Also known as parking strips or boulevards, the sidewalks of your neighborhood area are often overlooked as an area to grow edible plants. There are certain challenges to growing edible plants in this space but if you can master the art of growing edible plants in this area, your landscape game will go to the next level. Edible landscaping is comparatively a cheaper yet beautiful method to decorate your neighborhood area. Through edible landscaping, you can both grow food as well as change the overall look of your neighborhood. This method of growing food on the sidewalks is both innovative and low maintenance and has become quite a trend these days. But how do grow edible plants for sidewalks? In this article, we have covered several ideas to create a beautiful landscape with edible plants and also shared tips for maintaining the same.
Table of Contents
What are the edible plants to grow on the sidewalk?
While selecting plants you can do a lot of experimentation. Edible radishes, turnips, sunflowers, lettuce, beans, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, strawberries, and other berries are cost-efficient and are the easiest plants to grow. Bell papers and tomatoes could be a great addition to your collection.
Sprouts are a big surprise in a small package. They are packed with nutrients and can be grown without soil. Put the sprouts in a mason jar filled with 2 cups of water. Drain them and cover them with water. Repeat this process, and after 2-5 days later, you’ll have a bowl full of sprouts.
For aesthetic purposes, you can grow lavender to perform it as a boundary for all those plants. Lavenders are an anti-septic herb, which is used in aromatherapy. It would spice up your landscape.
Things to consider before growing edible plants on the sidewalk of your neighborhood
Although cost-effective and beautiful to watch, it comes with its fair share of perils. There are several natural and man-made factors that could hinder their growth.
Side walkers: As we are dealing with edible plants for sidewalks, we have to talk about side walkers. They could pose a problem as the land in between your house and the sidewalk, falls under the no-mans land. They can intentionally or unintentionally ruin your plants with parking, or stomp on them.
Stray animals: Strays animals don’t follow any rules and regulations. They will destroy your plants, even more, if they are herbivorous. They could eat off some plants, or urinate on them. Either way fencing your sidewalk should be considered.
Municipal Rules: Adhere to your city’s municipal rules while thinking to build a fence. There are strict regulations regarding this issue. Check-in with the transportation department to know about the dimensions to leave or cover from the street.
Irrigation: Checking for proper irrigation should be your top priority, in case your hose doesn’t reach that length. You might have to get a water tap in the vicinity of your sidewalk. That too would include permission from the municipal corporation. Also, the levels of the ground should be favorable otherwise the land would be either too soggy or too dry for cultivation. You can also dig a basin for extra water collecting there.
Excessive heat: Pavements and sidewalks can get pretty heated up during the summers. It could lead to the drying up of the plants. You should ensure moisture level at all times.
Other natural calamities: Severe natural conditions would include drought, flood, and excessive snowfall could lead to debris on the ground preventing proper growth of the plants. Know your soil and its content. If it’s prone to these factors, reconsider your plantation and switch to calamity-prone vegetation. This would minimize your overall expenditure and save your time.
Additional tips to tricks to work it in your landscaping
Colorful and Fragrance flowers would be a good addition to your edible plants for sidewalks. They would help enhance the beauty of the sidewalks. Plants like rosemary, four-o-clock, sweet pea, and lavender are a treat to the eyes and would alleviate your mood at the same time.
Before planting your edible plants, you could elevate the soil bed up a few inches and seal it with a concrete boundary. This way you are retaining the soil moisture, and preventing spilling water all over the sidewalk. Bonus point: You cleverly save your plants!
Well, Good Health above all. You can enjoy your share of nutrients without having to step out much far from home. Depending on your yield, you can even sell in your local market and earn money. Ticks a lot of boxes in terms of benefits.
Clear out a path, if don’t want people to step on your hard work. If you can’t elevate your soil bed, make out a footpath or a small lane. It should clearly distinguish it from your sidewalk landscape to the footpath.
Plant perennial trees if you’re in doubt of them withstanding the harsh climatic conditions. They can never grow wrong. They can undergo a lot of pressure and provide you with long-term benefits. Big trees like oak provide a lot of shade and prevent soil erosion on a large basis.
Sometimes the gawking passengers can provide a lot of information than you expect. Despite dismissing them or getting angry with them, ask for their opinions, and you would be surprised. You never know as they can turn out to be a sidewalk plantation enthusiast just like you.
Conclusion
Landscaping edible plants for sidewalks can change the whole look of the house. It might be cost-efficient but it requires your utmost care and time. Depending on your budget and climatic conditions, you can choose various edible plants to harvest. To know that they would never disappoint you would moreover be the reason to start a sidewalk plantation.
Not only for your benefit, but sidewalk plantations are to become a trend, would it facilitate our global crop yield and increase greenery. World hunger would be mitigated and all together make this earth a better place to live in!
