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Edible Landscaping - Edible Landscape

Sometimes you get a 2-for-1: plants look good, and provide you with edible landscaping, too! Such is the case with, e.g., blueberry bushes and fruit trees. Other times, you may simply conclude that landscaping should be practical, and you decide to plant edible landscaping as a matter of principle. And yet other times, nature dumps edible landscaping in your lap, in the form of edible "weeds."

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Apple Trees - Pruning and Selection
Learn all about apple trees, including how they can be employed in landscape design. Tips on selecting apple trees is followed by information on apple tree care, which includes pruning apple trees. Qualities of different varieties discussed, including their taste and the climate zones in which they thrive.

Purslane for Edible Landscaping
Edible landscaping with purslane, a common lawn and garden "weed." Purslane's use as a gourmet food is discussed, supplemented by a recipe link. And purslane's health benefits are detailed as well. Think twice before killing this edible landscaping weed!

Companion Planting With Edible Landscaping
Centuries before books came to be written on "companion planting," the Iroquois and other pre-Columbian denizens of North America were practicing a version of it. Learn how their techniques improved the soil and obviated conventional mulching. Consider trying it in your own edible landscaping themes.

Visit Greenwood Nursery for Edible Landscaping Tips
Greenwood Nursery supplies top quality plants for edible landscaping wholesale to the public. Their inventory of inexpensive edible landscaping plants includes both ornamental trees and fruit trees, as well as bushes. They're also a resource for gardening products and landscaping tips. Whether it's buying apple trees or learning about pruning them, the Greenwood Nursery site is worth a visit.

Spacing for Apple Trees, Other Edible Landscaping Tips
This is Part I of a two-part article on the care of fruit trees, a fine component of edible landscaping. It begins with general considerations for planting fruit trees and culminates in a table detailing how much space different types of fruit trees require. Apple trees, for instance, need to be spaced at 25' intervals. Part II (see link below) treats of chilling requirements.

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Articles & Resources

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Edible Landscaping Tips - Chilling for Apples Trees
Part II of an article on the care of fruit trees, providing a table with examples of chilling requirements for the production of various fruit trees, including apple trees. Apple trees, a staple of edible landscaping, need 300-1200 hrs. of chilling. Fruit trees can increase the real estate value of your property, because they're both attractive and functional.

Pruning Apple Trees and Other Fruit Trees
Guide to pruning fruit trees. Explanations of pruning techniques, supplemented with pictures. When to prune, how to shape fruit trees, trellising dwarf apple trees and dwarf pear trees, rejuvenating old fruit trees. This pruning information source takes you step by step, from the necessary care the first day fruit trees are planted to first-year care, second-year pruning and succeeding years.

Sweet Cherry Trees vs Tart Cherry Trees
Distinction drawn between sweet cherry trees and tart cherry trees in your edible landscape. Tart cherry trees do a better job of tolerating cold winters and hot summers, and consequently are easier to grow in many areas. Tart cherry trees are also smaller, facilitating their harvesting, pruning and spraying. Learn about edible landscaping with both of tart and sweet cherry trees here.

Blueberries - Versatile Edible Landscaping
An Iowa State University Extension article. Information on drainage, sun and pH requirements for blueberries. Includes method and timing for planting, plus mulching, spacing and pruning considerations. Blueberry bushes provide both edible landscaping and fall foliage color.

Blueberry Bush Pruning
From Northwest Berry and Grape Information Network. Article explains why pruning is required: it maintains blueberry plant vigor and productivity, aids in disease and insect management, maintains large fruit size and quality, and develops an appropriate growth habit for harvesting.

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