Food Forest Materials Checklist

  • Tree Protection
  • Compost & Soil Amendments
  • Hay or Seed-Free Mulch
  • Wood Chips
  • Fertilizers & Inoculants
  • Plants
  • Mushroom Spawn
  • Irrigation Materials
  • Bonus Essentials

Food Forest Materials Checklist

Local Fencing Contractors

Secure your food forest perimeter against deer and wildlife with custom fencing solutions from trusted Salt Spring Island experts. Visit saltspringcontractors.com/fencing-contractors-on-salt-spring-island-bc/ for full listings and contacts.

  • Island Gates and Fences: Handcrafting fences and gates on Salt Spring Island, offering deer fences, farm fences, horse fences, wood and metal fences and gates, arbors, garden fences, automated gates, pickleball/tennis court fences, catios, and more. Phone: 250-653-4123, Email: islandgatesandfences@gmail.com.
  • 2 Dudes Fencing Co.: Specializes in deer, horse, pet, and privacy fences on Salt Spring Island. Address: 324 Starks Rd, Salt Spring Island, BC V8K 1M4. Phone: 250-502-1344, Email: 2dudesfencing@protonmail.com.
  • Living Accent Contracting: Full range of services from landscape design to fencing, carpentry, renovations, bobcat, and excavation on Salt Spring and Vancouver Island. Phone: 250-537-7607.

Plantra Tree Shelters

Protect young trees from browsing animals, wind, and desiccation with these innovative, vented shelters. Ideal for Gulf Island conditions – order from Grimo Nut Nursery for hardy, nursery-tested options.

  • 5 ft Plantra SunFlex ‘O’ Style Tree Shelter: Vented, closed-sided deer tubes for grafted and seedling trees in the 3-6 foot size; acts as a mini greenhouse to promote straight growth and protect from deer browsing. $14.50 USD each (approx. $20 CAD; based on 10-pack with stakes); minimum order 10.
  • 6 ft Plantra SunFlex ‘O’ Style Tree Shelter: Protects trees from deer browsing and acts as a mini greenhouse; suppresses weeds and branches while allowing air flow. $15 USD each (approx. $20 CAD; based on 10-pack with stakes).
  • Stakes & Accessories: 3/8″ rebar from Windsor Plywood (166 Rainbow Road, Salt Spring Island, BC V8K 2M3; Phone: 250-537-5564, Email: saltspring@windsorplywood.com), cut to 6ft 8″. Inquire for pallet pricing via grimonut.com.

Compost & Soil Amendments

Build fertile soil with nutrient-rich compost tailored to our acidic island dirt. Aim for 10–20 yards for a standard food forest.

  • Vancouver Island Dairy Compost: Farm to Garden, Owner: Stan Hope, Phone: 778-426-4626, Website: farmtogarden.ca. $65.80/yard delivered; high in organics.
  • OceanCycle Fish Compost: $3000 for 20 yards delivered as of 2025. Contact: admin@oceancycle.ca. Premium fish-based compost; arrange delivery via Key Pawn Trucking for ferry and hauling.
  • Other Local Sources: Sacred Mountain Lavender, Ruckle Park Farm, Therapeutic Riding Association, North End Farm, or nearby horse/sheep farms for fresh manure.
  • Ben Lazar’s chicken / alder compost from Errington. 250-863-6734

Hay or Seed-Free Mulch

Layer on weed-suppressing mulch for sheet mulching – 25–40 bales keeps moisture in during dry spells.

  • Straw/Canary/Hay Grass Mulch: Mark Hughes, Phone: 250-653-4922. Seed-free bales at $15–$20 each.
  • Straw/Canary/Hay Grass Mulch: Brian Cunningham, Phone: 250-537-2118. Bulk delivery options for larger projects.
  • Straw/Canary/Hay Grass Mulch: Sarah Fraser, Phone: 250-537-6960. Local harvest; affordable and chemical-free.

Wood Chips

Coarse ramial chips for pathways and guilds – 40–60 yards creates a living mulch that feeds soil fungi.

  • High Line Environmental: Alder chips at $35/yard plus delivery costs (e.g., $490 for 3.5 hours trucking at $140/hour, $100 ferry, $31.85 fuel surcharge, plus GST/PST as per recent invoice). Contact: admin@highlinegroup.net, Phone: 250-539-4444.
  • Alder Chip Mulch: Forsyth Farms Gravel Mart – Phone: 250-653-4114. Fresh alder for nitrogen-rich breakdown.
  • Alder Chips/Shavings/Sawdust: Paulcan Jemico Planing Mill, Contact: Gary Mander, Phone: 250-744-7127. $45/yard (~$700 for 22-yard load + delivery); 50-yard trucks available.
  • Wood Chipping Services: Good as Wood, Thomas Wilson – Phone: 236-885-7389. Professional on-site chipping for custom mulch.

Fertilizers & Inoculants

Boost transplant success with balanced organics – include mycorrhizae for root health.

  • Organic Fertilizers (Kelp, Fish, 7-2-4): Terralink Horticulture – Phone: 250-652-9268. Bags from $20–$50; local pickup.
  • Organic Fertilizers (Kelp, Fish, 7-2-4): Green Thumb Garden Centre – Phone: 250-537-9192. Bags from $20–$50; local pickup.
  • Dolomite Lime & Rock Dust: Dinter Nursery – Phone: 250-537-4465. pH correctors at $15–$40 per bag.
  • Mycorrhizal Fungi: Root Rescue – Concentrated powder transplanter; 4.5g sample $0 + $3 shipping, larger sizes (180g, 450g, 900g) with free shipping. Apply to roots at planting for trees, shrubs, perennials (except blueberries and brassicas).

Plants

The heart of your forest: trees, berries, and guilds from island-adapted stock.

  • Fruit & Nut Trees: Thimble Farms – Owner: Patrick Thimble, Phone: 250-478-5040. Apples, pears, hazelnuts.
  • Apple Trees: Apple Luscious Organic Orchard, Harry Burton – Phone: 250-653-2007, Email: harryburton@shaw.ca, Website: appleluscious.com. Over 200 varieties of organic apples.
  • Mulberry, Persimmons, Pawpaws, Figs: Foxglove Farm Supply – Phone: 250-537-5959. fruit trees suited to Gulf Islands.
  • Berry Bushes & Groundcovers: NATS Nursery – Phone: 250-652-7575. Raspberries, strawberries, comfrey.
  • Permaculture Plants & Rare fruit trees: TreeEater Farm and Nursery – Phone: 250-538-4455. Perennials.
  • Cover Crop Seeds: Foxglove Farm Supply – Phone: 250-537-5959. Clover/vetch mixes.
  • Cover Crop Seeds: Twining Vine Garden – Phone: 250-335-0584, Email: admin@twiningvinegarden.com, Website: twiningvinegarden.com. Unique and rare seeds.
  • Cover Crop Seeds: Northwest Meadowscapes – Phone: 360-504-6415, Email: info@northwestmeadowscapes.com, Website: northwestmeadowscapes.com. Native seed mixes.
  • Bulk Native Plants: NATS Nursery – Phone: 250-652-7575. Wholesale quantities of native species for groundcovers and guilds.

Mushroom Spawn

Inoculate chips for edible yields – Wine Caps thrive in our mild climate.

  • Wine Cap Spawn: Mr. Mercy’s Mushrooms – Phone: 604-355-1885, Email: robin@mrmercysmushrooms.com, Website: mrmercysmushrooms.com. Sawdust spawn bags.

Irrigation Materials

Drip systems for efficient watering – crucial for establishment in our rain-shadow summers.

  • Local Irrigation Contractor: Gulf Islands Irrigation – Phone: 250-538-7538, Email: support@gulfislandsirrigation.com. Full design, installation, and service for Salt Spring and Gulf Islands.
  • Irrigation Materials in Victoria: Wes-Tech Irrigation Systems – Phone: 250-361-1573, Email: Orders@irrigation.ca. Carries all major brands; in-store pickup at 625 Alpha St, Victoria.
  • Self-Serve Online: Irrigation Direct Canada – Online supplier for drip tubing, emitters, timers, and kits; free shipping from Canada.

Soil Tests

Get accurate soil analysis to guide amendments – essential before planting.

  • A&L Canada Laboratories: alcanada.com – Phone: 519-457-2575, Address: 2136 Jetstream Rd, London, ON N5V 3P5. Full agricultural testing; contact Ken Galloway for BC (kgalloway@alcanada.com) or Julie Mollard (jmollard@alcanada.com) for services.
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