Edible stuff in the front yard
I agree - Blueberries make great hedge plants - with white flowers in
the spring and red/gold leaves in the Fall. Strawberries make a great ground covers. Fruit trees are all covered with blooms in the spring. Brambles might not be so good, as they need a support trellis, but they can cover a fence. And if you are looking for some ideas - visit a pick your own farm - Check out http://www.pickyourown.org/ . There are complete listings for pick your own (u-pick, PYO, etc.) farms and orchards there for the United States, Canadfa, Britain, Australia and New Zealand. The site is free and easy to use. You can also find a pick your own farm or orchard for fruit (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, apples, etc.) and vegetables, pumpkins, Christmas trees, etc. near your location. The typical harvest dates and other information for each area and farm, are also present. And there are also illustrated directions to make jam, applesauce, apple butter, etc. They even have local weather (current and forecast) linked in.Have fun! Blake dps wrote in message ... Assuming you're in a part of the country that experiences winter, I would recommend against annual crops in the front yard. Your front yard will look like bare soil (or weeds) for more than half the year and your neighbors may be upset (depending on your neighbors). You might consider perennial crops. Fruit trees are common and can be used as screens in the summer. Berries, particularly those that grow on shrub-like bushes, can be attractive. If appearances are a problem, you could plant a hedge at the front of your yard to block the view of your crops. In that case the area used by the hedge serves a function of a fence. It can reduce road noise. If the hedge produces berries it can also feed wildlife. When we first started farming, I had a similar bias toward food crops over decorative crops. Then one year we grew winter squash and gourds. Very similar crops. The winter squash brought in $.25/lb. The gourds brought in $.99/lb. People are willing to pay for decorative items, but food in this country is supposed to be cheap. We now grow both food and pick-your-own flowers. The flowers are very popular, and bring in more than the veggies in dollars/acre. Ignoramus31046 wrote: Being from a country where people considered their land plots as source of food rather than entertainment, I have hard times reconciling myself with gardening decorative plants. I personally plant only what I can eat. Although I would not mind my spouse devoting herself to planting flowers and whatnot, this is not something that I see myself doing. My question, rather, is, what varieties of plants that produce FOOD can be planted in the FRONT yard. Some things come to mind. 1. Sunflowers -- beautiful flowers that make nice seeds 2. Corn -- tall grass with some view blocking properties that looks nice and is also obviously edible. Adds a rustic look to the area 3. Fruit trees -- great flowering in the spring and great looking crops in the fall. I am thinking of setting up a nicely decorated compost pile in the front yard next year, and growing squash in it. Any other ideas for food plants that look nice int he front yard? i |
Edible stuff in the front yard
dps expounded:
Assuming you're in a part of the country that experiences winter, I would recommend against annual crops in the front yard. Your front yard will look like bare soil (or weeds) for more than half the year and your neighbors may be upset (depending on your neighbors). Huh? My gardens are bare during the winter, makes it easier to clear out the leaves, etc. And my yard is one of the best looking yard in the neighborhood, everyone comments on it. I have raised veggie beds and perennial borders.....looks just fine. -- Ann, Gardening in zone 6a Just south of Boston, MA ******************************** |
All times are GMT +1. The time now is 02:35 PM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
GardenBanter