In the backyard, more use can be made of our home space by planting the fence lines. Whether giving more privacy or adding to your family’s culinary plate, the fences are a great place to achieve more growth at home. Each exposure creates a different microclimate within your home area. It is not uncommon to have three to four distinct areas, each varying by 5 degrees Fahrenheit. This may not sound like much of a difference, but multiplied throughout our long Benicia growing season, it can lead to remarkably distinct growing zones. By working with the forces of nature to create plant groupings that reflect the microclimate of each area, you give yourself the best chance for success.

Here are ideas for your fence lines:

Northern fence: The Northern fence line, is a great place to plant taller fruit trees and or vines. By planting your taller fruit trees on the northern edge of the property, you minimize the sun loss for the rest of the garden. The north fence in full sun is the hottest surface of the four fences. Thus it can also be good for hot loving annuals such as tomato and cucumber, or hot loving perennials like grapes or plums.
Note: the Northern face of raised beds is a great place for a trellis. This way you grow a vertical crop on the edge of each bed. This will break the wind without losing full sun to the South.

East Fence: As the East Fence faces west, it is the second hottest fence. This fence will be the last to come into sun in morning, yet will receive the strength of the hot afternoon sun. This makes the East Fence a great place for a berry patch, such as: raspberry or blackberry.

Photo by Joshua Burman Thayer

West Fence: As the Western fence actually faces east, it is the first to receive morning light, but also the first to go into afternoon shade. These conditions can be an opportunity to grow leafy greens.
*(See picture) Vertical pockets are a great way to grow the for not-so-large greens and herbs. By growing your herbs and greens on the fence line, you free up more real estate for other uses.
West Fence Crops: Lettuce or cilantro.

South Fence: As the South Fence faces north, it is in shade all day. This can be a great place to introduce shade loving native plants. As for the natives, they can provide insectary zones adjacent to your crops, which will ensure that your food crops get regularly pollinated. Think of these native flower zones as apartment complexes for beneficial insects. It is my great joy to see resident bee populations able to stay in the vicinity due to year-round pollen on-site.

Here are a few drought tolerant california shade native plants for your South Fence:
-California Barberry: mahonia pinnata
-Pink Flowering Currant: ribes sanguineum
-Bush Anemone: carpenteria californica

Vines:
Table Grape: My favorites are ‘Concord’ and ‘Thompson’
Kiwi: Kiwi do lovely here in the valley. Fences or arbors that can bear weight will lead to a bumper crop each year. *Note: (They will need a male and a female as they are dioecious plants).
Hops: Hops can grow up to 15 feet tall in a single season. Grow these to add terroir to your home-brew batch.

Photo by Joshua Burman Thayer

Have a Chain Link Fence?
Tomatoes and Cucumber both love chain link fences. *(see picture) This turns an eye sore into a great trellis, capable of holding hundreds of pounds of produce.

Joshua Burman Thayer is a landscape designer specializing in drought-tolerant and edible plants. He has designed over 50 Edible Estates around the Bay Area and is engaged to Chelsea Bearce, a Benicia native. Thayer can be found at his website NativeSunGardens.com. You can also follow him on Twitter at @nativesungarden.

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