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Want a backyard garden that does more than simply look nice? Sure flowers are nice to look at, but are often delicate and difficult to manage, or annuals that may simply bloom and peter out. Instead try planting a garden with some of the hardier fruits vegetable. They may not have the direct appeal of a handful of petals but they will provide food and conversation in a degree flowers never could. A good early one to start with would be tomatoes. They are fairly hardy, can grow to bear fruit fairly quickly (as compared with smaller fruit trees that often need a few years to develop). And have a tasty item that is easy to deal with, the only thing to watch for is an occasional issue they have with a yellowish or blackening along the bottom of the tomato, caused by a lack of calcium that is easily remedied with a product called bone meal.

Another great one for the out of doors would be an avocado tree. They bear fruit from a smaller state then many such as citrus trees, and taste great. They are known to be a little heavy as a leaf shedder, but that can be put to great use too, for a mulch pile. This is a great way to create potting soil(doesn't have to be used for potted plants just a loose term to cover a nutrient rich starter soil). Combining some of the surface dirt from established areas with the fallen leaves, and even some of the extra fruit that has over ripened (you will want that buried within the pile for sanitation reasons) you can make a pile in one corner, tucked behind the more visibly attractive plants. Just as you would water plants to keep them healthy, water your mulch pile a bit each day as well, especially during the early going. This will enhance the process of the organic materials (which can also be augmented with organic materials from the house such as coffee grounds, fruit peels, etc.) breaking down into a nutrient rich soil that can be used for starting new plants, or can provide a healthful boost to established plants that will create a bountiful crop to enjoy.
With the rise of an enhanced crop from the use of the mulch one can make use of the excess foliage and fruit borne that year to begin the cycle of mulch for next year. Thus creating a miniature cycle that keeps your plants giving, and makes them virtually self sustaining with the exception of a little water.

Learn more about this author, Paul Preibisius.
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