Edible Landscaping
Lois Royer
College ofAgriculture and Natural Resources
Sometimes creativity is neededto grow your own food
• If all the sun is in the front yard
• If there is no backyard• If you want a productive
alternative to the lawn• If you like to experiment
Respect your neighbors while challenging tradition
• The lawn has been highly valued for many years
• Some Home Owners Organizations will not like a front yard veggie garden
• Most neighbors are more flexible than you might expect
Gardens can help neighbors connect and learn
• Keep your garden attractive where highly visible to others
• Share the goodies when possible
• Talk to people about your plants
• Consider helping others grow food in their yards too
Vegetables have needs
• Full sun is best, over six hours per day
• Water requirement usually higher than most ornamentals
• Many need more fertilizer than flowers for best yield
• Might need staking or trellis
Plan for growth and harvest
Most Vegetables are annualsSome are slow to fill in while
others rapidly sprawlPlan for holes in the
landscape as plants are harvested
Some plants are just never that attractive
Some veggies can be beautiful
Fruits and nuts
Many fruit trees require regular attention to yield properly, including pruning and insect control
Some varieties need two plants for fertilization- to get fruit
Small fruits are great options
• Strawberries• Blueberries• Blackberries• Currants• Grapes• Raspberries
Herbs accent any landscape
Start small and expand as you gain experience
Lovely structures can lend beauty to less showy plantings
Dare to be different
Reinventing the Yard
Wonderful article in the July 2009 issue of the Baltimore Urbanite magazine
Scott Carlson discusses his experience with creating an edible landscape in suburban Baltimore
Jon Traunfeld of the University of Md Extension Office gave tips on redesigning typical urban landscapes for growing food
Illustrator Kimberly Battista provided lovely drawings to bring the gardens to life.
The Shade Yard
The No-Yard Yard
The Hill Yard
The Row house Strip
Go online for more gardening information and sign up for free Home and Garden Information
Center newsletter!
http://extension.umd.edu/hgic
Resources
• Grow It! Eat It!http://www.extension.umd.edu/growit
– We have all types of practical food gardening tips and information. Check out our popular blog!
• Home and Garden Information Centerhttp://www.extension.umd.edu/hgic
– Here you will find factsheets, photos, and videos. You can also subscribe to the free monthly e-newsletter.
– We answer gardening questions 24/7…just click “Ask Maryland’s Garden Experts”
• Maryland Master Gardener Programhttp://www.extension.umd.edu/mg
– Consider becoming a trained MG volunteer!
This program was brought to you by the
Maryland Master Gardener Program
Howard County
University of Maryland Extension