Starting a Garden With Edible Landscaping? Better Check These Things Out First ...!

When starting a garden, it's easy to overlook the obvious ....

For example:

I chatted online with a man who was enthusiastic about edible landscaping, and he took starting a garden SERIOUSLY.

He spent hundreds of dollars on seeds, plants, and tools ...

... and only then did he learn that his Homeowners' Association covenant forbids growing food in the front yard.

He felt crushed! After digging up his yard, he has to fight the HOA board while his valuable plants sit in containers.

Don't let this happen to you!

There are many reasons to slow down and investigate BEFORE starting a garden that have nothing to do with restrictive covenants (although those seem to be a major hurdle in some areas).

Here's some things to consider when starting out:

• First, the obvious question: does your HOA, city, township, or community restrict food growing in the front yard?
  

(if so, all is not lost! I've written a couple of articles about this in the Tasteful Landscape newsletter, if you're interested. Access is free when you join.)

• Do you live within a hundred feet of a major highway? I'm referring to freeways, state highways, turnpikes, toll roads, anything with major traffic?
  

This is not good. The risk of pollution is much higher in those areas, as well as the risk of garbage, pilferage, and other annoyances. Consider moving if possible, or restricting your edible landscaping to the area farthest from the highway.

• Are there power lines that cross your property (either buried or above ground)? You will not want to plant trees near those, because you risk damage to the tree, the lines, or both, especially if you get severe weather.

• Where are the water lines, sewer lines, septic tanks, cable lines or any other underground structures on your property? Don't plant trees over those either, unless you want to spend a lot of time and money digging out roots and repairing broken water mains. (don't ask me how I know this ...!)

• Do you live within 500 yards of an industrial farm, an oil well, a toxic waste dump, a factory, a landfill, or any place with noxious stuff that might be spewing into the air? Do not plant an edible garden unless you have no other choice.
  

Personally, I would move. I'm serious. You don't want that on your food or in your body.

• Are your immediate neighbors (sides and/or back) applying anything near your property (on their side) that might be hazardous if eaten? This includes pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, lawn chemicals, slug repellent, rat poison, or any other potential poisons.
  

If so, talk to them about using less hazardous chemicals (things like Round-Up will kill some edible plants too), or else use edible landscaping only in the center of your property, away from the property lines you share.

None of these apply? Great! You're ready to think about the layout of your garden.

Here are some resources to get you started!

Would you like to learn more about starting a garden with a group of people who love edible landscaping as much as you do? Join the Tasteful Landscape community. It's free! Just fill out the form and follow the instructions:

What would you like to read next? Here are some suggestions:

Front Yard Landscaping Ideas - Herb Garden Design

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