Vol. 124 (2011): Proceedings of the Florida State Horticultural Society
Ornamental, Garden & Landscape

Designing an Edible Landscape or Eat Your Yard

Anita S Neal
University of Florida, IFAS, St. Lucie County Extension Service, 8400 Picos Road, Fort Pierce, FL 34945

Published 2011-12-01

Keywords

  • victory garden,
  • vermiculture,
  • integrated pest management

Abstract

Designing your landscape with edibles is as simple as replacing ornamental plants with ones that can be consumed (Worden, 2004). Consumers are looking for simple ways to improve their lifestyle by living healthier and protecting the environment. They are eating more fruits and vegetables, wanting to grow naturally or organically and use less pesticides or chemicals. The solution is to design fruits, vegetables and herbs right into their landscape. An educational program was developed to assist homeowners with design, plant selection, and maintenance. Several workshops were delivered throughout the county at many different locations over a 2-year period. Homeowners were surveyed to determine if they incorporated edibles into their landscape or started a garden. The survey also asked if they implemented one of the Best Management Practices suggested at the workshop.