About the Journal
Subscribe!
Archive
This Issue:
The Baker Endowment
Calendar of Events
Things to Expect & Do
Ants: The Good, the
Bad, and the Zany
Barnyard Trivia
Landscaping with Good
Taste
Word Wise
Speaking of Spinach
Spinach Recipes
Beautiful Brittlebrush
Computer Corner
Invasive Plant Notes
Book Review
Harvest Time Puzzle
Go Native with
Xeriscape
Can You Identify This
Plant?
Homing in on Jojoba
The Plant Vampires
Of Friendships &
Gardens
Garden-Smart TIPS
Special
Announcements:
Fall Garden Festival
|
 |
|
B E T T E R L A N D S C A P E D E S I G N
Landscaping With Good Taste
by Sandy Turico, Master Gardener
It has been said that nothing beats the taste of vegetables and herbs freshly
harvested from the backyard garden. Considering the fact that consuming produce
(preferably organically grown) is an excellent way to ensure good health, why
would any enthusiastic gardener not want to include some delectable delicacies
in their landscape? You might think you don't have the time or the space.
Think again...perhaps it's time to add some edibles to your landscape!
Determine the type and amount of produce you will consume, and how much time you
can give to this endeavor. Even a minimum of space and effort can yield some
tasty morsels for the dinner table. Will you be able to devote only an hour or
two to the garden on the weekends, or can you schedule gardening chores on a
more regular basis? A culinary garden can be as small as a single container or
as large as the space you have available to you. Regardless of the amount of
room you want to allocate to your food garden, it is important to integrate the
edible plantings into your landscape in an attractive and practical manner.
FINDING THE RIGHT SPACE The first step in designing your garden patch
should be to evaluate your home site. Vegetables and herbs require 6 to 10
hours of full sun daily. Sunlight patterns change with the seasons, and since
we are fortunate to have two different growing seasons in our region it very
important to figure out where your edible plants will receive optimal sunlight
during each season. Afternoon shade during our intensely hot summer months is
also an important consideration.
Locating your garden plants close to trees or shrubs will result in competition
for water, nutrients and sunlight. An ideal location for interplanting
vegetables and herbs would be among annuals and perennials with similar watering
requirements.
Unlike the desert trees and shrubs in your landscape, your edible plantings will
need frequent irrigations in order to thrive and bear fruit. Take into account
the access you have to a water source. This will make your irrigation chores
simpler. Using a drip system or soaker hoses are efficient methods to provide
the water your edible plants will need. A level planting area with good
drainage is another requirement for healthy vegetables and herbs. Waterlogged
soil is an invitation to disease and rotting roots.
Locating your food garden close to your house is a practical idea, making it
easy to get your veggies from the garden to the table in a minimum amount of
time. A spot that provides good air circulation as well as protection from high
winds will also aid in keeping your plants healthy.
LAYING OUT YOUR EDIBLE GARDEN
SPACE We're all familiar with the traditional vegetable garden planted
in long rows, certainly an acceptable option if you have the room. But there
are many other options to consider, no matter how much space you have, that can
add charm to your landscape.
If you need to keep your garden in one designated area, contemplate a unique
design that will complement the rest of your landscape. A garden plot in a
circular, oval or freeform shape with well-placed paths for easy accessibility
can become a highlight in the landscape.
If you don't want or need to limit your planting area to a single plot, think
about interplanting your edible plants among the rest of your landscape. As
long as you position groups of plants with similar light and water needs, they
need not be confined to a solitary location. Think about blending vegetables
and herbs with annual and perennial flowers in various planting beds throughout
the landscape.
Containers such as pots, barrels, or even an old wheelbarrow can be a perfect
way to raise vegetables and herbs. Make sure the vessels are at least 5 gallons
or larger, and that they have drainage holes. Bushy or dwarf varieties are a
good choice, and more than one variety of food crop can be grown in one pot if
it is large enough. Arrange complimentary containers in various sizes for a
striking addition to your patio or landscape. An added bonus to container
gardening is the ability to move them around to take advantage of sun and shade
as the seasons change.
Raised beds are ideal for your backyard garden patch for a number of reasons.
With this method, the soil is built up 12 to 18 inches above ground level.
Gardening tasks are physically easier to deal with, the soil mix is better
controlled, and drainage is less of a problem. Limit the size of the raised bed
to 3-4 feet in width in order to maintain the bed without having to walk over
it. Frame your raised beds with bricks, landscape blocks, wood planks (not
chemically treated) or whatever your imagination conjures up to keep chores more
manageable.

Plant UP! Think about vertical gardening to make the most of the space you
have. Besides the time-honored trellis, a fence, landscape tower, wooden
stepladder or netting strung between two stakes can save valuable space. Try
pole beans, cucumbers, peas or other vining plants for your vertical garden.
Take the time to plan your edible garden on graph paper. Sketching your design
to scale will enable you to make certain that the spacing of plants is correct
as well as help you to visualize the garden layout in relationship to the rest
of your landscape.
Space plants fairly close together to shade the soil and help prevent weed
growth. Be sure to position taller plants on the north side of your gardening
area so shorter specimens receive sufficient sun.
Research the fertilizer needs of the vegetables and herbs you raise. Grouping
the light, medium and heavy feeders together will result in healthier plants and
simplify maintenance.
SOIL PREPARATION Soil preparation should be a top priority regardless
of where you choose to raise your edible plants. Our alkaline desert soil has
little organic material. So adding amendments will improve the soil structure,
enhance drainage and enrich the soil. If using containers or raised beds,
getting the right soil mix is simply a matter of adding the correct combination
of soil and amendments to fill the container or build up the bed.
When planting directly in our native soil, the ground will need to be loosened.
Organic matter such as compost, mulch or aged manure should be added along with
nitrogen and phosphorus. A supplement of soil sulfur or gypsum will lessen salt
buildup. If planting in containers, do not use native soil directly from your
home site especially if it is composed mainly of clay. Instead, buy or blend
your own lightweight soil mix that will allow roots to absorb enough air and
water. Detailed directions on preparing garden plots and containers can be
found in "Desert Gardening for Beginners" published by the Arizona Master
Gardener Press.
This groundwork needs to be repeated before every planting season. The time and
effort you spend getting your garden area ready for planting will pay off at
harvest time, so don't skimp on your prep work.
WARM AND COOL SEASON VEGETABLES Avid gardeners
in Maricopa County will appreciate the fact that they can raise vegetables and
herbs during two separate growing seasons. While there are numerous annual and
perennial herbs, vegetables (with the exception of asparagus and artichokes) are
grown on an annual basis. Vegetables that thrive in the warmer temperatures
present from spring through fall are beans, cucumbers, cantaloupe, peppers,
pumpkins, sweet potatoes, and tomatoes. Cool-season crops that do well from
fall through spring are beets, broccoli, carrots, lettuce, peas, and radishes.
COMPANION PLANTING Plants have many properties that affect the
environment around them. Although plant life may compete for water and
nutrients or even release toxins fatal to other vegetation, some plants flourish
when they are grown near other specific plants. Vegetables and herbs can deter
harmful pests, attract beneficial insects, add nutrients to the soil, enhance
flavors, and shade smaller plants. For example, mints and lavender are natural
insect repellants. Basil can be planted with tomatoes to improve growth and
flavor. Beans and peas, which are legumes, enrich the soil with nitrogen. Many
beneficial combinations have a basis in scientific fact, while others just can't
be explained. Man has been observing the principles of companion planting for
thousands of years; putting a few to work in your garden will help it thrive.
TIPS - Once you decide which edibles you would like to have
in your landscape, do some research. Find out the best planting times, mature
plant sizes, and number of days until a crop will mature.
- Determine whether
it is best to raise plants from seeds or transplants. If you choose
transplants, water them several hours before planting, and plant late in the
afternoon, early evening or on a cloudy day to reduce shock to the transplant.
- To prevent insect and disease problems, rotate your vegetable crops. Don't
plant vegetables from the same plant family in the identical spot more than once
in a three-year period. For example, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant all belong
to the "Solanaceae" family; once a growing season has ended a crop from a
different plant family should be planted in its place and vegetables from the
Solanaceae family rotated to other areas of the landscape.
- Choose varieties
that are resistant to pests and disease.
- Take into account the color and
texture of the annuals, perennials and other plants in your landscape. Repeat
colors and textures and vary heights to achieve a pleasing display. Planting in
odd-numbered clusters (3, 5, 7, etc.) will produce a satisfying balance in your
landscape.
- Put aside the chemicals and go organic if possible; fertilizers
such as compost, manure, cottonseed meal, fish emulsion, and bone meal are less
likely to burn plants. Natural pest controls are safer for your family and
protect the environment.
- Take care not to overwater or overfertilize herbs.
Generally, they do not require as much water or nutrients as vegetables.
-
Plant aromatic herbs like lavender, rosemary and sage near patios, entries and
patio areas where their fragrance can be appreciated.
- If limited to a small
space, keep your garden design simple.
- Consider growing native crops such
as fava or tepary beans, cilantro, chile peppers, or tomatillos that thrive in
our desert environment.
Growing vegetables and herbs is a healthy, wholesome activity for the whole
family. Your children, grandchildren or the neighbor's kids will get a thrill
from planting and harvesting their own veggies, and will likely be more willing
to try out a variety of foods they've actually helped raise.
There is a wealth of information concerning edible gardening available from your
county extension office, the Internet, and books and magazines geared
exclusively for our Southwest desert climate. Take advantage of classes
sponsored by various municipalities and nurseries. Consider your vegetable and
herb garden a work in progress; realize that success will be a matter of trial
and error. Above all... enjoy reaping the rewards of your harvest!
Maricopa County Master Gardener Volunteer Information
Last Updated October 4, 2003
Author: Lucy K. Bradley, Extension Agent Urban Horticulture, University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Maricopa County
© 1997 The University of Arizona, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cooperative Extension in Maricopa County
Comments to Maricopa-hort@ag.arizona.edu 4341 E. Broadway Road, Phoenix, AZ 85040,
Voice: (602) 470-8086 ext. 301, Fax (602) 470-8092
|