This time we have:

Peach Trees because it is planting season and they adapt well to natural agriculture.

Passion Fruit as a multifunctional native vine for learning to share.

Dandelion to revalue a multifunctional cosmopolitan herb.

PEACH TREES

For years, I have enjoyed peaches abundantly without spending anything on the trees, simply by discarding the pits from the ones I eat in the garden, and waiting for them to sprout in the following spring. In 2 or 3 years, they begin to bear fruit.

The tree is deciduous, with a reduced stature and not very vigorous, belonging to the low tree strata. Its root system is very branched and shallow, so it does not mix with other trees in dense plantations. I have planted more than 20 in no more than 40 m² as part of a rescue operation for those that grew in a place in the mountains where many pits had lain for over 8 years. And there they are fruiting abundantly.

They have been cultivated since colonial times for being well-suited to this climate and for their hardiness. Although they have a short lifespan of 10 to 20 years, they are early to fruit, have adapted well in the country, and there are local varieties that have evolved alongside fruit growers through crossbreeding. They can be found near rivers and streams, in woods where there were camps.

There are types of fruits with soft pulp that separate from the pit, the best-known being the King of the Mountain, and others, the Pavías, which are good for making dried apricots in the solar dryer because they have firm flesh (they do not separate from the pit). They can be yellow or white-fleshed, with fuzz or smooth like the clingstone peaches or nectarines. All of them can be grown from pits. They produce early, although for that reason, they have a shorter lifespan.

As the flowering is self-compatible, perhaps autogamous, there is no issue with the mixing of varieties.

One must consider the site selection more carefully. They need cool, loose, sandy loam, and deep soils. Clayey and compacted soils are not suitable, and especially not waterlogged ones as they suffer from root rot. In the mountains, they grow very well even in rocky places, as long as there is a deep and fertile first layer. But there they find protection from frosts, especially if integrated into the native forest or planted with it for shelter, taking advantage of the slopes.

They are very sensitive to strong winds, so they need shelter from the SE, S, and SW. The wind prevents the formation of a good skeleton, causes excessive evaporation on the leaves, breaks tissues, and leads to flower drop.

Planting them sheltered and putting abundant mulch at the base is a good measure. But it is optimized if we work as in the forest with herbaceous layers that protect and provide nutrients. Their number 1 enemies: ants and hares.
They need good sunlight to ripen the fruits.

Many forests are in full sun, in clearings, and I have often seen trunks whitened to prevent excess sun from cracking the bark. When planted in the forest, this is avoided, but they must be well positioned relative to other trees so they do not receive too much shade.

MBURUCUYA GUAZU

One of the 1500 varieties of passionflower from America.
It is a perennial, climbing plant with spiral tendrils that arise at the leaf insertion and is used for climbing. The lobed leaves and the flowers with a spectacular design are characteristic.
It is multifunctional. The foliage is so abundant that it can be pruned and regrows with great vigor.

The fruits, edible when they turn orange, have sweet mucilages inside that make them very appealing. I consume them, but the main interest in permaculture systems is to provide food for the myriad of birds that come around.

Let's say they are a distraction; I plant them for them.
It is a very ornamental vine, and its beautiful flowers are nectar-rich. When in full bloom, being under a mburucuyá feels like being inside a beehive due to the buzzing sounds. If used in trellises, keep in mind that its leaves are perennial, and we will have shade even in winter.

The leaves have sedative properties, reduce heart rate, and lower blood pressure. They can be toxic, so their use is recommended only under the prescription of a phytotherapist. They are also used in poultices for wounds and burns.

Cultivation - Very simple, they grow easily from seeds or apical shoots or stem pieces.

Consumption - I prefer them fresh; all fruit should be ingested this way, without loss of nutrients. My mom used to make mburucuyá in syrup with the still-green fruits. And I have tried a passion fruit mousse.

DANDELION - Taraxacum officinale, bitter chicory or amargón.

A plant from the herbaceous layer, cosmopolitan, perennial, and self-seeding.
Basal leaves, 15/20 cm high, latex-bearing, just like the petioles and
the taproot, 40/50 cm long, which brings up minerals from the subsoil.

The yellow flowers are insect-pollinated and are of interest to beekeeping due to their abundant flowering, providing nectar and pollen for a very long season. It is important to incorporate it into food forests to promote the pollination of fruit trees, and especially to provide food for bees, which are an essential part of the ecosystem.

The seeds, in the classic “baker” form, are very light and disperse easily. I transplanted only one plant in the mountains, and today there are hundreds everywhere (I wish I had millions for the bees, but livestock eat them).
Good forage for all types of animals.

Food rich in beta-carotene (vitamin A antioxidant), vitamin C, abundant in calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, the vegetable richest in iron, with a good sodium/potassium balance.
A depurative plant for spring alongside nettles.
It has a diuretic effect, is hepatoprotective, anti-rheumatic, and acts as a digestive tonic in cases of constipation.

Cultivation- In fertile, moist but well-drained soils, it grows well in the mountains and in spa areas. Due to the tiny size of the seed, it is advisable to sow in seedbeds and then transplant. Since it germinates better at moderate temperatures, it is better to sow in autumn or spring.