The Edible Garden

2nd Thursday – Gardening:

Although I have quite a large garden, I have very little ground area that receives enough sun to accommodate growing fruits and vegetables. Therefore, I have to be creative.

I have incorporated a number of vegetables into the perennial garden beds – a number of vegetables are quite ornamental and lend themselves quite well to the garden beds.

There are various ways to incorporate vegetables – you can use pots, raised beds, planters and supports – especially for peas, beans, cucumbers and such. The height added by the support for the climbing vegetable plant can be quite decorative.

I am excited to try a few new vegetables in my garden this year.

Kaufmann Mercantile has given me the opportunity to try out some of their Kitazawa oriental seeds! I am thrilled. There is nothing better than to fresh home-grown vegetables and fruits.

I have been given:

• Sugar Peas – Taichung 13

• Japanese bunching onions – Red Beard
• Edible White Leaf Amaranth
• Swiss Chard – Magenta Sunset
• Sword Bean – Shironata
• Arugula – Rocket

I am looking forward to reaping the fruits of these wonderful plants.

In my garden, I have limited space that is ideal to grow vegetables. Living in the south I also have to contend with conditions of late afternoon sun and humidity. Ideally, vegetables require six hours of sun – eight is best. For me I need to locate my plants where they’ll receive filtered afternoon shade.

To accomplish this – I am planting my vegetables amongst my flowers.

There are several kinds of vegetables and herbs that lend themselves well to inter-planting with your flower garden. I will also use pots that will enable me to create the right soil environment and allow me to move them about if needed.

The soil is one of the most important parts of growing fruits and vegetables.

The most important thing to know is that your soil must drain well. Vegetables need air and good drainage. If their roots become waterlogged the plant will suffer.

The less stress your annual vegetable has – good soil, good pH, good drainage and the right location – the better they will grow and produce for you.

Have you visited Kaufmann Mercantile? You will find an interesting assortment of hand-crafted items – I have my eye on these Japanese Gardening Tools.

Additional Resources:

Designing Edible Gardens
Growing Vegetables and Flowers in Harmony
Interplanting Flowers and Herbs

Originally posted on A Delightsome Life.