Grow Food…Not Grass

As we Georgians continue the fight to keep our grass green in this continuing drought we should probably be asking ourselves...why?

Why are we putting so much time and effort into keeping something alive that gives us so little in return?

Yes, a nicely manicured lawn is attractive and fun to play on...but do we need so much of it?

What To Grow Besides Grass?
You could pull up all that grass and Xeriscape your yard. You could expand your ornamental planting beds. You could plant a large vegetable garden. Or you could plant a forest garden.

What Is A Forest Garden?
A forest garden is a way of growing food that mimics woodland ecosystems, substituting trees (such as fruit or nut trees), bushes, shrubs, herbs and vegetables. The goal is to create a system that mostly takes care of itself and provides abundant harvests with little effort. Forest gardens are a good fit for Alpharetta because this area was (and still is in some parts) comprised of dense forests.

…But I Still Want Some Grass
You can keep all the grass that you want, there is no need to replace your entire yard with a forest garden. You could start with one small area, try a few things and expand it as time goes on.

What Kind Of Plants Can I Grow In Alpharetta?
In Alpharetta we can grow a surprisingly large array of things. Just to name a few:

*Trees: Banana (yes...we can grow bananas), Chestnut, Pecan, Almond, Hickory, Ogeechee Lime Berry, Apricot, Cherry, Jujube, Mayhaw, Peach, Pear, Plum, Paw Paw, Meyer Lemon, Pomegranate

*Shrubs: Wolfberry (Goji berry), Currant, Gooseberry, Blackberry, Raspberry, Blueberry

*Climbing Plants: Muscadine, Hardy Kiwi, Hops

*Other Perennials: Jerusalem Artichoke, Claytonia, Perennial Arugula, Perennial Buckwheat, Anise Hyssop, Dock, Ramps, Chives, Chamomile

Where Can I Find More Information?
Here is a list of resources if you would like to find out more about forest gardens.

Plant an Edible Forest Garden (article)

Gaia's Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture (book)

Edible Estates: Attack on the Front Lawn (book)

Food Not Lawns: How to Turn Your Yard into a Garden And Your Neighborhood into a Community (book)