The Foodscape Revolution. Brie Arthur

       ZONE 2

      Zone 2 is between the street and the house: mid-yard. This could be an island flower bed in the front or back yard or a landscape bed delineating the property lot line. Zone 2 areas usually have better access to water than Zone 3 but still may not get watered as frequently as plantings closer to the house. Unless you have a sprinkler system on a timer, it can take a bit more effort to water these areas (i.e., dragging hoses and watering cans around).

      I manage Zone 2 by planting only twice a year. This is where my grain meadows (with inter-planted herbs and flowers) grow. It’s possibly one of the most low-maintenance ways to garden, and it looks attractive. As a bonus, the edible meadow acts to screen the view from the street and provides seasonal privacy. Zone 2 areas are usually planted with a ratio of 60% ornamentals to 40% edibles, leaving enough ornamental interest to keep the bed looking full year-round, no matter what stage of growth the edibles are in. (See page 123 for how to create a property screen meadow.)

      It’s important to spend more time prepping the soil in Zone 2. I recommend spreading between 3-5" of compost seasonally before planting, then finishing the beds with mulch. The soil will gradually build fertility over time, but will do so faster than soil in Zone 3 areas because of the yearly broad application of compost. This is still an area where the bulk of edibles and flowers should be direct-sown to give you lower maintenance.

       PLANTS FOR ZONE 2

       Trees & Shrubs

      • Aronia

      • Currant

      • Blackberry

      • Dwarf Fruit Trees

      • Elderberry

      • Hazelnut (Filbert)

      • Honeyberry

      • Gooseberry

      • Grape

      • Raspberry

       Seasonal Annual Edibles & Flowers

       Warm Season

      • Basil

      • Buckwheat

      • Chive

      • Celosia

      • Cleome

      • Coleus

      • Cosmos

      • Eggplant

      • Peanut

      • Pepper

      • Sesame

      • Soybean

      • Strawflower

      • Sunflower

      • Sweet Corn

      • Sweet Potato

      • Tomatillo

      • Zinnia

       Cool Season

      • Alyssum

      • Beet

      • Carrot

      • Cilantro

      • Cornflower

      • Dill

      • Garlic

      • Swiss Chard

      • Kale

      • Larkspur

      • Leek

      • Lettuce

      • Oats

      • Onion

      • Parsnip

      • Poppy

      • Potato

      • Rhubarb

      • Snapdragon

      • Turnip

      • Wheat

       ZONE 1

      Zone 1 is the foundation landscape right around the house. This space touches the house or sidewalk leading to the front door. If you’re working with a traditional foundation landscape that has been installed by a developer, there will already be a 50/50 balance of ornamental plants and open mulch space. Everyone with a newly-built house has a Zone 1 landscape area. Patio home and townhome dwellers pretty much only have Zone 1 landscapes. (Pots and alternative growing systems require enough attention that they’re also considered to be in Zone 1.)

      Zone 1 is where you’ll grow your everyday edibles – things that you cook with frequently. Plant tons of greens, particularly lettuce and basil, along with peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers and plants that need a lot of water in this zone. This is also a great place to grow hydroponic tomatoes (see page 141). During the winter, I grow onions and garlic as the bed edges in these spaces. Summer squash works particularly well as a groundcover because you can easily check the plants and harvest before fruits are too big to eat. I like to grow Malabar spinach along the front porch for privacy and greenery. If you need support structures for any of the plants in this area, you can make use of patio railings that are already attached to your home.

       Malabar spinach

      Amend the soil in Zone 1 as you would in Zone 2. Spread 6" of compost on top of the existing soil, taking care not to create “volcanoes” or “bathtubs” around trees and shrubs. This is where you’ll grow your most finicky and sensitive crops, so it’s where you’ll want to have the best soil. Learn more about preparing the soil and planting in Chapters 2 and 3.

       PLANTS FOR ZONE 1

      You can grow pretty much everything in Zone 1, including all plants listed in Zones 2 and 3, as well as the following seasonal annual edibles.

       Warm Season

      • Cucumber

      • Rice

      • Squash – summer and winter

      • Tomato

       Cool Season

      • Arugula

      • Chive

      • Lettuce

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