Edible Urban Container and Raised Planter Bed Gardens

A New Take on Gardening for Food!

The modern edible garden can be alluring and highly functional. By incorporating a variety of stimulating planters along with vibrant heirloom vegetables, a garden enthusiast no longer needs to choose between a boring, albeit useful garden and one of beauty. You can and should have both!

Container gardens allow copious amounts of plants to occupy a small square footage creating a bountiful patio Oasis. By staggering metal planters, layering concrete or GFRC containers, hanging pots, attaching vertical vines, and making use of every bit of soil space, your al fresco places will be bursting with chlorophyll-fueled life. Metal garden planters can be placed on a patio, porch, roof top, deck, terrace, or whichever trivial or vast outdoor space is available. Planting containers offer numerous options for your outdoor space no matter the size, shape, or climate.

Planter boxes offer crop flexibility because of the ability to manipulate the growing conditions. With planters, you can harvest fruits, vegetables, and herbs that would not normally grow in your local climate conditions. For example, you can choose the ideal planting soil that may not exist in the native topsoil, you may also control drainage and move pots around for more sun, shade, or warmth. Both container planters and DIY raised garden beds allow a longer growing season because the dirt stays warmer and can be replanted throughout the season.

Tips for a Successful Edible Garden:

• Plant things you already enjoy eating; crisp greens, juicy berries, and fragrant herbs are readily available starter plants and appealing to most people.
• Fertilize: Mix organic fertilizer into organic potting soil. Add additional high potassium or liquid seaweed fertilizer once per month while watering.
• Drainage: Plants need drainage. Metal or concrete planters with pre-drilled drainage holes work brilliantly.
• Fill the bottom of a planter with straw or gravel. This makes the container lighter and improves drainage. Potting soil is expensive; adding straw or gravel will reduce costs considerably.
• Water twice daily during hot months.
• Harvest often to allow new leaf growth.
• Mix in marigolds for a burst of color and to keep away aphids.

Still Not Sure What to Plant?

Leafy greens such as Chard, Kale, and Cabbages have been having a moment because of the emerging popularity of stunning new heirloom varieties. Leafy cruciferous vegetables experience exceptionally long growing seasons, abundant harvest, and vibrant colors, with the added bonus of holding the title of “Superfood”. These delightful vegetables can be some of the most rewarding visually because they are showstoppers on their own, with the benefit of being a tasty and colorful addition to any meal. Other greens worth mentioning include arugulas, mizunas, mustard greens, spring onions, and radishes which all thrive in containers. Small citrus trees such as Meyer Lemons, Key Limes, or other small fruit tress such as the ever-popular Mission Fig varieties, avocados, and guava also are garden stunners, bursting with flavor.

Hopefully, you now have an eye on what you will be harvesting, but you may wonder how to make your edible garden modern and attractive. Custom outdoor planters are a good starting place. They instantly create modern forms and alluring shapes to frame the greenery.

• Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Corten steel planters continue to trend high with outdoor landscapers because of their versatility. These modular bottomless planters are integrated directly into the landscape in the configuration of your choice. Planters with no bottom create raised garden beds to allow vegetation to grow deep roots resulting in large, healthy plants.

• Large aluminum planters have the benefit of being large and still relatively lightweight. Rust resistant, maintenance-free aluminum is an essential garden addition. This hardy metal can be formed into endless shapes and powder-coated in the custom color of your choice. Even big aluminum planters can be moved somewhat easily while still maintaining sturdiness and will not stain surfaces like rusting steel.
• Glass reinforced concrete is the latest innovation of concrete. This sustainable material is stronger, lighter, and does not chip or crack. The color is infused right into the mix rather than painted on the outer surface, so paint chipping or scratching is no longer a concern.

• Custom Steel Planters continue to trend strong with exterior design enthusiasts. These heavy-walled planter boxes pair modern lines with rustic sensibilities so they never feel overworked or trying too hard. The natural rust patina offers a lived-in appearance as if the garden has existed for centuries. Thick gauge steel raised garden beds will not tip over in strong winds, are available in large and small sizes, and come in multiple finish options. Quality corten steel planters will rust on the exterior, but resists rusting through and will maintains its structural integrity for decades in the outdoor elements. Steel can stain porous surfaces, so keep in mind where you will place these planters and if staining is a concern. Steel planters can be constructed from mild steel, stainless steel, or corten (weathering) steel.

About Yard Couture

Yard Couture is a family-run business located in the scenic Wasatch Mountains of Salt Lake City, UT. We enjoy artistry in all its forms and are inspired by the pure, organic beauty of our planet which is why we strive to preserve it through eco-friendly practices, functional design, and hand-made pieces. We believe any space will cultivate enjoyment with the addition of exquisite and highly functional pieces.

We specialize in the customization and fabrication of metal planters and can build them to meet the design specs of almost any commercial, residential, or DIY project. We are proud to offer Corten steel planters, durable mild steel planters, powder coated aluminum planters, copper planters, stainless-steel planters, and raised garden beds. Each of our products are made to order and can be customized, which means sizes, colors, materials, and texture options are limitless to create your specialized item.

Visit YARD COUTURE for all your custom container and planter needs. We can customize steel or aluminum planters to almost any configuration conact us for more information!