How do I start an edible landscape affordably?

Creating your own edible landscaping is within reach if you use your imagination and stay on a budget. Use inexpensive seed packs and cuttings rather than expensive nursery plants. Concentrate on long-lived food crops such as asparagus and herbs that do not require replanting for years. I converted my yard with free divisions obtained from my neighbors' gardens.

Grow plants from your own cuttings to save a fortune. Root rosemary cuttings in water before planting outdoors. Divide full-grown rhubarb roots every three years to start new beds. Save seeds from your best tomato plants every season. These methods cost pennies compared to buying small growers.

Space out your installation over multiple seasons for budget reasons. Focus on fast-growing annuals to be planted in the first year, like beans and lettuce. In the second year, you can add berry bushes and herbs. In the third year, fruit trees can be added. This way, you spread out your costs while developing the garden's maturity.

Focus on plants that yield the highest return for the least amount of work. Perennial herbs, such as thyme and oregano, provide years of harvests with only one planting. Blueberry bushes bear fruit for years to come. Concentrate your efforts first on high-value plants, such as these, before moving on to annual vegetables.

Use recycled materials for economic infrastructure. Make trellises from fallen branches and raised beds from salvaged wood. My first garden utilized old pallets to create vertical planters, saving me thousands over store-bought systems while keeping materials out of landfills.

These inexpensive methods yield wonderful returns. A blueberry plant at $3 yields at least $50 worth of fruit yearly. Herb beds provide expensive seasonings from the supermarket. In two seasons, your edible landscape will be a net producer instead of a cost producer.

Read the full article: 10 Essential Edible Landscape Design Tips