Midwest Natural Gardening: Plant an Edible Hedgerow

Hedgerows are an ancient gardening technique that is currently undergoing a revival around the world thanks to the many benefits hedges provide.

In the Midwest today, hedges are most commonly used as simple privacy screens consisting of one or two species of shrubs.

However, a traditional hedgerow incorporated a variety of trees, shrubs, grasses, and flowers that served as a fence, a windbreak, a haven for beneficial insects and birds, and many other uses. Many of the plants incorporated into a traditional hedgerow were also edible for humans. This is the inspiration for the modern edible hedge.

Planting an edible hedge is a great way to transform an ordinary privacy hedge into a beautiful and productive part of your garden.

The easiest way to create an edible hedge is to start from scratch.

Edble hedges should include a mix of edible plants, "insectary" plants (plants that attract pollinators, which can increase the productivity of your hedge by up to 30%), and plants chosen for their beauty. Many plants will fulfill at least two of these functions, and some will even fulfill all three.

Depending on the size of your property, you may or may not want to include trees in your hedge. Full size fruit and nut trees can overwhelm a small lot. However, there are many dwarf fruit tree varieties and small understory trees such as dogwood and crabapple that can make excellent additions to an edible hedge. If you want your edible hedge to double as a windbreak in order to lower your winter heating bills, be sure to include some conifers and other evergreens as well.

In a smaller yard, it is probably best to use flowering and fruiting shrubs as the tallest plants in your hedge.There are dozens of excellent choices for an edible hedge in the Midwest, including blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, serviceberry, hazelnut, elderberry, chokecherry, aronia, Nanking cherry, wild plum, gooseberry, currant, shrub roses, and some viburnums.

In addition to trees and shrubs, incorporate native wildflowers. These are not only beautiful, they also attract plenty of pollinators, which will increase the productivity of your edible plants. Adding a mix of native ornamental grasses provides cover and food for birds and other wildlife, and is especially important for those hoping to attract grassland birds such as pheasants or quail. Good native flowers and grasses for the Midwest include little bluestem, switchgrass, purple coneflower, New England aster, bee balm, joe pye weed, cupplant, and sunflowers.

Plant a mix of annual and perennial vegetables on the sunny side of your edible hedge. The hedge will create a warm, protected micro-climate for them, extending your growing season.

Herbs are an especially good choice to plant in your edible hedge because most are multi-purpose: they are edible, beautiful, and they attract pollinators who will also visit nearby vegetables and fruits. Some of the best include basil, thyme, sage, and dill.

You can also add groundcovers such as strawberries and white clover (a nitrogen-fixing legume that improves the health of nearby plants). Groundcovers act like living mulches, shading out weeds and keeping the soil cool and moist.

Mulch your new hedge heavily to reduce weeding and watering needs while it becomes established. Replant annuals as necessary every year, and every 5-10 years, thin the hedge strategically so that it remains diverse and productive. Prune as necessary to keep the neighbors happy.

If you already have a hedge that you want to convert to an edible hedge, thin it strategically and start planting edible shrubs, trees, and herbaceous plants in the gaps and edges. A good goal is to convert a single row into two or three staggered rows of plants to encourage maximum productivity.

In order to reduce disturbance to the roots of the remaining established plants, don't till the area you plan to plant. Instead dig individual holes for each new plant, and mulch heavily to reduce weeds. (Laying down a layer of newspaper or cardboard under the mulch is a biodegradable way to kill turf grasses or other unwanted plants.)