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