My vegetable garden has a flower garden running along the side that is closest to the house, and that arrangement has worked well for many years. I don't really need all the space that is cultivated for vegetables, so lately I've been thinking about planting shrubs in and around the vegetable plot to make it more attractive. Other than worrying about shade, is there anything else to think about? Is there any incompatibility between conifers, for example, and vegetables? Will the roots of shrubs extend in too far and rob nutrients?
Making veggie gardens attractive
granitegneiss,
Hello here is how i do my small personal Garden at the house it has a bit of everything so I need not run to the big one and one can put other things in there as you wish
Sarge
I would not worry about it, Wynne. Shading the veggies would be my only concern.
Victor, you must have seen my veg garden! I planted some "dwarf" hydrangeas along the west side that were purported to be 3 ft tall. They are now 5+ ft high and no signs of quitting. I have to limit that side of the garden to lettuce, etc., which still does grow well there with only a few hours sun each day.
On the north side I had some red stem dogwood as a visual barrier for a picky neighbor. That worked well, but I had planted it too close to the veg. garden, and every year I have to lop off branches headed for the garlic bed!
Sounds nice, Don! You can always try a little judicious pruning to reduce the hydrangeas.
I have dahlias along one side of the garden, but planted so as to not shade....I also planted mixed annuals along one side as an experiment this summer.... I have several rows of glads in the garden.....the rest of the garden has marigolds around it....don't know if I would do shrubs.....most are tall or wide & would shade the veggies.
Planting herbs and allowing some to flower makes an attractive border to your veggie bed. Just don't plan on eating the flowering ones as once they flower they lose their taste and oft become quite bitter.