# Tips For Growing A Front Yard Vegetable Garden



## Jackie_Lee (Mar 1, 2010)

We live in a rural area so it's a little different, but I planted a large oval of iris thinking I was going to have a large oval flower bed right in the middle of the front yard. It's been YEARS now and the only thing there still is iris and a lilac bush.  I decided this year I'm going to start planting my veggies there and will add in some of my favorite flowers as well ~ create the best of both worlds. 

I'd say one benefit of having it in the front yard is motivation to do the work when it's hot out ~ with it right out in plain view you can't really slack on watering and weeding. 
.-= Jackie Lee´s last blog ..Zoo Games to Play on Your Next Trip to the Zoo =-.


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## Tee (Mar 26, 2009)

Hi Jackie! Yes, living in the "boonies" does give you many more options for growing vegetables in the front yard. Mixing your vegetables with certain flowers is a great idea! You can add beauty and choose plants that deter certain insect pests! You got to love knocking out two birds with one stone 

You are very right about having the vegetable garden in the front yard being a motivation tool! I try to tell new gardeners to locate their gardens near the home, or heavily used path. It seems to help keep the garden on your mind. As the saying goes, "Out of sight, out of mind". As you mentioned, the front yard is a great place to accomplish that. Thanks for pointing that out!

I look forward to reading about your front yard garden on your wonderful blog!

Tee


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## Bethanie (May 18, 2010)

I have all my tomatoes and herbs in my front garden-- they look beautiful with all the other plants, especially things like flowering sage.


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## Tee (Mar 26, 2009)

That does sound beautiful, Bethanie! I am planning on extending more of my vegetable and herb garden to the front yard more and more. There's no reason why the front yard can't be used for growing food 

Thanks for your comment!

Tee


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## Matt (Jun 5, 2010)

I live in a very compact neighborhood in a large city and have experienced only positive feedback on my "******* Container Garden". I have squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, spinach, assorted peppers, beans, lettuce, scallions, carrots, radishes & herbs growing in 5-gallon buckets and steel tubs around the perimeter of my front lawn and by my front porch. Neighbors walk by and comment on my unconventional urban farm every day. Hopefully some of them are inspired and grow something of their own.


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## Tee (Mar 26, 2009)

It sounds like you have a great garden Matt! You have a very creative front yard garden! I love the idea of using the steel tubs. It's great you are getting positive feedback on your "******* Container Garden". Hopefully it will inspire people passing by to grow vegetables in their front yard as well. As long as people start growing their own foods, no matter where it is, that's what's important.


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## Khattie (Feb 15, 2011)

I'm looking into starting a front yard veggie garden this month, but I'm not sure whether to use square foot gardening or something more astheticly pleasing. Any suggestions on how to get started in designing BEFORE I start planting?


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## Tee (Mar 26, 2009)

Hi Khattie - First, it is really awesome that you are planting a front yard veggie garden! I started last season growing a few varieties in my front yard (beets, radishes, and a few carrots), and will hopefully include more this season. I already had some existing plants in my front yard - bushes, flowers, bulbs, etc - and just incorporated the edibles in with the ornamentals. You could try that method if you already have plants in your front yard. This seems to help blend in the veggies with everything else.

The Square Foot Gardening Method works great for small spaces! You don't necessarily have to build a raised bed and all that with SFG. You can still use that method in a way that blends into the existing yard. If you have flower beds there now, build the SFG bed to match the look of the existing beds. It doesn't have to be the big, gaudy wood box stuck in the front yard.

If you have just a blank yard with nothing in it, then the sky's the limit! You can still create nice looking, shaped beds that are attractive. Just remember to plant the taller plants towards the home, while smaller plants can be planted near the street.

For a great example of a front yard veggie garden, check out a couple videos by Shawna Coronada - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNAesbOxUiI and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Pj2lvx4Vr4


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## Jenelle1 (Jul 30, 2011)

What about toxins from vehicles driving by. Will the front yard vegetables be toxic?


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## Tee (Mar 26, 2009)

Hi Jenelle - I don't think you will need to worry about cars driving by leading to toxic vegetables. If you have contaminants in your soil from spills or other similar actions would be the only thing to really worry about.

I'm sure the produce offered in supermarkets have more toxins that what you would grow with cars driving by.


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## Christalee (Aug 18, 2012)

I am planning to turn my front flowerbed into a veggie garden this next year. right now nothing really grows in it and the neighborhood cats have gotten into it But it is south facing and gets quite hot for the few months that we have summer her in the northern Alberta Canada. Do you have any tips for getting the soil ready now going into fall and winter that will help it out in the spring?


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## Pamela_Valdez (Jan 23, 2013)

I have a potted veggie garden in the front porch, going on my 2nd year now, i have a cucumber climbing on my left fence and bitter melon gourd on the right fence, 2 potted cherry tomatoes, 1 beef tomato, 1 roma tomato, 1 thai pepper, 3 bell peppers, 1 cayenne and 3 havanero pepper, all on 3 gallon pots. My neighbors love them and we all try to plant veggies in our front yard, my problem is i want to do crop rotation, how do i do it with my limited space and they all belong in the same family? do i just change the soils in the pots? i dont want to spend more money on pots and compost, i'd like to reuse what i already have, i can't replant the same veggies n the same pots anymore... right?


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## aud (May 31, 2015)

your so lucky, I hope your garden is still growing, we get fine by the homeowner association if we have more than 3 pots showing in the front yard...


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## MJ Blessed (Jun 14, 2015)

Thanks to everyone. I have been inspired to grow something in front of my garden. I live in a flat with no balcony so my only choice is to grow in pots.


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