Signs That Your Yard Is A Bad Fit For Edible Landscaping

Edible plants have grown in popularity over the last few years, as homeowners aim to be more self-sufficient. And edible landscaping is the perfect solution for those who want to grow food, but don't have the room or the time to cultivate a full vegetable garden. This method incorporates fruit trees, vegetables, herbs, nuts, leafy greens, berries, or edible flowers seamlessly into your yard without detracting from its beauty. 

Sadly, not all yards are ideal for edible landscaping, and it's best to know upfront if your yard falls into this category. Ashley Esakin, a gardener with a degree in soil science who's known for the Gardening in Canada YouTube channel, told Hunker in an exclusive interview that yards with improper drainage, less than eight hours of sunlight, and no fencing, are bad candidates for edible landscaping. It can also come down to the type of plants you wish to grow. For instance, perennials will be much harder to maintain in certain climates. "Consider finding local nursery perennials to ensure survival. Local horticulture departments at universities are secretly the best place to go," she says. 

While there are many pros to growing your own food, one big con is that it can attract uninvited critters and even people into your yard. In her exclusive interview with Hunker, gardening YouTuber Ashley Esakin said, "From personal experience, people don't mind getting groceries from your garden." So if that sort of thing would bother you, maybe edible landscaping isn't the best choice for you. 

If you want to incorporate edible landscaping without unwanted guests, consider keeping it to a fenced-in backyard instead of front and center. You can also help keep pests at bay by choosing certain strong-smelling flowers and herbs (such as peppermint and lavender) known to repel mosquitoes, spiders, wasps, deer, rabbits, and more. But if you wish to avoid these types of animals and insects altogether, edible landscaping may not be for you. 

Of course, based on your soil and the amount of sunlight your yard receives, the decision whether to have edible landscaping might be made for you. When asked which yards are best for edible landscaping, Esakin said, "The best [have] 12+ hours of sunlight, loam soil, [and] good airflow to prevent against fungal/bacteria diseases." Loam soil is a mix of clay, silt, and sand, and has the perfect level of moisture retention and drainage needed for edible plants. If your yard has pooling water after it rains, it is a sign your soil has poor drainage and may not be the best fit.

Your yard may not be the best fit for edible landscaping, but that doesn't mean you can't grow your own food. "If you have poor soil, you may need to consider container gardening, which limits the size of plants that can be used," said soil scientist and plant YouTuber Ashley Esakin in an exclusive interview with Hunker. Potted plants are also a good choice for those with small yards (or no yards), and renters. They can be easily moved around your yard to get more sun or less sun, and moved inside or in a screened-in porch to protect them from extreme weather or pests. This raised garden bed from LEETOLLA holds a large amount of plants, and has wheels for easy mobility. 

Edible flowers like marigolds (Tagetes spp.) and common violets (Viola sororia) are great contenders for containers. There are also a large variety of fruits and vegetables you can grow in containers, such as lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, strawberries, and summer squash. Just be sure to use the proper container size for each plant, and look for varieties with names like "dwarf," "patio," "miniature," and "compact." 

Simply learning to grow an herb garden is another great solution for those limited to container gardening. Herbs can be grown indoors and will continue to produce year-round, making them an excellent alternative to edible landscaping for extreme climates.