Front Yard Vegetable Garden Update

Because of lack of sun we have our main vegetable garden in the front yard. As the season winds down, here is a vegetable garden update.

I feel the continued drought has affected the Southern California garden somewhat but I still managed to produce some good results this summer growing season.

Front yard vegetable garden ideas:

Vegetables are attractive mixed with flowers.

Many people are afraid to grow a vegetable garden in the front yard because they think it is not attractive. Well, I feel like food producing plants are gorgeous but if you are really worried about looks, than mix in lots of flowers with your food crops.

Most would not even know you were growing edibles when grown alongside flowering plants and shrubs. A plus is that flowering plants attract good pollinators which mean bigger yields.

Draw up a garden plan

If you want to grow your own vegetables this will help you keep track of where you planted what and also what worked and what didn't.

Remember to plant smaller things in the front of borders like marigolds or flowers and larger plants in the back like tomatoes.

You can also mix in a mini orchard in your front yard like we have. An apple and peach are pictured above. We also have another apple and a lemon tree in the front yard. Pruned only as tall as I can reach, keeps the trees manageable for harvesting and from blocking the sun light from the main garden bed.

Front yard gardening is a great conversation starter

I have met so many neighbors as I am out working in the garden. People walking by ask what I have growing and are always impressed with how much is growing in our small front yard edible garden.

I have given away not only advice but many herbs and vegetables to folks just out for a walk.

The front yard garden is great for teaching kids where food come from as many have never seen where there food comes from.

Our garden update September 2016

This past Labor day, we labored hard and pulled half the garden out and really cleaned up and added manure and compost. I had been wanted to use our old chicken coop fence in the front garden to help keep critters out and also because it will be great climbing plants on along the wall between our house and our neighbors.

This Lowe's fence has been great. It work awesome in the coop and still looks great all these years later. We will pull the other half out next weekend. We need to rest a bit and not over do it.

Along the front of the small front yard garden we have keep the little wire fence so I can get in and out easily.

I will share again as the fall garden gets established. We have year round growing seasons here so no rest for this gardener. You can find our other garden posts here: Gardening tips and posts