Backyard Gardens

The goals with the backyard garden is to save space, increase the produce, and conserve water for the gardens. The garden needs to provide the required vegetables and herbs while requiring a low amount of water for the plants. Planning the garden is the hardest part of the garden.

The options for plants make gardening a personal choice for each gardener. They can have the standard green beans, corn, and tomatoes or go further with adding cabbage, bok choi, and sweet onions. Add chives, squash, peppers, and peas. Make the garden everything you eat and can freeze for the winter months. Make a list of the vegetables you love to eat so you can save money with the garden fresh veggies you will be getting during the summer and fall months. Plan the arrangements of the locations of the plants for the garden so they have room to grow without having problems with becoming cramped as they grow to their mature sizes.

Select different variations of the types you want to grow with different dates of producing the vegetables to make the fresh vegetable options last longer. There are different germination dates for every kind of plant so look closely at the dates when selecting them.

Remember to consider the fact some plants grow taller than others so place the shorter plants in the same areas thus allowing for better sun exposure versus shadows from the taller plants. Also consider the sizes the plants will grow such as the tomato plants get bushy and need to have cages or stakes so the plants do not break off and the vegetables rot on the ground.

The hydroponic and vertical gardens in the backyard, installed by Dean Dekker of Dekker Family Farms and flanked by orange and grapefruit trees, is one of senior landscape architect Scott Davidson's favorite features of the home. "This is very important in creating a sustainable home," adds Davidson. "Growing your own food is essential to reducing trucking of fruits and vegetables to each individual. The result of growing your own has a large effect on the environment."

The garden, planted with strawberries, tomatoes, sweet Vidalia onions, bok choi and mesclun, features both vertical planters and barrel planters. Coconut thatch replaces soil as a growing medium. According to Davidson, the system is powered by small solar collectors and irrigated via rain water barrels. "A timer turns the pump on and waters the plants three to four times a day for about three to four minutes each time," adds Davidson. "This provides for a very efficient use of water and gives the plants only what they need. The water is supplemented with liquid fertilizer, so every time the plants are watered they receive the proper nutrients." The result of this eco-supported system? Water conservation, higher and faster yield and improved quality and taste. A drum composter - the final addition to the backyard gardening space - provides the home gardener with rich compost to nourish and fertilize garden beds. Leaves, grass and garden trimmings and organic kitchen waste are placed in one of two chambers. Each fully enclosed chamber - constructed of rust-resistant galvanized steel - is rotated daily until organic material matures and is ready to be used.