Edible Landscaping for Small Spaces!

Edible landscaping is a beautiful and practical way to grow food in limited spaces. Edible landscaping is also known as foodscaping and is a modern term for integrating edible plants into ornamental landscapes. The idea is that edible plants are not only consumable, but can also be appreciated for their aesthetic qualities. It is a method of providing fresh food affordably and sustainably.

When I started off with my horticulture channel, one of my friends mentioned that if only everyone could grow enough fruits and vegetables for their own use, food security could be a reality. That was my main motivation for growing fruits and vegetables in my very limited garden space. Here you can see my grape vine spreading across the compound wall as I do not have space to grow it anywhere else. Still it is growing remarkably well. Of course I can make it a little more aesthetically appealing by pruning it well, and that is what I am planning to do soon.

While planning your foodscaping, you have to assess your space for sunlight, soil type and available area. In my case the whole courtyard is paved with concrete tiles except for a small area which we used to have a small grass meadow on. Naturally I have opted for growing vegetables in garden pots. We can choose the right plants according to your taste preferences, growing season and space constraints. As it was difficult to grow plants with vines, I thought of growing them along the compound wall or in large garden pots with an innovative way you can see here! One one side I am using electrical wiring pipes while on the other side I am using other shrub vegetables as supports.

Other options for limited spaces could be vertical gardening using pre-fabricated frames or hanging baskets. Using pots is the way which I opted for as it suits me better. You could also plan for dwarf fruit trees and shrubs when space is limited. I had even tried plantain in large garden pots, though I had to switch some time later. Here the orange plant is growing in a large garden pot while the apple plant is in the backyard.

Another great option is to grow vegetables on your terrace in garden pots. Terrace garden will have plenty of sunlight. In case there is no water tap available, you could use water can for watering your vegetables. In summer you could use garden pots without holes to conserve water. You need pour only a small amount of water each day, to match the loss by evaporation. I have only a small terrace, almost the size of a room as the rest is sloping roof with tiles. Here you can see eggplants with fruits on my small terrace, growing in garden pots.

Seeds can be obtained from local shops or procured online. Manure can also be bought either from local shops or bought online. Options are between organic manure and chemical fertilizers. Kitchen waste could be composted and turned to excellent organic manure. Small vessels for preparing compost from kitchen waste are available in local agro shops as well as online. Turning kitchen waste into compost sorts out your difficult problem of waste disposal in urban areas. Finally when your garden is ready for harvest, it is quite a satisfying experience!