Add Vegetables to Your Flower Bed Planning
And why not?
When you are doing your flower bed planning for the growing season I am quite surprised that this is an idea that is not used too often.
Not everyone has the space to do both. Not everyone has the time and or energy to maintain two separate gardens.
There is no reason why your vegetable garden has to be hidden in some obscure corner of the yard. Those corners are sometimes better for the hammock and table with a wine glass on it in the shade of a nice size tree for shade, something the vegetables do not care for.
Planning the Dual Garden
Even if you have space and time and energy, combining the two is sometimes a no-brainer. You just have to follow a few simple ground rules and ideas.
Remember that vegetables need at least six hours of sunlight to produce the finished product correctly and in a quantity, you will want to warrant the space.
For example, you would not want to plant those shade liking begonias with those sun-loving vegetables.
Think about how things will look and how plants will cooperate with each other. Consider a low profile plants for the border and go higher as you move toward the back of the bed.
Think in odd numbers for the plantings behind that border. Odd numbers are more pleasing to the eye. A single large plant such as kale would be a nice specimen plant surrounded by smaller flowers. Groups of three to five different herbs would be a nice and efficient look.
If you have a trellis on the side of the house leading guests to the backyard, consider planting some peas to share with that clematis vine.
Most likely the best area for the vegetables will be in front of the house because the backyard has been delegated for the pool, patio, and shade trees.
Consider how easy it would be to monitor your vegetables if you’re walking past them every day while going out to your car or your walking to the mailbox.
Later in the growing season, you will be harvesting on your way back to the front door.
And do not forget about that front door area. Although it is most likely concrete or brick, consider growing something productive in containers such as herbs and or strawberries.
Pest Control Advantages
A perk you should definitely consider is the advantages of pest control when you mix up the plants.
Everyone is interested in organic growing ideas to lessen or omit completely the insecticides.
Consider all the different smells of herbs that help camouflage each other that will confuse the pests and will attract less of them. That will be a benefit to the nonherbal plants also such as those tomato plants that are growing not too far from them.
There are flowers such as marigolds that deliver a fragrance that will naturally repel some insects and furry critters.
For instance, rabbits do not care for the smells of asparagus, leeks, onions, potatoes, squash, tomatoes. They also do not care for basil, mint, oregano, parsley, and tarragon.
Herbs are great natural insect repellers. Chives will discourage carrot flies, aphids, and Japanese beetles. Dill helps in repelling aphids, spider mites, cabbage loopers, squash bugs, and tomato hornworms. Fennel will scare away aphids, slugs, and snails.
Final Thoughts on Flower Bed Planning
As you can see there are many advantages to combining your flowers and vegetables into one interesting and productive garden for the home and your busy life. There is absolutely no need to be discouraged by space constraints or design ideas.
Do what is comfortable for you and will be efficient and visually appealing.
If you have any questions, comments, or ideas we would be happy to hear from you.
