this year and probably will also add ginger.
Ordinarily, a row of mango trees might be planted and grass mowed between the rows. Yes, a lot less work but a lot less productivity for several years. It really comes down to how much time and effort you want to expend and how much you want to manage things like that. I love planting things and have the time, the effort is good exercise for me and watching the whole thing feeds more than my belly it feeds my soul.
