Is there anything better than walking out the door and picking fruit from your own orchard?

OK, so most of us don’t have an orchard, but we can have a fruit tree or vegetable garden. There are so many options available today and home gardens are wonderful family activities. In addition to the freshness factor that comes with home-grown produce, there’s a very strong likelihood that children are more apt to eat fruits and veggies they’ve had a hand in growing.

If your space is limited, don’t despair. Most edible fruit trees sold in local nurseries are either semi-dwarf or dwarf varieties. Typically the semi-dwarf trees will have a mature size of 12’-15’ and the dwarf trees will have a mature size of 8’-10’. These sizes of fruit trees are much easier to find an appropriate location for in an urban landscape as opposed to the standard fruit tree size of 20’-30’. There are many different varieties of trees, so check to make sure that the variety you are buying is hardy to zone 5 or lower. Edible plants do need good airflow so overcrowding should be avoided.

Fresh herbs are also a great addition to any garden. They are easy to grow and preserve and taste so much better than store-bought. Thyme, mint, and sage are hardy plants. If you don’t have a great sunny spot for them in the landscape, consider planting them in a container that gets plenty of sun. These herbs are usually tough enough to survive the winter left in the container. This is especially a good idea for mint because it has potential to become an aggressive groundcover when planted in the landscape.

Most fruit and vegetable plants prefer to be planted in soil that is high in organic matter. Using natural materials such as cotton burr compost and pine needles to acidify the soil is preferred over synthetic products and fertilizers. The natural materials will last longer and, some say, make the fruit taste better.

If you run into trouble with bugs feeding on your fruit or veggies before you get a chance to enjoy them, consider using traps as an alternative to pesticides as a means of control. After you determine what kind of bug is going after your fruit, you can choose from many different traps available for purchase or you can make your own. Most traps for purchase use chemicals, pheromones, or food to attract the pests. There are many different recipes available for homemade traps using common household products and food items. Using traps instead of spraying pesticides to get rid of the pests is a good option because it eliminates the worry of ingesting harmful chemicals and you won’t be killing beneficial insects such as honey bees.

If you do use chemicals, be sure that any insecticides and fungicides you apply are listed as safe for edible plants. Always read and follow the label carefully, even when using organic products. Just because a product is organic does not mean that it is safe to eat the fruit or vegetable without washing it first

Here are some suggestions for plants you might try. Most fruits and veggies like as much sun as possible. The plants listed in bold can thrive with partial shade.

Trees: Cherry, pear, plum, apple, pawpaw, serviceberry

Shrubs: chokecherry, blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, gooseberry, currant

Happy planting!

Rachael and Tobias

Rare is the season when I don’t find myself considering making changes to my landscape. Sometimes it is out of necessity – Mother Nature or the neighborhood pests have a hand (or teeth!) in it. Other times, I may want to change just a plant or two to give my landscape a fresh look. So, off I go to my neighborhood garden center, looking for something to fit a specific spot. Sound familiar?

But wait! Before you grab your keys, you might want to take some time to consider some key elements. You need to know the correct plant size to fill the space. You also need to know how much sunlight the space receives on a daily basis. You also want to be aware of the existing plant colors – foliage and blossoms – to make sure your new plant will complement the existing landscape.

When deciding what size of plant you need to fill a space, it can be helpful to use objects to help visualize what the landscape will look like after the plant is installed and as it matures. Any object will work, so get creative. Items such as a trash can, cardboard box, or empty pot will all do the trick. Tobias likes to use a mouse, ground squirrel, or fish, but those would be for a very small spot. Once you find an object that has the right size, take those measurements with you to the garden center.

How much sun does the plant need? Light requirements are usually listed as full sun, part sun, part shade, or full shade. Their general guidelines are:
* Full sun: At least 6 hours of direct sunlight.
* Part sun: 3-6 hours of sun.
* Part shade: 3-6 hours of shade. These plants will require shade in the afternoon to protect from the intense late day sun.
* Full shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight with dappled shade the rest of the day. This is Tobias’ favorite. Keep in mind that full shade does not mean zero sun exposure. There aren’t many plants that can survive in complete darkness.

Once you have the information about size and light, start reading plant tags. You’ll find the tags have a wealth of information about the specific plant. Most will not only give you the size and light requirements, but will also provide planting instructions and include a picture of the plant so you’ll have an idea of what to expect once it matures.

A cautionary tale: Some information on plant labels may be slightly misleading because the labels are not made specifically for Nebraska. For example, a rhododendron may be listed as full sun because in certain climates it needs full sun, but in Nebraska it needs afternoon shade to protect it from the intense Midwest summer sun. If you have any questions on sun requirements, a garden center employee should be able to help.

Don’t hesitate to forego a plant once in awhile. While you’re at the garden center, take a look around at the garden art. Sculptures, chimes, metal art and the like can add a great deal to a space. Perhaps a trip to the hard goods yard is in order. There you’ll find boulders of all shapes and sizes, many of which can easily be transformed into a bubbling water feature. If you love the hunt and are patient, you might search for a beautiful old bench at antique stores or estate sales.

There are lots of ways to fill in a landscape bed. We hope you enjoy exploring the options throughout the seasons.

Happy shopping!

Rachael and Tobias