Photo

Click on photo to enlarge

Metro Graphics

Growing peppers and other produce that is expensive at retail outlets is a good way to trim grocery bills. Colorful vegetables can also be intermingled into landscaping for added texture and tone.

Photo

Click on photo to enlarge

Metro Graphics

Now is the time to plant in the Upstate. The last frost date for the area is April 15, according to Bob Polomski, chair of Clemson University’s horticulture department

CLEMSON — Delusions of grandeur run rampant in the gardening aisle. Lush landscaping and overflowing vegetable rows sound sweet and attainable. How hard can it be? Dig in the dirt; keep it watered.

Ah, neophyte exuberance.

Bob Polomski, chair of Clemson University’s horticulture department, said “smart small” is a better maxim.

“It’s easy to buy and plant; where the rubber hits the road is in maintenance during the really hot summer months,” Polomski said. “Gardening doesn’t seem as much fun during the first week of August as it did in the first week of May.”

It’s an interesting time in gardening. Green concepts, the rage in industries ranging from autos to appliances, are hitting horticulture as well. So-called softer materials, including organics, have reduced the need for pesticides and other toxic goop.

“In addition to being more environmentally friendly, these softer materials, such as horticulture oils, are very pest specific and break down very rapidly,” Polomski said. “The whole idea of sustainability in landscaping and recycling materials, all of that is trying to make us better gardeners.”

The time to plant is now. (According to Polomski, the last frost date for the Upstate is April 15.) So the “What” and “where to plant” are two other matters. Fruit or vegetable producing crops need at least six to eight hours of daily sunlight. Leafy plants require a minimum of four hours.

Proximity should also be considered. A vegetable plant shouldn’t neighbor a bush or tree requiring gnarly pesticides. For example, various hybrid roses need to be sprayed for black spot. Planting rosemary peppers beside those roses could turn your homegrown salad into Jonestown.

But why would produce and non-edible plants intermingle, anyway? Two reasons: ease and aesthetics. Planting row after row is convenient if vegetables are grown en masse. But for casual gardeners, mixing a few producing plants into the landscape allows for simpler watering responsibilities.

The strategy can also add compelling texture to your yard. Polomski recommended a few edible plants for landscaping:

• Fairytale eggplant — The variety’s violent and purple stripes provide subtle yet exotic color.

• Hole mole pepper —“This is a good looking pepper that has a dark chocolate color,” Polomski said.

• Purple haze carrot — Polomski called the purple haze, named after the Jimi Hendrix tune, “really cool.” And yes, it is purple.

Red lettuces, purple cauliflower and various hues of potatoes can also invigorate sightlines.

“This idea of intermingling works great if you don’t want to donate a whole section of your yard to a garden,” Polomski said.

Container gardening is another consumer-friendly trend. The niche involves the pre-packaging of vessel and plant. Some nurseries will even custom assemble containers to a gardener’s specifications.

The practice is an extension of transplants —the tiny plants that are purchased for planting instead of seed. In additions to instant gratification benefits, transplants are also usually more successful than crops grown from seed, Polomski said.

“According to a recent Garden Writers Association survey, home vegetable gardens are increasing in popularity this year. Part of the reason is the price of food has made people think about growing their own vegetables again,” Polomski said. “I think that bodes well because I’ve been under the impression home gardening has been on the decline for a long time. You have to go back to the World War II victory gardens. Now it’s easier. You don’t have to have 40 acres of property; you just need a container.”

When selecting a limited amount of vegetables to grow, opt for the nutritious and expensive. The first requirement is easy to understand, and sweet potatoes offer the most healthful pop. For the latter consideration think of it this way: If it costs a lot at the grocery store, grow it. Red and yellow bell peppers, for instance.

But your decision needs to be practical. If you’re going to grow okra, make sure you’re not the only one in your family that will eat it.

“Growing your own vegetables is not only about trimming your grocery bill,” Polomski said. “It’s just great exercise and I like to see people, especially younger kids, spending more time outdoors and seeing how stuff is grown. It doesn’t just show up on grocery store shelves. Some of the younger generation may be completely unaware of that bit of the story.”

For more information, visit Clemson Extension’s home gardening Web site, hgic.clemson.edu.