6 Things to Consider before Starting an Edible Landscape Plan
Growing your own food in your yard can help you save money and avoid store shortages. However, it is not easy to start growing an edible garden. One common problem is that many people live in areas with strict regulations. Also, some people do not have much space for planting.
Thankfully, there is a solution for this: edible landscaping. This is an excellent way to decorate your house while also getting food to eat.
What Is Edible Landscaping
The practice of planting a garden that includes edible fruits, vegetables, and herbs, as well as ornamental plants or flowers, has taken on a new name: edible landscaping. It is also known as “foodscaping” or a “potager garden.”
Edible landscaping is a way to blend the visual beauty of ornamental plants and flowers with the practicality of growing food. These two components must work together to achieve balance in the garden.
6 Considerations When Making an Edible Landscape
1. Food Choice
When planning the plants to grow in your edible landscape, choosing the food you will actually eat is the most vital thing to consider. If you don’t eat the food you plant, you won’t benefit from it.
2. Suitable Plants for Your Zone
To grow plants effectively, you should also pick plants that thrive well in your zone. Creating microclimates and using planters is another option. However, this will complicate the maintenance of your landscape.
3. The Setup
You’ll probably want to go with a traditional landscape design for your edible garden to avoid trouble with your homeowners’ association. That way, you can avoid drawing unnecessary attention to your garden.
Deciding on the setup for your edible landscaping—where to place certain plants, what color they should be, how dense the edible plants should be, how to use companion planting, and whether the soil is nutrient-rich—will determine which plants survive and which plants die.
4. Existing Infrastructure
Designing an edible landscape around existing infrastructure can be just as important as designing the installation itself. Think about how the design will affect what is already in place. Depending on your local zoning laws, you may be required to keep certain structures like walls, fences, and sidewalks.
You’ll want to take the space into account. You can use trellises, bird baths, boulders, fountains, and lawn ornaments to add visual appeal and functionality to the landscape installation.
5. Companion Planting
You should also want to consider the type of plants that actually can work and help each other grow. This is called companion planting where you grow plants that have the same sun, nutrient, and water requirements.
6. Size of Paths
To make your garden more accessible, especially during harvest, and more appealing, you should include paths for you to walk along between the plants. Paths made from mulch, gravel, flat stone, or pavers that are then mowed can minimize soil compaction and weeds.
You should plan the size of paths according to the number of people expected to use them regularly. You can also use grass to create large pathways.
Conclusion
Edible landscaping isn’t just aesthetically pleasing. You can also use it to save money, avoid food shortages and decorate your landscape.
Blossom & Broom is an edible garden tips blogs that provides practical guides on everything gardening. Whether you’re starting your own edible garden or just want to keep your home aesthetically pleasing, we’ve got the information you need! Browse through our posts now!
