Edible hedges provide privacy, food and fun in small spaces. Here are 23 varieties to consider, along with tips for growing them for success.
Image Source Natalia Kolegova from focus on
not enough space? Plant edible hedges!
I have been growing fruit trees for many years. I helped set up the orchard and planted rows of blueberries, grapes and blackberries. I have also successfully launched multiple edible forests.
Recently, however, I’ve become very interested in how much food a gardener can cram into a simple hedge on the edge of his property.
The hedge is no longer just a barrier, but becomes a linear food forest.
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You see, I don’t just want to plant one thing. The idea is not to replace boxwood hedges with blueberry or Nanjing cherry hedges.
No – think deeper! Consider multiple species!
How exciting would it be to have a hedge containing hazelnuts, apples, grapes, peaches, gooseberries, blackberries and currants? Or, for those in more tropical regions, mango, pineapple, passion fruit, cocoa, coffee, vanilla, black pepper, guava and nutmeg?
Check out this guy’s edible hedge system:
See how much he packs in his space!
Here’s the start of my own edible hedge in the tropics:
Noni fruit, Suriname cherry, edible hibiscus, tea tree, mulberry, etc. How fun! It has grown rapidly since I shot that video.
You can also do this in almost any climate.
How to Grow an Edible Hedge
Start with larger samples first and keep them separate. These are usually the trees that you will keep smaller with judicious pruning.
If you’re terrified of your tree rushing to the moon and don’t know how to prune, I highly recommend Ann Ralph’s book plant a small fruit tree.
Fruit trees are not difficult to control, and they can often make pretty good hedges. Of course, if you’re afraid of larger fruiting species, you can always start your hedge with edible shrubs.
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After you’ve planted the larger species and determined your spacing (I wouldn’t go below 8 feet on larger trees, but you can get down to 4 feet on shrubs), then you can plant berries and vines in the gaps.
Eventually, you’ll end up with a wild-looking edible food forest hedge. I highly recommend putting mulch in the beginning to control weeds when your hedge is young so it can get a good start. The first few years after planting will require the most care. Water when it is very dry, if you have compost. Adding mulch will help feed the system, as well as keep it in the water.
Edible hedges allow you to pack large amounts of food into long linear spaces. Almost every yard has a place for a hedge – why not use it to grow food?
doing what you think?
Do you have experience growing edible hedges? If so, what are your favorite varieties to grow and what’s your best secret to success? Let us know in the comments below!
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