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INSIGHTS INTO GARDENING February 7, 2015 “Edible Front Yard Gardens” Owen Dell, RLA, ASLA TIPS FOR PRODUCTIVITY Determine the suitability of the space for food gardening. Not all areas are going to work. Comply with community regulations. Be sure the soil is ready for planting. Get a soil test if you have any doubts. If lawn is to be removed, strip it off rather than spraying with herbicides. Check soil pH and adjust as necessary for a slightly acid condition. Evaluate lighting conditions to be sure there is enough sun for good crops. Work on weeds Dirst, eliminating them with organic techniques. Consider seasonality, planting at appropriate times. Use a planting calendar . Incorporate suitable organic matter, choosing materials that are free of weed seeds, salts, and contaminants. Use organic fertilizers judiciously (ideally, based on actual need as determined by soil testing). Choose adapted varieties. Maintain a 2”M4” cover of organic mulch. Weeds compete with crops. Keep them down by hoeing or pulling. Manage watering for optimal growth. Don’t overwater. Encourage daily inspections. Deal with pest and disease problems immediately. Consult the Extension service to identify pests and diseases. Keep dogs and people out of the planters. TIPS FOR BEAUTY Beautiful gardens are good neighbor gardens! Give your food garden the same care in design as you would the rest of your garden. Fit the garden into the overall surroundings. Take the design and colors of the house into account. Mix Dlowers in with edibles. They attract pollinators and beneDicial insects, and they cheer things up. Create focal points, using hardscape elements, art, and dramatic plants to draw the eye. Make the garden happy and fun! Combine contrasting forms, textures, and colors in interesting ways. For artistic effect, consider planting in groups or drifts rather than rows. Use plants thematically, repeating varieties at different locations in the landscape to create a feeling of continuity. Think of food plants as visual elements, not just crops. Not all food plants are equally pleasing to look at. Evaluate varieties for beauty as well as productivity. A thick organic mulch improves appearance as well as saving water and keeping weeds down. Keep maintenance standards high throughout the season, removing dead leaves, pruning for form, and keeping weeds pulled. Owen E. Dell, RLA, ASLA • Principal 2866 SE Goodpark St., Corvallis, OR 97333 (541) 602M3575 • [email protected] • www.owendell.com Oregon Registered Landscape Architect LAM798

Edible Front Yard Gardens

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Tips for Productivity and Beauty in your Gardenby Owen Dell and Associates, LLCFeb 7, 2015

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  • INSIGHTS'INTO'GARDENINGFebruary'7,'2015

    Edible(Front(Yard(GardensOwen(Dell,(RLA,(ASLA

    TIPS'FOR'PRODUCTIVITY

    Determine(the(suitability(of(the(space(for(food(gardening.(Not(all(areas(are(going(to(work. Comply(with(community(regulations. Be(sure(the(soil(is(ready(for(planting.(Get(a(soil(test(if(you(have(any(doubts. If(lawn(is(to(be(removed,(strip(it(off(rather(than(spraying(with(herbicides. Check(soil(pH(and(adjust(as(necessary(for(a(slightly(acid(condition. Evaluate(lighting(conditions(to(be(sure(there(is(enough(sun(for(good(crops.( Work(on(weeds(Dirst,(eliminating(them(with(organic(techniques. Consider(seasonality,(planting(at(appropriate(times.(Use(a(planting(calendar(. Incorporate(suitable(organic(matter,(choosing(materials(that(are(free(of(weed(seeds,(salts,(and(contaminants. Use(organic(fertilizers(judiciously((ideally,(based(on(actual(need(as(determined(by(soil(testing). Choose(adapted(varieties. Maintain(a(2M4(cover(of(organic(mulch. Weeds(compete(with(crops.(Keep(them(down(by(hoeing(or(pulling.( Manage(watering(for(optimal(growth.(Dont(overwater. Encourage(daily(inspections.( Deal(with(pest(and(disease(problems(immediately.(Consult(the(Extension(service(to(identify(pests(and(diseases. Keep(dogs(and(people(out(of(the(planters.(

    TIPS'FOR'BEAUTY

    Beautiful(gardens(are(good(neighbor(gardens! Give(your(food(garden(the(same(care(in(design(as(you(would(the(rest(of(your(garden. Fit(the(garden(into(the(overall(surroundings. Take(the(design(and(colors(of(the(house(into(account. Mix(Dlowers(in(with(edibles.(They(attract(pollinators(and(beneDicial(insects,(and(they(cheer(things(up. Create(focal(points,(using(hardscape(elements,(art,(and(dramatic(plants(to(draw(the(eye.(Make(the(garden(happy(and(fun! Combine(contrasting(forms,(textures,(and(colors(in(interesting(ways. For(artistic(effect,(consider(planting(in(groups(or(drifts(rather(than(rows. Use(plants(thematically,(repeating(varieties(at(different(locations(in(the(landscape(to(create(a(feeling(of(continuity. Think(of(food(plants(as(visual(elements,(not(just(crops. Not(all(food(plants(are(equally(pleasing(to(look(at.(Evaluate(varieties(for(beauty(as(well(as(productivity. A(thick(organic(mulch(improves(appearance(as(well(as(saving(water(and(keeping(weeds(down. Keep(maintenance(standards(high(throughout(the(season,(removing(dead(leaves,(pruning(for(form,(and(keeping(weeds(pulled.(

    Owen(E.(Dell,(RLA,(ASLA((Principal2866(SE(Goodpark(St.,(Corvallis,(OR(97333(541)(602M3575(([email protected]((www.owendell.comOregon(Registered(Landscape(Architect(LAM798

  • 2RESOURCESBOOKS Urban(Homesteading((Heirloom(Skills(for(Sustainable(Living((Rachel(Kaplan) Edible(Landscaping((Rosalind(Creasy) Designing(and(Maintaining(Your(Edible(Landscape(Naturally((Robert(Kourik) The(Resilient(Gardener((Carol(Deppe) The(Bountiful(Container((Rose(Marie(Nichols(McGee(and(Maggie(Stuckey) Perennial(Vegetables((Eric(Toensmeier) Food(Not(Lawns((H.C.(Flores) Growing(Vegetables(West(of(the(Cascades((Steve(Solomon) Gardening(When(It(Counts((Steve(Solomon) The(Timber(Press(Guide(to(Vegetable(Gardening(in(the(PaciDic(Northwest((Lorene(Edwards(Forkner) Deerproof(Your(Yard(and(Garden((Rhonda(Massingham(Hart)OTHER(PUBLICATIONS OSU(Extension(publications:(http://extension.oregonstate.edu/lane/gardens/publications OSU(Extension(Gardening(Tips:(http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/tips OSU(More(Stuff:(http://extension.oregonstate.edu/mg/resourcesMpaciDicWEBSITES Garden(Planner:(http://www.smartgardener.com/ Northwest(Edible(Life:(http://www.nwedible.com/ Make(an(Edible(Landscape:(http://www.bhg.com/gardening/vegetable/vegetables/makeManMedibleMlandscape/?sssdmh=dm17.724881&esrc=nwgn022714 Edibles(in(the(Ornamental(Garden:(http://us1.campaignMarchive1.com/?u=6b87cbdbca7a158540d881d9e&id=a340235dd7&e=bb8a7e729b PNW(Gardening(Calendar:(http://portlandnursery.com/docs/veggies/VeggieCalendar.pdf Rosalind(Creasy:(http://www.rosalindcreasy.com/ Mother(Earth(News:(http://www.motherearthnews.com/organicMgardening/paciDicMnorthwestMgardeningMregion.aspx#axzz306rHVMDLLOCAL(RESOURCES Corvallis(Garden(Resource(Guide:(http://www.corvallisgarden.net/GardenResourceGuide.pdf OSU(Extension:(http://extension.oregonstate.edu Benton(County(Master(Gardeners:(http://extension.oregonstate.edu/benton/gardening