Edible Gardening. Fresh crunchy treats
Fresh fruits and vegetables are not only healthy, but they taste wonderful. Knowing that these apples and strawberries grew in your own garden is even more satisfying.
How can I make sure that I can enjoy my crops for as long as possible?
The pleasure of growing your own fruit and vegetables can quickly be overshadowed: It is not uncommon for fruits and vegetables grown in your garden to be plagued by fungal diseases. There are many things to consider if you want to succeed in vegetable growing. Don’t let your vegetable garden get overgrown and separate vegetables based on when they grow. If you combine staple crops like potatoes or carrots with those that can be planted before or after them, like lettuce and spinach, use beds at different times for different types of vegetables. It’s also important to keep track of the plants’ nutrient needs. Plants that don’t need a lot of nutrients, such as bush beans, are ideal crops that can be planted later in beds from which you have already harvested potatoes. Also
It all depends on good neighbors
The benefits of growing different types of vegetables in the same bed is proven in practice. In this case, the nutrients in the soil are used in the most optimal way, because the plants of the same species do not compete with each other as much. For example, a combination of tomatoes and peppers, lettuce and kohlrabi or onions and carrots is an excellent option. It is extremely important to leave enough space between the plants.
Vegetables from the garden: useful tips against fungus
Fungal diseases such as powdery mildew spread more quickly when leafy vegetables such as lettuce, savoy cabbage or cabbage are close together. To protect plants, be careful when watering to avoid getting the leaves wet, and make sure the water gets to the roots. Sunny, air-filled spaces are also helpful. In such places, powdery mildew spreads less. This fungus affects mostly weakened plants. Beginning on the leaves, it then spreads to the fruit. Make sure you have enough calcium in the soil by stocking up on calcium-containing fertilizers.
Tomatoes and potatoes from your own garden
Tomatoes and potatoes, in turn, are often affected by phytophthora and brown rot. With tomatoes, it is the fruit that is affected, but with potatoes it is first on the leaves before it spreads to the fruit.It is advisable to remove the affected leaves as soon as possible. Cabbage, radishes and turnips dry out when attacked by Plasmodiophora brassicae (kale), in which case the affected plants must be removed immediately to prevent the spread of the disease.As a preventive measure, pay attention to the pH in the soil. A value of seven is optimal.
Growing your own vegetables – 3 important tips
- Choose strong plants that are known in your area.
- Crops and pre-crops are vegetables that are ready to harvest very early/late and have a short growth phase.
- Adequate spacing between plants is necessary for air circulation.