Many people wonder whether to plant a garden that is aesthetically appealing or whether to go for an edible garden. Planting an edible garden has numerous benefits. The most common benefit you get from it is getting a fresh product without the use of any fertilizer or harmful chemicals. Other benefits include bonding with your kids and having a hobby that pays you something.
An edible garden can be as pretty as a flower garden; it can provide you with the aesthetics you are looking for while giving you fresh produce at the same time. Integrating an edible garden into a pretty edible ornamental garden is very easy. If the only thing holding you back from planting your edible garden is the choice between beauty and sustenance, then in this article, Argan Design will take you through some tips that will help you plant a pretty edible garden.
Choose a Proper Site for Your Edible Garden
When people plan to plant their edible garden, they assume the bigger the area, the better it will be. However, managing an edible garden requires a lot of time and commitment on your end. Starting with a small area that gets ample sunlight will be a great start to your edible garden plans.
Depending upon the plants you want to grow and the sunlight they will require is another consideration you must weigh before you choose a site for your edible garden. When you choose a site, make sure there isn’t a big tree or a large structure nearby whose shadow can obstruct sunlight for the plants. When you plan edible landscape designs, make sure you choose a site that faces south, as from the southern direction you get the maximum amount of light, as opposed to the eastern direction, which receives afternoon light.
Ensure there Is Enough Sunlight
Most plants love to get 7 to 8 hours of sunlight. Your edible garden design must be such that plants receive maximum exposure to morning sunlight. Depending on the plants you want to grow, you must check the site you have chosen to see whether it receives enough sunlight or not. You can use a solar lamp or a solar toy to check whether the spot you’ve chosen receives ample sunlight or not.
After you measure the available sunlight, you can search for a list of edible ornamental plants that can be grown in the available light. Leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, and lettuce require less light. Ground plants such as potatoes and carrots also require a lesser amount of light. Whereas hot plants such as tomatoes, brinjal, and corn require a minimum of 7 to 8 hours of light. You can use the same patch of land to plant different veggies at different times of the year.
Prepare The Area For Planting
If you already have a dedicated spot in your garden for growing veggies, then great! You can now begin working on the design and landscape of your edible garden. After you are done with the designing part, you can start preparing the area for planting. If you do not have a garden space, then you will have to work on a patch of your lawn to make room for your ornamental edible garden.
Here are a few methods for removing a patch of lawn:
• Use an herbicide for removing a patch of lawn. However, the herbicide will remove the lawn within 7 to 8 days, but residue left from the herbicide can last for as long as a month or more, and that residue cannot be great for growing your edible plants. If you have ample time to grow your garden, then using herbicide is a good idea; if not, switch to the next method.
• Use sheet mulching or the lasagna gardening method. In this method, after you cut the lawn very short, you cover a part of it with either cardboard or newspaper, cut holes into it, and then plant your veggies in it.
Preparing Your Soil For The Garden
Good-quality soil will make your plants grow faster, bigger, and tastier. If you don’t have good-quality soil, don’t worry; you can always enhance the quality of your soil at any given time by adding some potting soil and compost to it.
If you use a raised garden bed, then you won’t have to worry about the quality of your soil, as you can always choose good-quality potting soil and add compost to it a few times a year to maintain its nutrition level. In case you will be planting your edible garden directly in the garden, you can test your soil by sending it to a nearby lab and then determine what additions it requires to make it more nourishing.
Don’t Simply Grow Your Favorite Plants
When you are planning and designing your edible gardening patch, don’t just choose plants that are your favorites. To grow pretty edible plants, a lot of factors, such as sunlight, the quality of the soil, and daily maintenance, are required. You must choose plants that are easy to grow and cultivate according to your skill level.
Some plants tick all the boxes: they are pretty, edible, and require minimum exposure to light, but harvesting them is a highly skilled job. Some of the easiest and most beginner-friendly plants are green leafy vegetables. They easily grow within weeks. Other friendly plants are beans and onions.
Avoid planting plants such as tomatoes in your first attempt at planting an edible garden, as they are easily prone to disease, and require timely pruning and maintenance. If you are starting with a pot, then go for beans and cucumbers in one pot. These two love growing together while beans grow up and cucumber climbers can lay down and grow.
Water Your Garden Carefully
Most people assume that edible landscape plants require a lot of watering, and they often end up overwatering their plants. Some plants enjoy a lot of water, while others require very little. The plants require that the soil get a little dry after a few hours. If you have planted your edible garden in the ground; then this won’t be a worry for you, as excess water always goes into the ground. But if you have a potted garden, you will have to provide space for drainage, this will keep your plant healthy and nourished.
Don’t Let Critters and Pests Overwhelm You
Both urban and rural edible gardens have a threat from critters such as raccoons, squirrels, and rabbits. If critters are very common where you live, then avoid planting plants that they love, such as tomatoes and cucumbers. Alternatively, you can surround crops such as tomatoes with crops such as onions, which critters generally dislike. You can even use naturally occurring products such as coyote urine to deter critters from entering your edible garden and destroying it.
