I’m writing this at the beginning of October. While we’re putting the gardens to bed, we’re already looking to next year. I hear a lot of people complain that they lack the space for an actual garden. One option to consider is edible landscaping.
What is Edible Landscaping?
This is landscaping with purpose, with intention, and with an eye toward producing food rather than just decoration. Essentially, the idea is to replace traditional landscape plants like hedges and shrubs with counterparts that produce vegetables or fruit. This is done with attention to appearance, as well. Practical can also be visually attractive.
Hiding in Plain Sight
Edible landscaping can be a great option for those who live in HOA communities or other areas where rules may forbid traditional garden plots. You’re able to sneak food plants into your flower beds and along your property line without too much risk of getting fined.
Another reason for secrecy could be the risk of having food stolen during some sort of long-term grid-down scenario. If the grocery stores are all closed and they aren’t likely to reopen anytime soon, people could get a little squirrely.
Stalks of corn are pretty recognizable to most folks. But a lot of people will completely overlook carrots, potatoes, and other root crops, even if they are looking right at them in a flower bed.
Take It Slow
If you’re an edible landscaping beginner, take it slow and easy. You don’t want to get overwhelmed right out of the gate. Maybe pick just one flower bed to convert to food production and see how it plays out. You can always expand into other areas if things are going well.
Considerations
As you make your plan, there are a few things to keep in mind. With edible landscaping, you’ll need to be able to physically reach each plant you grow so you can harvest the produce. This means you’ll need to plan ahead for how you’ll do so, such as a small walkway. It doesn’t need to be a crushed stone path, but you’re going to want to get to each plant without crushing others in the process.
Take a good look at the amount of sun the location receives, as that will have an impact on what you’re able to grow. In addition, you need to consider the amount of shade the plants themselves will create. This leads into companion planting concepts, which is a whole subject unto itself. Suffice it to say for now that over the last several thousand years, we’ve learned that some plants thrive when growing near one another, such as corn, squash, and pole beans growing in the same space. This is called the Three Sisters.
There are many references available that go into great detail on companion planting. One of the best is Mel Bartholomew’s square foot gardening system.
Edible Landscaping Examples
Here are just a few suggestions on plants you might consider for your edible landscaping projects.
Garlic – as the family cook, I can tell you with certainty that you can never have enough garlic. Plant this along the edges of a flower bed as a border. Do the same with onions.
Peppers – these come in such a range of colors that it would be a shame not to use them in your flower beds.
Blackberries – these make outstanding hedges, along with raspberries.
Pole beans – these can add height to the equation. Build a small trellis for them to climb. Look into the vast array of bean varieties available. Red noodle beans are neat to see and taste great.
Root crops – potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, and more are all great options for edible landscaping.
Edible landscaping is a great way to increase your self-reliance while keeping it hush-hush.
