DIVERSITY and NITROGEN FIXER

In nature monocultures do not exits. Planting Gleditsia into your garden, orchard or pasture you uplift the monoculture and therefore transform dead soil to living soil. We plant our Gleditsia in our Orchard in three's. Two Walnuts six meters apart then 3,5 meters a Gleditsia and again 3,5 the next walnut. Each walnut tree will therefore have a Gleditsia (nitrogen fixer) neighbour.

INCREASE SOIL NITROGEN BUT PREVENT ACESS NITROGEN and COMPACTION

In conjunction with nitrogen fixing microbes Gleditsia produces nitrogen for own use and other neighbouring plants. Nitrogen in nitrate form is what weeds and insects thrive on. By producing natural Nitrogen harvesting nitrogen from the air the ammonium Nitrogen suppress weeds and insects. In a monoculture alfalfa you will find on medium term soil structure to deteriorate and turn compacted. The Alfalfa will eventually die back if this access nitrogen not removed. Gleditsia in cooperating with microbes do balance the nitrogen and we find this compaction not to accrue but soil stay well aerated.

LIVING STAKE MILD SHADING

In the forest garden Gleditsia used as a living stake. Planting in conjunction with creeping plants the side branches of Gleditsia can be trained to form a abor. The tree is mildly shady and allow for greeping plants to get enough sunlight. It is also useful to lift irrigation pipes of ground. With irrigation pipes out of the way less damage occur and the orchard floor movement not restricted.

EDIBILE FOR HUMANS AND HERBIVORES 

In humans pods and leaves are used for medicinal purposes. In Silvo pastures and agroforestry Gleditia value is in the high protein and sugar content of leaves and and pods. At 29,39% sugar the pods compare with sugar beets the added protein in pod are 13%.  In Alabama(USA) Gleditsia planted at 11,8 tree per decare yielded 336kg pods per decare. Add hereto the understory hay yield 617 kg per decare. Varouis options exit utilising Gleditsia with herbivores: Adaptive grazing of the Silvo pasture will be the most beneficial and lowest cost.

INTRUDER PLANT:THORNLESS BENEFICIAL

Gleditsia got a bad name as invasive because of it growing spike  like thorns up to 100mm long which a injury hazard to humans and animals. It easily stick holes in tyres which make mechanical control difficult. Unwanted THORNLESS Gleditsia because very tasty for herbivores easily controlled by grazing and or mechanical mowing. To unlock all the value from Glenditsia make sure to plant THORNLESS.