1. Grow what your family loves
2. Grow for flavor
Consider which vegetables and fruits don't hold up well at supermarkets - or never taste good to being with such as tomatoes, corn and peppers. Some vegetables such as corn lose their sweet flavor within hours of picking, so if your area will support the plants' requirements, grow those.
Fruits and berries incorporate well into gardens. Citrus such as lemons and limes are best grown in containers in many parts of the country and their home-grown flavor is fabulous. |
Grow Crops with long (or repeat) harvest
4. Grow vertically
5. Grow crops in pots
Pots are a great solution to easily obtain the optimal desired soil, control water consumption and improve drainage. Edible plants can be grown in containers of all kinds, but don't skimp on size - the bigger the better - allowing plants' roots plenty of room.
Another benefit of growing in containers is the soil temperatures will warm more quickly than the ground temperature, allowing for an earlier start and likely earlier harvest. Temperatures get a bit nippy? Just shelter your plants until more comfortable temperatures return. |
6. Grow espaliers

This doesn't affect fruit production as training fruit tree branches to grow horizontally increases fruit production. The technique was developed in the 16th century, out of the practical need for growing fruit in such marginal climates as northern France and southern England. It was discovered that if the branches were bent horizontally, they could direct energy away from vigorous vertical growth and into producing spurs (those lateral branches that eventually flower and produce fruit). Learn more about fruit production here.
7. Use succession planting
8. Mix edibles with ornamentals
There is no need to confine your edibles to a kitchen garden. If planted in an imaginative way, flower beds of all kinds can benefit from the color and texture of vegetables and fruits. In addition, many vegetables such as lettuces and cabbages make fantastic borders and many plants grown primarily for their flowers, such as camellias, are themselves edible. The key here is think outside of the box and be creative!
Happy gardening! |