Backyard Postage Stamp Garden Design

 backyard design  No Responses »
Apr 212009
 

In a Postage Stamp garden, a garden that uses a barest possible amount of space, the placement of your plants is critical. You need to utilize every square inch of space but leave room for the plants to breath and receive enough nutrients to grow healthy and produce large crops. Freesia
Creative Commons License photo credit: The Marmot

Below are a few suggestions for plant placement

Its best if you had time in the winter to plan a garden but you may have decided to plant at the last moment or you have just created a space for a garden. If you haven’t planned a garden it is helpful to lay a design out on paper.  You will have a better plant placement plus you won’t forget a plant or two.

One important part of a postage stamp garden is to use as much of the air space as possible. Some call this layering the plants. Train tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, and vining plants up trellises, arbors, fences, poles, walls or what ever is available. This keeps the plants off the ground, saves space and promotes healthier plants. Sprawling plants will also choke out over smaller plants and makes weeding more difficult.

I have also found I have less insect problems growing certain plants vertical. One more additional plus is that it is pretty. Mix a flowering vine in with the vertical vegetables and it’s stunning. The flowering vine will also help pollination.

For your small backyard design postage stamp garden it’s not necessary to use rows. As a matter of fact rows use more space. I divide the garden into rectangular, square or circular spaces and plant a certain vegetable in that space. The same applies to seedling that you buy. Plant them randomly leaving enough space between the plants. Plants need enough space to grow and like to touch when mature. Spacing will depend on the plant.

For example tomatoes need one foot on both sides when trellised, lettuce like six inches and you can space beans four inches apart. . The Square Foot Garden book by Mel Bartholomew has a great section on plant spacing.

Its best to leave pathways in your garden if you have to reach more than a couple of feet. This way you can get to all the plants easily. This layout will also give you garden an artistic look. And if you have room on the garden place a small bench to rest. I also place a rain barrel in the center of my garden that I fill with water for quick watering or plants.

I also mix flower, herbs and vegetable all in the same plot. They benefit each other, many flowers have natural insect repelling characteristics and it just makes the garden prettier. I am a firm believer in a garden should be fun.

One other important consideration in your small backyard postage stamp garden design is to make sure you plant tall vegetable on the north end of you garden. Taller plants will shade the smaller plants that need sun. Plant the other vegetables in a descending order according to their size down to the south section of the garden. I do occasionally break this rule during the hot summer months with spinach and lettuce plants to give them a little shade in the afternoon hours.

With intensive gardening and the Postage Stamp Gardening method for using space you should be able to design a small backyard garden for any area, even balconies and patios. Gardens add to the development of a backyard oasis paradise.

Posted by Denise at 11:12 am  Tagged with: , , , , , , ,

Grow Fruit in Small Spaces

 Backyard Garden  No Responses »
Apr 172009
 

There is a trend in backyard design and gardening to work with small space to get the most use out of an area. This is particularly good news for renters and city dwellers. The other plus to small space gardening is the smaller the area, the less work you will have. Backyards are to be enjoyed – not to be all work.  Barossa Valley. SA
Creative Commons License photo credit: amandabhslater

When people think of a small garden they think of a few flowers and vegetables in a container but the truth is herbs, flowers, vegetables, fruits and even fruit trees can easily be grown in a small space and produce enough to supply a family with fresh produce. Containers, soil, a trellis or wall are all you need.

Strawberries adapt well to growing in containers. Put a strawberry jar in a corner along with a few small plants for a nice floral arrangement. If you have more room set up a strawberry barrel or a tower container. If you keep these watered they will produce a plentiful supply of berries.

My personal favorite is growing strawberries in hanging baskets. If you water and fertilize regularly its possible to have fresh homegrown berries all season long.

Rhubarb is very ornamental and I grow it in with my flowers. You can grow it in a large pot as a foliage plant for the patio or balcony. But the rhubarb will not produce as large of a crop in a container.

One other fruit I grow is the vine peach. It’s an heirloom seed that produces a small fruit somewhat like a melon in texture. I have grown it for years and it makes wonderful jams and jellies.

And if you have space on a patio you can even grow a few melons in a large container. You need a container that will hold a lot of dirt and fertilizer. Melons are heavy feeds and I put about one foot of compost and fertilizer in the bottom of a container to make sure the plants will have an ample supply of nutrients for the season. This container also has a trellis so that the melons grow vertical.

If you have a trellis or available wall, Blackberries, Raspberries, gooseberries and grapes can be trained to grow on a trellis, fence or wall. You will need to keep the vines trimmed to increase the plants fruit production and to control the vines from encroaching into living space.

Kiwi grows very well in a container or on a trellis. Just check to see the hardiness or the kiwi variety you have chosen. The kiwi plant is very beautiful and I like to mix the container in with other flowering containers. It makes a nice focal point when arranged this way. Kiwis
Creative Commons License photo credit: Sheep purple

You can grow fruit trees in containers but you need to check the rootstock to purchase the right fruit variety and you will need to prune the fruit trees to keep them small and manageable.

Posted by Denise at 9:52 pm  Tagged with: , , , , , ,

Raised Bed Garden Project

 backyard projects  No Responses »
Apr 152009
 

Raised bed gardening is easy to maintain and easy on your back. Another useful purpose for the raised bed gardens is that it can make use of poor soil locations and out of the way place in the backyard that receive enough sunlight for a garden but may have poor soil or be so uneven that it creates problems. Small Yellow
Creative Commons License photo credit: faungg

This you tube has a very easy to assemble raised bed plan. It cans easily be adapted in width and length to fit into your backyard, which can be helpful if you are working with small space design for that small yard. Notice the nice raised beds that are located on the deck. It adds beauty to the deck and makes use of valuable space.

One other reason I really enjoy raised beds is that they are easy to attach framed to for growing crops in cold weather. You can also attach trellises or posts to the side to let plants grow vertical which will also save space in the garden areas.

Posted by Denise at 11:04 pm  Tagged with: , , , ,

Small Space Hanging Garden

 Small Space Garden  2 Responses »
Apr 082009
 

Flowers and even vegetables add a beauty and oasis feeling to any backyard or indoor living area. They are particularly stunning in small space areas like patios and balconies. The addition of color, fragrance and flora moving in the wind creates a Garden of Eden or Secret garden feel. Our small balcony garden.jpg
Creative Commons License photo credit: jfeuchter

Possibly you have a small yard or no yard but there is still hope for a lush hanging garden filled with a variety of flowers, herbs and vegetables.

All you need is a deck, or wall or a window–or any combination of those three! And even hanging basket suspended from the ceiling has a great look. Just watch for the weight of hanging baskets when using a ceiling.

When planning for a small space garden area, each plant takes on new meaning. Select only what you want and your indoor lighting will accommodate. You may also consider miniature versions of certain plants like miniature roses, mini pumpkins, or cacti.

Where is the best location for your garden? Window boxes work well if you plan on using sills. You can find flower boxes with grooves to fit on top of deck railings. This will help to ensure the boxes stay in place. With the wide selection of window boxes available you can match and compliment any interior design. And if you’re creative you can make your own window boxes and indoor planters.

I have even seen an entire wall that was turned into a hanging wall garden and it was stunning. This was accomplished with hanging boxes and hanging baskets. And in the corner was a small water fountain.

Decide what will you plant in your small space hanging garden. Annuals? Perennials? Vegetables? Or will you go for color and fragrance? It’s possible to have a few plants of each and mix them in the baskets and boxes.

Annuals, such as begonias, firetail and wave petunias have brilliant flowers that cascade in weeping branches. Alyssum (or “sweet alyssum”) has a wonderful evening fragrance. Perennials include the lilac-colored Molinae and thick, bushy, Trailing Antique Rose. And don’t forget nasturtiums and lavender. Vines will also add color and line to your garden area.

Small vegetable like mini hot peppers, cherry tomatoes, lettuce, and mini squash or pumpkins will easily grow in boxes and hanging baskets. They look colorful mixed with herbs and flowers. stairs2
Creative Commons License photo credit: miss_rogue

Find out which flowers and vegetables will work with your climate if you plan on having your garden outdoors. And many of these plants can be brought indoors or over wintered if you can enclose your patio or balcony area. Your local gardening center should be able to help you with your climate growing information.

One other consideration you may have to make is additional lighting. Plants need six to eight hours of light a day. If you windows are not supplying adequate light you may want to add spotlight or floor lamps.

With planning and a little creativity you can create your own small space mini garden oasis to relax in after a day of work. You will be amazed how the addition of a garden area will give your living space a larger feeling.

Posted by Denise at 5:27 pm  Tagged with: , , ,

Help for the Beginning Gardener

 Backyard Garden  No Responses »
Apr 042009
 

With the recent economy and food recalls for food toxins, gardening has taken a 19% jump in popularity. The fact it’s the 4th most popular hobby means there will be gardens popping up everywhere. This means that everyone will need to get their gardening supplies as quickly as possible and that there will be quite a few new gardeners. 0402 011
Creative Commons License photo credit: themissiah

If if you have limited space in the backyard, you can find room for a small space garden. A 4 foot square plot will produce enough foo for one person and if you add containers or only have room for containers you should still be able to grow your own fresh food.

If you are new to vegetable gardening, here are a few tips to get you started:

Start small. New gardeners often over plant and become overwhelmed. Its amazing how much one packet of seeds will produce and two squash plants will give you more squash than you need. If the vegetable you are planting has a shorter growing season plant a smaller amount of seeds and plan to plant two crops. If one crop produces enough produce, use the space for something else.

You don’t even need a separate vegetable patch to begin with. Use containers placed on a patio or porch, hanging baskets and window boxes. Tomatoes, squash, lettuce and herbs look great scattered among flowers. My favorite is using bok choy in flower borders; the green and white color accents the bright colors of annual flowers. A half barrel of herbs such as basil, parsley, thyme, thyme and chives placed near a door will make adding fresh seasons to a meal a snap. These kitchen herbs also make great edging plants for your vegetable or flower garden. And a garden add to the backyard oasis feeling of your yard or patio area.

If you have a garden plot, choose a level, well-drained spot that gets at least eight hours of full sun each day. Make sure it’s close to a water source or that you place a rain barrel near the garden. Carrying water to the garden takes time and energy. And remember the closer the garden is to the house, the easier the plants are to tend. If the garden is near a path or area you travel during the day you will find you pull a weed or pick a vegetable while passing by.

Grow only veggies you like to eat. You will notice that homegrown vegetables are tastier than store bought. I have found that I actually like certain vegetables grown at home that I will not touch if bought in a store. They have no taste.

Grow what you cannot buy in your area and that is high priced because it’s shipped in. I like heirloom tomatoes and hot peppers. The varieties I like are not sold in the stores and are a fortune at the farmers market. There are two reasons store bought produce is not as good. One, by time you purchase it; it is old and has lost the fresh out of the garden taste. The other reason is many vegetables are now being raised to ship better. Taste is not as important to the producer as durability. This is most noticeable in tomatoes.

Plant the vegetables that cost more in the stores. Arugula, mesclun salad mixes, baby vegetables, asparagus, strawberries and blueberries are a few that are more expensive. And winter squash varieties cost per pound in a store. So if you have children you may want to plant each a pumpkin or two.

And I always plant something for fun, possibly a new vegetable, gourd or vine. Gardening can be work, but it should also be relaxing and fun.

Plan ahead and plant a vegetable or two to can or freeze for later use. Or share a crop with you neighbor. Having a garden can save you at least $500 or more depending on the size, what you grow and if you store produce for later in the year.

Posted by Denise at 9:20 pm  Tagged with: , ,
 Older Entries  Newer Entries
© 2012 Backyard Oasis Suffusion theme by Sayontan Sinha