Is it worth planting vegetables in the garden

After buying a garden plot, the question immediately arises, what to plant in your garden. However, you should not be in a hurry in choosing a crop, first you need to decide what exactly you want to grow and answer yourself a few simple questions.

Do you plan to preserve fruit or vegetables for the winter.
Whether there will be enough sunshine for your ideas on the plot.
Whether your climate is suitable for vegetables or fruit.
How much time you can devote to the vegetable garden.
What produce is a priority for you.

It is better to plan the site in advance on a large sheet of paper, and only then get to work. Water, drainage, and soil matters are also important, but if your plot does not have access to direct sunlight, some crops will have to be abandoned.

Not many people know, but some cultivated plants can be planted in vases or even pots. Some of them will not only bear fruit, but will become a home decoration, thanks to its ornamentality. You can order houseplants and flowers in Ternopil online, without leaving your home or office.

Planting Plan

Planning is very important, especially for the novice gardener. Do not be limited to approximate dimensions and rely on intuition. It is better to make accurate measurements with a tape measure and draw the data obtained on a sheet of A3 format. Do not forget to measure all the structures that are already there and which are just planning. Carefully measure the gazebo, composting area, vegetable garden, house (if any), sitting area or barbecue. Take measurements and make several copies of the resulting plan. Choose well-lit and more shady areas, and make notes on the plan accordingly. Allocate plenty of space for greenhouses or greenhouses and don’t forget paths. Designate a water source.

What crops need seedbeds

Before planting crops, there are two important rules to remember. First, some crops don’t get along well with each other. And second, don’t plant the same crops in the same place every year. This can have a negative effect on their quality. There are some crops that take root well without a bed. For example, dill seeds can simply be scattered around the plot, while beans, radishes, beets, and turnips can grow without beds. Raspberries can be planted next to fruit trees along the fence or set aside a special area for it – a raspberry bed. However, remember that under the raspberry bush no other fruits or vegetables can be planted. Now let’s consider what crops need beds, as well as focus on the compatibility of different crops.

Cucumbers. Grow well near potatoes, cabbage, beets and peas. Every year you need to find a new place for these useful vegetables.

What crops need seedbeds

Potatoes. Root crops, cabbage and the same cucumbers grow well together with this perennial, but tomatoes should be kept away from because of common pests and diseases. Do not forget that potatoes, like love, live only three years, and then it is better to transplant them to another place.

Tomatoes. It is best to plant tomatoes with cauliflower and white cabbage, onions and legumes. If you are going to plant this crop every year, take care of the soil, as it becomes too acidic after 2-3 years of use. To avoid this, add some lime to the soil and do a deep digging of the soil.

Onions. In one place it is better not to plant more than 3 years in a row. Perfectly takes root in the soil, rich in organic fertilizers or if you plant onions in place of potatoes, tomatoes or cabbage. Sunlight and loose soil are critical for this plant. In clayey and heavy soil, yields will be poor, if at all.

Garlic. It is best to choose spring varieties of garlic, such as “Gulliver.” They give a good harvest and are easy to care for. The main thing is not to grow this culture in the same place for more than 2 years, otherwise there is a chance of infecting the soil with nematodes.

Carrots. Sown immediately after the early potatoes and cabbage. It will not be a mistake to place carrots right after tomato or peas.

Strawberries. The best predecessors are radish, lettuce, celery, mustard and flowers (tulips, irises). Plant usually in May in the sunniest place and, preferably, on a cloudy day.

Strawberries. As a precursor for this delicious berry is suitable radish, beans and parsley. Cucumbers, tomatoes, all kinds of buttercups and sunflowers are categorically not suitable. Transplanting strawberries is usually done in the spring and fall. In the year of transplanting berries will not, so it is usually carried out in the fall. By the time of flowering, the root will have time to get stronger, and the strawberries will have time to adapt to new conditions.

In addition to these crops, you can grow on the bed: radishes, pumpkins, beets, beans, corn and zucchinis.

Choosing a location for each crop

Even in large farms, there is often not enough space or time to plant all the plants. In small country plots of free space is even less. I want to plant tomatoes and potatoes, install a greenhouse and make a vineyard, but often have to prioritize and choose. If you plant in the garden only one culture, the soil will be depleted, and pathogens of various diseases will be a real threat to the site.

That is why experienced gardeners have come to the concept of crop rotation, that is, the alternation of different crops in the soil. On small plots, full-fledged crop rotation is impossible, but it is necessary at least a fruit rotation (when in one place the culture is grown no more than 2-3 years). All crops are divided into several conventional groups: pumpkin (cucumber, zucchini, and patisson), tomato (pepper, eggplant, tomato), and cabbage (cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, etc.).

Determine size and location before changing crops, and then vary them every 3-4 years. It is important that the crops return to “their” original location. This is what you need copies of the plan drawn up in advance to get the cabbage back into the soil that has recently been cleared of potatoes after a while. If done correctly, you won’t have crops changing, as opposed to their location. This rotation will keep your vegetable garden healthy and allow you to get the maximum amount of crops each year. If you plant only a monoculture on your plot, such as potatoes, then for the health of the soil, plant in parallel intermediate crops (siderats) and plow them for green fertilizer (e.g. cereals, beans, peas, barley).

In the text above, we pointed out which popular crops have maximum synergy with which plants. For a vegetable garden consisting entirely of green crops, alternate lettuce, dill, radish, basil and parsley. In an ornamental garden of perennials in general, the rotation is recommended once every 5 years. Crop rotation is convenient because the plants get natural protection from pests, grow well and do not deplete the soil, and complement it with their alternation.

A list of crops that can be planted on a garden plot

With the arrival of the spring season, many gardeners think about what crops to plant on their plot. Of course it is necessary to start from personal preferences and family preferences. But it is also necessary to choose the right plants for vegetables and fruits and distribute them on the plot to gather a good harvest and not to deplete the soil.

Vegetables

Vegetable plants are some of the most popular crops among gardeners. They are easy enough to grow, conveniently located, so we get cheap and natural products from our own farm. Here is a list of the most popular vegetables that you can easily grow in your dacha.

Potatoes. One of the basic products in our country and the most popular vegetable in dachas and small plots. It gets along with many vegetables. It is better to use sprouted tubers for planting. Plant potatoes in May and make sure that the harvest does not fall under the onslaught of the Colorado potato beetle. To get rid of the pest, watch the potatoes closely or use strong chemicals.

Tomatoes. These tasty vegetables are used in our country both in salads and as a side dish, and tomato juice is loved by many since childhood. When growing, it is worth remembering about tomato stalking (pruning the side shoots). In our climate, it is also worth cutting the lower leaves to the formed ovary to form a beautiful bush.

Cucumbers. Despite being 90% water, they are a very useful and tasty vegetable. They contain micronutrients that help to eliminate toxins from the body and have a beneficial effect on the overall human condition.

Onions. Onions are grown from seeds, seed onions and from sprouts. Irreplaceable vegetable in our kitchen, without which almost no meat dish can do. Extremely tolerant of frost, undemanding and easily neighbors with many vegetables.

Sweet bell pepper. This is a great addition to salads, it is also used as a stand-alone dish in lecho. It gets along well with basil, zucchini, parsley and marjoram. A unique snack, rich in the full spectrum of vitamins (especially vitamin C).

Beets. One of the most important ingredients of the traditional Ukrainian borscht, used in several salads and appetizers. Survives well next to cucumbers and lettuce, but corn and beans are undesirable to plant next to beets.

Cabbage. Cabbage is planted on the plot, where the last three years did not plant related vegetables (radish, rutabaga, turnip). This is due to desiccation of the soil and the accumulation of pests in it. Feed cabbage usually 1-2 times during irrigation, and the time to collect the crisp cabbage comes in summer.

Carrots. This popular root vegetable grows well in our conditions and works best in well-lit areas. Plant carrots best in late winter or early spring, just after the soil has warmed up a bit. Regularly cultivate the soil from weeds, loosen the soil and do not let pests appear. The worst enemy is the carrot fly, to prevent it from eating the harvest, it is enough to cut the leaves and weed the soil in time.

Eggplant. A very heat-loving vegetable that needs a lot of moisture. For good growth, mulching, frequent feeding, watering and protected from the wind is mandatory.

How to properly arrange the vegetables

It is generally accepted that beds should be positioned from north to south, using a compass. It is important to watch the location of the sun at sunrise so that the rays can warm the plants and the high plants do not shade the low ones in the morning. It is the morning sun that is considered most favorable and productive in terms of photosynthesis for plants.

Make beds of equal length and width
North-south beds are good for low plants and a horizontal plot with good drainage.
If the plot is uneven, plant priority vegetables on the south, sunny side to get a good harvest.
One to two acres of land per family will suffice for vegetables.
If the land is sloped, it is best to level it out a bit by sprinkling some soil, and plant horizontally to make the best use of the moisture.

What vegetables can be planted under trees (in the shade)

Garlic. If you will only use garlic as a condiment, it will have enough light even in the shade of a large tree.
Parsley, dill, herbs. Grow great in the shade, just try not to get chemicals on it when spraying trees.
Beets. If you like small root vegetables, then beets grown in the shade will live up to expectations.
Beans. Most beans are heat-loving, but there are also varieties that grow comfortably in the shade. They are also used to fertilize and improve the soil.
Horseradish. The best plant for shade, plant it in soil without access to light and its lush leaves are still excellent for pickling cucumbers.
Berry shrubs. Rosehips, raspberries love the shade and grow better without direct sunlight.

Fruits

Kiwis. Now there are varieties that can easily withstand frosts up to minus 30 degrees. If you decide to plant seeds, you can expect the first fruits only after 6 years, and seedlings bear fruit after 2 years. Growing kiwi in the garden is possible in autumn and spring.
Apricot. Planted in early spring, seedlings with an open root system planted immediately after the snow passes. Buy seedlings of apricots no older than 2-3 years, so they better take root. The root system should be strong and in a calm state (without buds and leaves).
Apple tree. Before planting an apple tree, make sure that the groundwater is not closer than 2 meters from the ground surface. The tree likes slightly acidic soil. The apple tree can be planted throughout the season. Shape it immediately after planting the seedling and water it regularly.
Pear. Plant in early spring or late September. The tree needs direct sunlight and regular watering. Poor soil or the northern side of the garden plot will not suit the pear.
Plum. This is a rather capricious tree that grows only in good sunlight and in nutritious soil. It is also important that there are no other fruit-bearing trees nearby, and the soil with a lot of nutrients is of moderate acidity.

Berries

Gooseberries. Gooseberries contain a huge amount of vitamins and a record amount of fructose in Europe. They stimulate the appetite and have a beneficial effect on peristalsis and digestion.
Raspberries. For this berry it is usual to arrange special raspberry beds on the plot. The stems are covered with thorns, so they are not very easy to pick. It is widely known about the medicinal properties of raspberries, it is an excellent diaphoretic and antibacterial agent.
Strawberries. The most famous wild berry in our latitudes. In order for strawberries to bear fruit, you need to choose the right soil (of moderate acidity) and location on the plot. It is possible to feed the plant a little and it is desirable not to plant strawberries on high ground or in the lowlands.
Strawberries. Grows best on chernozem, with an acidity level no higher than 6.5 pH. This incredibly tasty berry has long been a favorite delicacy of many children and adults.
Plant it in early spring or early fall. Often grown in film tunnels so that the harvest ripens earlier.
Currants. The berry is easy to root and in general, unpretentious. Bushes are planted mainly in an open, well-lit place. Systematically needs to loosen the soil and fertilize every 2-3 years, so that the soil is not depleted.

What is best to plant in the vegetable garden in the spring and after frost

Curly cabbage. The vegetable can withstand temperatures as low as minus 20 and is ideal for growing in early spring.
Radishes. Radish seeds begin their growth as early as +2 degrees. At too high temperatures radishes become coarse and bitter, for him the cold is his best friend.
Carrots. Unpretentious cold-resistant crop, which is usually sown at the end of April. The seeds germinate perfectly even at +4 degrees.
Turnip. Seeds of the legendary plant give sprouts even at subzero temperatures.
Rucola. This plant is often used in dishes of the Mediterranean cuisine. You can plant seeds even in autumn, arugula does not die in sub-zero temperatures and in frosts.
Spinach. A favorite delicacy of Popeye the sailor is a very healthy and tasty plant. It starts to grow even in light frosts and its seedlings easily survive frosts down to -15 degrees.
Peas. Quickly grows in the soil warmed up to 7 degrees. In addition it makes the soil healthier and works well in synergy with many plants.
Parsley. It is very healthy and tasty plant, which grows easily in the shade and does not care about temperature changes.
Beets. Grows at +4 degrees and does not require special care or heat. After the appearance of the first leaves beet as if does not notice any changes in temperature (except very extreme).
Potatoes. The second bread for our people quite calmly reacts to frosts and temperature changes. Tubers are planted in the soil, which has warmed up to +7 degrees. The biggest harvests are obtained in moderately warm temperatures, but even in a cold winter the crop can remain alive, just the potatoes will be less, and the fruit will be worse.
Celery. The plant takes a very long time to grow (up to 120 days) and is often cultivated with seedlings. Celeriac sprouts survive at -5 degrees, but die in severe frosts. Based on this, calculate the time and place of planting a useful plant.
Leaf lettuce. Only from the appearance of this plant looks like a delicate and heat-loving guest from other countries. Lettuce withstands even -6 degrees and grows quickly in the shade. True, the payback for this is inedible and bitter leaves after harvesting.
Turnip. The closest relative of turnip gives sprouts in a few days even at 7-10 degrees and withstands slight frosts.

What is good for planting in summer

Shrubs and fruit-bearing trees – pears, cherries, apples, currant bushes or raspberries are best planted in summer. These crops are the best choice for gardeners who come to the site only in the summer, and even then, on weekends. When planting, it is advisable to fertilize the soil well, so as not to let the plants wither and not deplete the soil. Also, look carefully at the site plan so that the roots of large trees do not interfere with other plants on the site. In addition, shrubs will form a beautiful hedge that will protect against noise and nosy neighbors.

Gourds. Watermelons and melons are not the most common choice for the site, but if you perceive the cottage as a hobby, then why not. They grow beautifully without much human involvement, the only thing is to watch out for pests and beware of thieves.

Corn. Sprouts will make excellent cobs, and homemade corn tastes much better than purchased corn. The only downside is that it takes up a lot of space and grows quickly.

Strawberries. Unfortunately, the first fruits can be obtained only next year. Many birds do not mind eating strawberries, so it is better to cover the seedlings with a tent, but after the ripening you can fully enjoy the taste of this wonderful berry.

Nemophiles. So that the site gave not only a busy, but also an aesthetic joy, plant flowers nemophila. Plant them simply in the open ground, they take root beautifully and enjoy a beautiful carpet of color for a long time.

Dill. Armenian or Sukhumian dill varieties are a great choice for planting in July. In addition to being rich in vitamins and trace elements, this plant also looks organic on any table as a condiment or in a salad. Dill always goes with parsley, so it is recommended to plant and this plant on the plot.

Basil. A unique herb that doesn’t chase moisture or shade. It adds flavor to various salads and is used simply as a snack. The large leaves can also shade potatoes from direct sunlight. Basil gives a great scent that is good for refreshing the whole area of the cottage.