A Self Reliant Guide To Edible Landscaping

When it comes to landscaping there is a lot to consider. I have put a lot of thought into thinking about landscaping. While it may seem amazing, after building a house with my husband I have never got around to landscaping around my house. There has always been a lot of other things to do and spend time and money on. Well this spring I am changing that. I want to share my plan with you and help you think about what you can do with your space. My main first concern is making sure that I keep the gates shut and not allow the sheep and geese around my place.

Cabbages

There is a whole world of cabbage out there and some are quite beautiful.

Purple cabbage and Savoy cabbage make a pretty contrast to one another. You can also mix in some of your traditional varieties like Early Jersey Wakefield or any other favorite. Cabbages do require some room to spread out. You can have a lot of cabbage for your favorite fermented foods. My dad likes Kim Chi and you might too! There is little stopping you from planning your cabbage landscape with your favorite fermented things in mind!

Saffron

The saffron crocus is gorgeous and produces some very expensive stems. Saffron is important because it adds a lot of Vitamin B to rice and thus prevents vitamin deficiencies when you have to eat a lot of rice. Combined with the arsenic issue with rice, it is easy to see why one should make their own yellow rice instead of buying the packets where if you rinse to remove arsenic you are taking away all the spices.

The bulbs are not expensive to buy and you can expand your patch yourself over time.

Garlic

I love growing garlic. It is very pretty and you can get greens off the top as it grows. Garlic scapes are so good. You don’t want to cut them too much though or you will be in the position of stunting your growth. Seed garlic can be kept year to year if you are careful to dry it out well. Only keep the biggest bulbs for replanting. Using smaller ones will result in small garlic whereas using your best will improve your crop.

Some people swear by the seed garlic that you buy specifically from a farm or garden supply. It is quite expensive compared to what you pay at the grocery store but you are able to get specific varieties which can be fun. Also consider that if you pay for the exact varieties you want it is a one time expense if you keep some bulbs to replant every year. Of course you may have a bad season or just want to have a bigger better faster and thus order more. Ordering 5 lbs or more of seed garlic results in a better deal usually so if you have friends that want to grow, consider going in on a bulk order together and stretching your gardening dollar a little more.

Mixed Greens Beds

These greens might be in a container but you can see how beautiful they would look anywhere. No more spending $7 a lb for organic greens at the grocery store.

Micro greens are very pretty if you get a mix and reseed regularly. Salad bowl mixes are a good choice. You can change up what you plant season to season to keep food on the table and things looking nice.

Herbs and Spices

Basil and some other herbs are expensive to buy but easy and cheap to grow and oh so pretty. The sky is the limit to the different types of herbs you can grow in a lot of places.

Leeks

Leeks are $ 3 per lbs where I live and they are simple to grow and will even winter over. Giant Mussel borough leeks are very cold hardy and easy to establish. You can start eating leeks when they are very small to thin them out and make room for the larger ones to expand. They can get to be a few inches in diameter if left alone. Eventually they will go to seed and you can collect the seeds.

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