Some American homes have tidy, well-maintained lawns as a status symbol. But for those who want to get more bang for their buck, having an edible garden on your front lawn is more practical.
After all, an edible garden can beautify your home and give you access to fresh produce.
Traditionally, well-groomed green lawns are prized as a “hallmark of homeownership.” They can also indicate a homeowner’s wealth and status, depending on their level of landscaping and maintenance.
Did you know that lawns are the single largest irrigated crop in America? Lawns cover almost 32 million acres.
But unlike edible gardens, green lawns don’t produce any crops. Instead, green lawns just consume water and fertilizer that could have been used to grow fruits and vegetables.
Additionally, lawns also take up valuable soil and potential cropland. Green lawns also require a lot of your time, money and resources.
In 2015, Americans spent an estimated $29 billion on lawn care. The shocking thing is, every quarter acre of lawn also requires at least 21 hours of annual maintenance.
Lawns don’t just require costly maintenance. They also have a significant environmental impact. The typical American lawn needs 10,000 gallons of supplemental water, excluding rainwater, every year.
While edible gardens also need to be watered, data from the Urban Plantations from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Public Policy Institute of California, and the Alliance for Water Efficiency showed that gardens require 66 percent less water than green lawns.
Practical homeowners are growing edible gardens instead of green lawns and at least one in three Americans grows food at home or in a community garden.
Surprisingly, instead of supporting home gardeners local lawmakers and homeowners associations aren’t in favor of edible gardens. Some cities have banned edible gardens, especially when they’re cultivated in a front yard.
Cities have even been punishing home gardeners, with some being required to pay fines or do jail time. But homeowners are fighting back.
In California, a bill passed in 2014 allows homeowners to start edible gardens for “personal agriculture” to reduce food costs, particularly for the impoverished.
Learning how to grow an edible garden isn’t easy, but this endeavor is a useful one that all homeowners should consider because of the following benefits.
Not sure what to plant in your edible garden? Try some of the suggestions below!
Vertical herb gardening
This is a great option for beginners who don’t have a spacious garden in their backyard. Start growing herbs in a vertical garden, which can still help you save on herbs that you can use to cook tasty and nutritious meals for your family.
You can also try propagating rosemary cuttings and other herbs. Once you get the hang of growing herbs, grow more plants up a wall in your property for a steady supply of various herbs and a beautiful (and edible) vertical garden.
Grow edible flowering plants
If you want to keep your garden pretty and practical, start growing edible flowering plants. Who says you can’t have your roses and eat them too?
Consider growing rose petals and chives together. When in bloom, their flowers are sure to beautify your lawn.
Additionally, chives are a good companion plant when growing roses because the former helps drive away pests. At the same time, chives invite beneficial insects.
Aside from roses, you can also grow these edible flowers:
Ornamental fruit trees
Cedar, maple and pine trees will look impressive in your yard, but if you want to have beautiful, fruit-bearing trees, grow apples, avocados, cherries, peaches, or pears instead.
If you don’t have enough space for full-size trees, choose espalier fruit trees or columnar fruit trees. These kinds of trees are trained to grow a certain way so their branches don’t take up too much space.
In these difficult times, it’s better to maintain a practical home garden and grow organic fruits and vegetables.
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