Who doesn’t love pizza, with lots of colorful veggies spread over the top?
Create a personal pizza garden with your favorite ingredients. Of course, we’re talking gluten-free, low carb, vegetarian ingredients—only toppings that can be grown in a garden.
Start by choosing a design. A nifty garden is organized so that it patterns slices of a pizza pie.
Select a sunny location close to a source of water. Raised-bed arrangements or in-the-ground sites can be used, but raised beds might be difficult to position in a circle unless constructed as triangles. Amend soil with composted organic matter to provide drainage.
Choose your “ingredients.” Decide on size. Remember, a pizza garden is circular, in essence a rounded-off square. Rope off the perimeter with string or rope or garden hose before committing to actual planting. The perimeter forms the blueprint for the final edging.
How much space is needed depends upon what will be grown in the garden. How many slices the garden has will depend on your ingredients and how many of each will be grown. Most pizzas are sectioned into eight slices, but this is your personal garden—so custom design to your desires. Separate slices with metal edging or wood slats. Be sure to allow for walking space around each plant.
Some obvious toppings are tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic and herbs.
Tomatoes. Allow 2 to 3 square feet (ft2) per vine. Roma types are used for processing tomato sauce because these varieties have fewer seeds and more pulp. Tomatoes need to be supported with a trellis or cage.
Peppers. Green bells are the usual, but jalapeños may be wanted for a little more spice. Allow 2 to 3 ft2 depending upon variety. Bells need more space than jalapeños.
Chives, onion and garlic are cool-season crops. Plant in early spring.
Herbs. Keep three or so individual plants of each type to provide a reliable supply of flush growth all season.
• Basil. Annual, is easy to grow and readily reseeds. Allow 1 ft2 per plant.
• Parsley. Biennial, allow 2 ft2 for mature plants.
• Oregano. Perennial. Mexican oregano will sprawl so give space.
• Thyme. Perennial. Also sprawls.
Planting an entire slice with one vegetable or herb keeps the pizza easy to plant, cultivate and tend. Finish off the garden with metal or plastic edging. Buon appetito!
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