Uncategorized | Edible Landscaping Made Easy With Avis Licht

Container Planting for the Edible Landscape

Garden Design, Ornamental/edible plants, Plant information, Uncategorized 1 Response »

Apr 302012

by Avis Licht – Growing food in containers is easy and straightforward. Here are some tips that will give you greater success.

Ornamental containers can grow herbs and food.

Colorful pots mixed with herbs, lettuce and flowers are easy to harvest

1. Site your pots so they get enough sun for the type of plant you are growing. Lettuce doesn’t need to be in full sun, but most of your herbs prefer it sunny. If you’re planting on a deck with an overhang be sure to watch what the sun does during the day. If you have a choice, morning sun is better for plants than afternoon sun, which can be really hot.

2. Choose plants that you like to eat and will be sure to harvest. Herbs are a great choice for containers, as you can cut a little bit off regularly and the plant still looks good and grows well. Herbs suitable for containers are: Rosemary, parsley, thyme, chives, basil, cilantro, lemon verbena, oregano, lavender, tarragon, sage and mint.

These violas have been blooming for 5 months

3. Edible flowers, of course are a great plant for containers. They are ornamental as well as edible. You can decorate your meals with them. Some of the easiest to grow include, nasturtiums, dianthus, calendula, Lemon Gem marigold, Citrus Mixed marigold and Tangerine Gem marigold. Scented geraniums have leaves and flowers that you can use to garnish food. Pansies are well known, can grow in shade and are easy to find. Pansy and violet leaves and flowers are edible and nutritious.

Nasturtiums

Pansy and lavender combine nicely in pots

4. IMPORTANT TIP! Plants in containers dry out quickly. Sun on the pots heats up the sides and causes them to dry out. It is important to keep them moist. When soil dries out water goes through the soil without being absorbed. People think they’re watering when they put the hose to the pots, but in fact, if the soil is dry, the water goes through the pot and out the bottom.

There are a couple of ways to deal with this. If you have a drip system, put the pots on their own schedule and water them 5 minutes, 2 or 3 times a day. This allows the water to soak in and not drip out the bottom.

One of the best solutions to container planting that I’ve found are self watering pots. They have a reservoir at the bottom and the moisture wicks up into the soil. Some of these pots only need watering once a week or even once every two weeks and your plants stay healthy and strong. It is a great solution.

I’ve been using these containers for years with huge success. You can get them from Gardener’s Supply along with a light weight soil medium for growing your plants. They have a special container and mix just for tomatoes

Self watering containers keep plants from drying out.

Keep plants moist and healthy with self watering containers

Let me know what are your favorite plants to grow in containers.

How to Keep Birds from Eating Your Seedlings

Pest control organically, Plant information, Uncategorized 1 Response »

Feb 152012

by Avis Licht

To completely protect plants, cover with bird netting

We love the birds in our garden, but we don’t love how they eat the young seedlings. Here is the best way I’ve found to keep the little rascals from wrecking your garden.

1. Plant the seedlings, like lettuce, beets or broccoli in a raised bed. When you plant intensively in a bed it is easier to protect more plants than if they are in single rows.

2. Place wire fencing over the bed in a hoop like fashion. You can also use heavy gauge wire, flexible plastic tubing or bender board.

Keep your netting off the plants to allow room for growing

3. Pin the edges down with wire staples that are used for holding down irrigation tubing.

4. Lay bird netting over the wire. Pin it down carefully along the edge of the bed. If you leave any openings the birds will sneak in.

One little thing. You need to be sure that it’s birds eating your seedlings and not some other pests, like snails or slugs. Bird netting will NOT keep the snails out. A bird will bite the plant and leave a v shaped mark like this > . Snails and slugs eat both the edges and the middle of the leaf in curves.

Snails and slugs will chew the edges and center of a leaf

How to Pick the Right Mulch for Your Edible Landscape

Plant information, Soil and Amendments, Uncategorized 2 Responses »

Feb 112012

by Avis Licht – Mulch is great for the garden, but it’s important to use the right mulch in the right place. Here are some tips on how to pick the best mulch for your garden.

. For vegetables I use organic compost. It is pretty in the beds and useful for the plants.

MULCH IS GOOD FOR THE GARDEN

There are many kinds of mulch and each has its particular benefits and disadvantages. Sometimes it’s better not to use any mulch. It can be from natural materials like bark and compost or man made from plastic and rubber.

Always cover large areas of exposed soil with mulch

We take our lessons on mulching from mother nature. Falling leaves, twigs, needles, flowers and fruit fall to the ground, covering the soil. They decompose, adding nutrient back into the earth. They also protect the soil from sun, wind and hard rains to keep the soil from eroding, blowing away and becoming compacted. In our desire to be “neat” we often rake up leaves and put them in the garbage in a misguided effort to keep the garden looking tidy. Here’s how to keep the garden looking good and stay healthy at the same time.

ADVANTAGES OF MULCHING

Conserves water by preventing evaporation
Reduces weed growth
Keeps soil cooler in summer and warmer in winter
Organic materials improve soil structure as they breakdown
Reduces splash onto leaves and buildings
Reduces erosion by slowing down water runoff and allowing water to penetrate the soil, reduces wind erosion
Reduces soil compaction, which in turn allows water and air to penetrate into the soil
Encourages worms.(Yes!)
Looks good (Also Yes!)

Compost around herbs looks good and adds to the health of the soil and plants

DISADVANTAGES OF MULCHING

Mulched beds are slower to warm up in spring – especially a concern for vegetable gardens
Can import weed seed – especially in compost and manure that has not been sufficiently heated
Can prevent native bees from creating homes in the ground. (Warning, this link doesn’t encourage mulching, but has some good points)
Large and small bark mulches can take nutrient out of the soil as they break down. (This link has more information on problems with mulch)
Inorganic mulches like plastic and shredded rubber do not decompose, they just break up into smaller pieces that are garbage.
Mulches that are too thick can prevent water and air from entering the soil.
Mulches too close to the trunk or crown of a plant can cause it to rot.

TYPES OF MULCH

Bark, either shredded or sized (1/4″, 1/2″ or larger) can be very ornamental and tidy. They do not add nutrient value to the soil. It is also hard to clean up falling leaves from areas mulched with bark. Bark can be expensive.
Compost is excellent for most plants. It can be bought or you can use your own. I found it difficult to make enough of my own compost to cover all my garden. So I used it on the most important plants – my vegetables and strawberries. Be aware that compost can have weed seed. There are many sources for good looking, safe compost. (Contact your local soil and amendment supply store.)
Manure that is well composted is an excellent mulch in most parts of the garden. Horse stables have different methods of composting their piles. Test it in one area of your garden to make sure you don’t import unwanted weeds.
Straw and hay. Hay has seeds and you don’t want to use it. Straw on the other hand, is basically weed free. It isn’t particularly pretty, so use it in the vegetable garden. It can create habitat for slugs and worms if kept moist. So have an eye out for that.
Leaf mold is from leaves that have decomposed. I rake up all my oak leaves and put them in a big pile over the winter. In spring I move aside the top leaves and underneath is a beautiful amount of composted leaves, known as leaf mold. Don’t worry it’s not moldy! I put this on my fruit, raspberries, strawberries and currants. You can also use it in your perennial garden. Don’t use leaves from Eucalyptus, Walnut, Bay or diseased trees. Their leaves have allelopathic elements that inhibit the growth of plants.
Living mulch is a low growing ground cover. It protects the soil by covering it, and also increases soil health by growing roots, which creates humus, aeration and water penetration. Live plants also create a healthy atmosphere of transpiration, moisture and habitat for birds and insects.
Rocks, stones and pebbles can also be used as mulch. They can be very ornamental, while still preserving moisture, protecting the soil and reducing weeds. Stone will absorb heat and release it into the ground. This kind of mulch is excellent for desert plants, succulents and alpine plants.

WHERE TO MULCH

New plantings – Cover areas that are exposed until the plants fill in
Vegetable garden – Use compost to mulch around your young plants. This will keep the soil surface from compacting and will add nutrients and worms.
Put around trees
All shrubs, flowers and perennials
Basically everywhere, except those special parts of the wild garden where you want to leave soil for your native bees to take up residency.
Replace mulches as they decompose, faster for composted areas, longer for bark.

Mulching keeps the yard looking good and provides a healthy environment

How to Use Recycled Wood for Gates and Railings in your Edible Landscape

Garden Design, Uncategorized No Responses »

Nov 112011

: Gate and Arbor from recycled materials

There are times when you build something for your garden when you want it to look new and times when you want it to look like it’s always been there.

Hand hewn pickets make a beautiful fence

A garden gate from old Redwood pickets

When picking a gate design, you need to consider:

Form of the gate
Existing structures and style in your garden
Security issues
Strength and durability

These pickets were hand hewn and many years old. They came from a job where the owners wanted a new fence that looked more modern. Style changes. Into the back of my truck and home they went with me.

In the case of my garden, which is very informal and has Oak trees that are hundreds of years old this picket fits in perfectly.The hand hewn form of the pickets create a beautiful look that you can’t get from milled lumber.

Since this is an interior gate, going from one part of the garden to another, it did not need to be terribly strong. Just strong enough to keep the dog on one side.

Hand hewn pickets create interest

Another use of the pickets was for the railing coming down my stairs. When seen up close as in a railing, the pickets add interest and history to the stairs.

Hand hewn pickets for stair railings

It is becoming more common to find recycled materials. The trick is to find what works for your particular situation. When making design decisions, pay attention to what already exists in your garden so that there’s not too much mixing of styles. Find materials that are easy to work with. Have fun coming up with new ideas.

How to Build a Brick Step on a Wood Deck

Garden Design, Uncategorized 2 Responses »

Nov 102011

Recycled Brick and wood go together well

Recycled brick steps with wood edge on a wood deck

When adding new structures to your garden such as steps, paths, trellises and gates be sure to consider using recycled materials.

For the steps above I used bricks that someone else didn’t want anymore and that I had been storing for some “future” project.

We did a small remodel in the living room, putting in sliding doors. This then required some steps down to the existing deck. My first thought was to use the same wood as the deck. But I had the bricks and we needed something right away.We laid the bricks in front of the door on the wood deck. They looked good, but posed two problems. Though bricks are heavy, they tended to slip a little and were not entirely safe. The second problem was bricks on wood held in moisture and would rot the deck.

Wood framing and metal shelf keep the steps dry and in place

Solutions to these problems were straight forward. We built a wood frame around the bricks with 2 x 4 Redwood and laid an old wire shelf underneath for drainage. The wire shelf had just enough height to keep the bricks off the wood, but not so much as to change the height of the steps.

The final decision on the steps was an aesthetic one. How many different materials can you use in one area and have it look unified? Using recycled materials is great, but throwing whatever you have at a project won’t work if it doesn’t look good.

Keep your design simple and it can look very elegant. Look around with an open mind and you might surprise yourself with what materials are available.

Mixed media works for me - Brick and Wood

Brick steps with wood edging look good on a wood deck

Tomorrow I’ll show you how I used someone’s throw away fence pickets to build a gate and a railing.

Erosion Control – More Ideas

Garden Design, Soil and Amendments, Uncategorized No Responses »

Nov 082011

Low retaining walls can help prevent erosion

Low stone retaining walls keep soil from falling into the driveway

Erosion of hillsides can range from minor movement that is easy to repair, to major and dangerous situations.

Caveat! Caveat! Caveat!

If you think you have a major problem, please refer to a professional soil engineer or contractor to help you. In this post, I am only going to address simple erosion problems.

Building low stone retaining walls can be simple and effective for keeping hillsides from eroding.

These walls were built without mortar in a method called drystack. Only soil was used to hold them in place. Cutting back into the hillside, laying the stone, back filling with soil and then planting keeps the base of the wall stable.

Loose soil will collect in the beds at the bottom of the hill.

The swale is covered with a biodegradable erosion blanket and sowed with clover and wildflower seeds

When assessing your slope for erosion problems look for these signs:

Channels already formed in the hillside from runoff
Bare soil that is exposed to rain or water runoff
Downspouts or other water sources

Ways to minimize water damage include:

Create swales that are on the contour of your slope
Build retaining walls that have drainage in them
Sow seed and plant fast growing shrubs to cover bare soil
Mulch, mulch, mulch

Wild strawberry and Mahonia with stone wall

At the top of the stone wall you can see the wild strawberry (click to enlarge)

In the photo above I planted a native strawberry that sends out many runners and roots into the hillside. It will cover the hill very quickly. Other California native plants that provide excellent cover are creeping Ceanothus, trailing Manzanita and Sonoma Sage and Coastal Sage Brush.

Creeping ceanothus, trailing manzanita and other natives were used on this steep shady slope

Small walls at the base of trees keep soil and mulch in place

The most important action for you to take in your garden is OBSERVATION. Go out in the rain and storms and watch how the water flows. This is the best way to learn about your garden and the only way to really know what is happening.

Erosion Control on Steep Hillsides – Do it before the rains come!

Garden Design, Uncategorized 2 Responses »

Nov 072011

The hill came down, the walls went up

Before the rains come crashing down, take a good look around your property. It’s especially important if you are on a hill or have slopes around you. When water picks up speed it can really create havoc. Take a look at this hillside. After a number of rainy days, the whole hillside came down into the driveway. Fortunately, no person and no cars were there when the soil came down.

In an effort to get more light in the property the owners cut down many trees. The result, light came down and so did the hillside. They should have made sure the ground was planted and drainage was put in place. To do it after the soil erodes is much more expensive. In addition to cutting back the hill and putting in retaining walls, we also put drain pipe behind the walls, at the top of the hill and at the bottom. Water has to go somewhere! Take a look.

Erosion control for steep hills may mean building retaining walls

Cement block wall at the bottom and wood retaining walls will hold back this hill

Retaining wall in process

There's still too much soil, and erosion can be a problem

Cement block wall is not high enough, and soil needs to be removed

After the walls are built, it is important to plant for soil coverage. I use seeds for immediate coverage and plants for long term coverage. At the top of the hill we put in a swale to redirect the water away from the main walls. We covered it with erosion control blankets. They are both 100% biodegradable, but they are slightly different. One is thicker and made of coconut fiber and the other has straw put between cotton netting. The thick mat is better for stronger erosion control and the straw allows better germination of seeds.

Two types of erosion control blankets - coconut and straw

The blanket on the left has straw and the blanket on the right is coconut fiber.

A long swale covered with netting and also planted with seed

For quick germination I used rye grass, Dutch white clover, vetch and California wildflower mix, with extra California poppies. We were lucky with early October rains that helped with excellent germination. If you don’t expect rain, you should water the seeds to take advantage of warmer weather in the early Fall. Once the winter rains come it gets too cold for most seeds to germinate.

Rye grass, Dutch white clover, Vetch and Wildflowers

Straw mulch holds the soil in place and protects the seed

Tomorrow I’ll talk about other simple erosion control methods.

Using plants and curving path for hillside erosion control

What to do with all those Fall Leaves

Soil and Amendments, Uncategorized No Responses »

Oct 252011

The Might Oak Tree over our House

It used to be that I could never find enough leaves to compost for the garden. I used to drive to the nearest cemetary. I kid you not. Now I have an embarrassment of leaf riches. Leaves are everywhere around my house. If you have this problem, DO NOT DESPAIR! Do NOT rake up those leaves, put them in a plastic bag and give them to the garbage men. That would make me cry. It would be a crime against nature.

All leaves are not created equal. The oak tree, or Quercus, has roots that go deep into the earth and bring up many minerals and nutrients. These then go into the leaves. The leaves fall to earth and are a gift to the gardener. The oak contains qualities that are oceans above other trees.

This pile of oak leaves will compost over the winter

Do not use leaves from Eucalyptus, Bay laurel or Walnut. They contain tanins that are not good for your plants.

To make sure your pile stays together and creates enough heat to break down, you might want to consider getting a simple wire cage.

Although the leaves falling continuously may get a little annoying, and even a little messy, be grateful for they will make next year’s garden even better. Trust me, you want to keep these guys on the premises.

Composted leaves look clean and smell earthy

When the leaves break down, they turn into leaf mold, which is not really mold, so don’t hold your nose. It smells clean and fresh. You can add this to your strawberry beds, raspberries, and blueberries, who all love a little acidic soil. You can also add it to your topsoil for working into the beds.

Japanese Maples are beautiful in all seasons and give great leaves for your compost

Welcome to the World of Edible Landscaping

Garden Design, Uncategorized 1 Response »

Oct 062011

: The Edible Landscape

Edible landscaping is the type of garden design I’ve been doing for 35 years. With landscaping ideas based on the principals of organic, sustainable and beautiful, I will pass on my hard earned lessons to those who are ready for the edible journey. Scroll down the page for all the entries, or go to Click on a topic on the right and choose a category to read. I write about landscape design, ornamental and edible plants, tools, gardening books, critter control and more.

To get an update when I write a new post be sure to subscribe by filling in the subscription widget in the right hand column.

Be sure to comment and ask questions. I’ll be glad to get back to you.

Yours in the joy of gardening,

Avis

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MULCH IS GOOD FOR THE GARDEN

ADVANTAGES OF MULCHING

DISADVANTAGES OF MULCHING

TYPES OF MULCH

WHERE TO MULCH

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