When it comes to vegetable gardening, there are numerous tips and other vegetable garden design ideas that can make the task an easier one and the vegetable garden a more eye appealing space. As no one garden is the same, not all ideas for designing a vegetable garden will work for everyone. Many of the following vegetable gardening ideas, however, not only have provided my gardens with exceptional results and beauty but have oftentimes made the labor of gardening a little less demanding both physically and financially.
Decorative Vegetable Garden Ideas
For instance, did you know that they can attract beneficial insects to the garden while deterring others? Flowers or herbs that have strong odors, such as marigolds and garlic, actually can repel pests from your garden and help prevent disease as well.
Implementing these plants with vegetables also can create sensational borders and edgings. Many vegetables make exceptional border plants and can be grown for ornamental purposes. Okra and asparagus often create lovely backgrounds when mixed with flowers.
Vegetable Gardening Ideas for Staking
Tired of the same old staking techniques year after year? Try these alternatives instead.
- Corn stalks or sunflowers can make interesting poles for beans.
- Use a ladder as support for vine-growing plants such as pumpkins; you can use the rungs and sides of the ladder to train the vines while placing pumpkins on the steps for further support; this technique also works well with staking tomato plants.
- You also can grow squash, melons, or pumpkins on boards or flat stones to help prevent them from rotting.
- Got some branches lying around? Pick out some of the sturdier sticks with thick, stubby branches for staking up your plants. Tie them with pantyhose to prevent cutting into the plant.
- Another alternative for staking plants is with the use of discarded plastic pipes or hollowed-out bamboo. Once staked, you can easily pour water or liquid fertilizer down the opening to reach the roots of plants.