April Blog 2026

Grow Plants in the Soil They Evolved For

Long before garden beds and fertilizers, plants learned how to grow in the wild, and they haven’t forgotten. Before we ever planted a garden, vegetables grew in floodplains, berries thrived along forest edges, and fruit trees rooted themselves in undisturbed soil.

The Missing Piece in Gardening

Most people ask:“What fertilizer should I use?”

But the better question is:“What kind of soil did this plant evolve in?”

Because plants didn’t come from garden centers or nurseries like ours. They came from specific ecosystems, and they still expect those conditions today.

Vegetables: Built for Disturbance

Vegetables evolved in places where the soil was constantly being disturbed and refreshed, like:

•  river floodplains

• open grasslands

•  areas with animal activity

These environments were rich in fast-moving nutrients and bacterial life.

So vegetables adapted to:

•  grow quickly

•  take in nutrients fast

•  complete their life cycle in one season

That’s why vegetables love:

• compost

• manure

• regular feeding

• worked soil

They were designed by nature for that kind of environment which closely mimics how well kept vegetable gardens are maintained today.

Berries: Children of the Forest Edge

Berries didn’t evolve in garden beds.

They evolved on the edges of forests, where:

• Leaves fall and slowly decompose

• wood breaks down over time

• soil is rarely disturbed

These soils are dominated by fungi.

So berries adapted to:

• slower, steady nutrition

• fungal-rich soil

• thick organic layers

That’s why they thrive with:

• wood chips

• bark

• pine needles

• undisturbed soil

You’re not just growing berries—you’re recreating a woodland edge.

Fruit Trees: Raised in Stability

Fruit trees evolved in long-term, stable environments, not tilled fields.

They grew in soils full of:

• fallen leaves

• decomposing wood

• deep fungal networks

Over time, they developed relationships with fungi that help them:

• access nutrients

• handle drought

• build stronger root systems

That’s why fruit trees prefer:

• mulch over bare soil

• slow, steady feeding

• minimal disturbance

In a way, a healthy orchard is trying to mimic a young forest.

Plants haven’t changed, but how we grow them has.

When we grow:

• vegetables like forest plants

• trees like vegetables

• berries like garden crops

…we’re fighting against what those plants were built for and how nature developed them.

A Simple Shift in Perspective

Instead of asking “What should I feed this plant so I can have more fruit?”

Start asking: “Where did this plant come from and what environment did it evolve in?”

This simple shift in perspective can take you to the next level of gardening for your fruits and vegetables. If your having a hard time with your current gardening routine, why not give this a try?

Preferred Environments

Plant Type	Natural Environment	What to Add
Vegetables	Floodplains / disturbed soil	Compost & nutrients
Berries	Woodland edge	Wood chips & organic matter
Fruit Trees	Forest-like systems	Mulch & stable soil

Now that we understand where plants evolved, the next step is simple. Match your soil inputs to the environment each plant type is native to.

Compost (feeds bacteria and promotes quick break down of nutrients for seasonal use)vsMulch (feeds fungi and promotes long term storage of nutrients and moisture from fungal network)

Vegetables (More Compost, Less Mulch)

Vegetables evolved in nutrient-rich, disturbed soils, so they need fast access to nutrients.

What to do:

• Mix compost into the soil before planting

• Side dress with compost during the season

• Light mulch is okay, but not required

Ideal balance:

70–80% compost influence / 20–30% mulch

Simple method:

• Prep beds with compost

• Plant

• Add a light mulch layer (optional)

Berries (Balanced, Leaning Mulch)

Berries come from the forest edge, so they want both:

• some nutrient availability

• but mostly fungal-rich conditions

What to do:

• Add a small amount of compost at planting and maintain until winter

• Maintain a 2-4 inch mulch layer year-round

• Avoid heavy tilling or disturbance

Ideal balance:

30–40% compost / 60–70% mulch

Simple method:

• Light compost in soil maintained until winter

• Top with 2–4 inches of mulch (wood chips, bark, pine needles)

• Refresh mulch regularly

Fruit Trees (Mulch Dominant)

Fruit trees evolved in stable, fungal environments, not garden beds.

What to do:

• Apply compost lightly (mainly for biology boost)

• Keep soil covered with mulch at all times

• Avoid over-fertilizing in late summer

Ideal balance:

10–20% compost / 80–90% mulch

Simple method:

• Light compost layer in early season, thin layer maintained until winter

• Maintain 3–4 inches of mulch under the drip line

• Keep mulch a few inches away from the trunk

Balance Cheat Sheet

Plant Type	Compost	Mulch
Vegetables	Heavy	Light
Berries	Moderate	Moderate-Heavy
Fruit Trees	Light	Heavy

The closer your soil matches the environment a plant evolved in, the easier it will grow. Nature already figured it out, we just have to follow her lead. We’re not just feeding plants, we’re rebuilding the ecosystems they came from. Build the soil your plants remember and they’ll take care of the rest.