Create a self-sufficient garden – home-grown fruit and vegetables

Fresh fruit and vegetables from your own garden – this is the dream of many hobby gardeners and those who want to become one. Whoever vegetables andFruit in your own gardenIf you want to harvest, you have to take a few things into consideration. The quality of the soil is crucial, the location of the garden plays a role and the planting list also needs to be carefully planned. The following article deals with planning a small self-sufficient garden.

Creating a garden – good planning is essential

Before the self-sufficient garden is created, future gardeners must think about what they actually want from the garden. Questions that should be asked at this point are:

– How much space is available?
– How much time and work can be invested in creating the garden and maintaining it?
– What should be grown?
– How many people should live from the produce of the garden?
– Is the garden intended for complete self-sufficiency or should the menu simply be supplemented with fresh, home-grown food?

Newbies shouldn't take on too much and initially limit themselves to a certain selection of plants. If this goes to your satisfaction, the planting can be gradually expanded.

Plant a garden – the soil makes the difference

So that the plants grown can grow and thrive well, the quality of the soil is essential. The soil should be neither too clayey nor too sandy. A high proportion of sand in the soil causes the water to seep away too quickly. This soil is also poor in nutrients. In such a case, applying compost can improve the quality of the soil. Either way, it is recommended to create a compost heap in your self-sufficient garden. A rain barrel is also a must so that the plants can be supplied with water every day. If you want, you can also dig a well.
If you want to be on the safe side, have a soil sample analyzed. This makes it clear what the soil needs and the necessary steps can be taken. The article “Plant Nutrition” goes into more detail about the important nutrients that should be contained in the soil. The work involved in improving soil quality should not be underestimated.

The location of the garden is of great importance

In addition to the condition of the soil, the location of the garden is crucial for the harvest yield. If the garden faces north or if trees or surrounding buildings shade the garden, the harvest will be lower. In a south-facing garden, the plants grow significantly better due to the sunlight. But depending on the plant, you also have to decide where the optimal location is. Some plants prefer direct sunlight, while others prefer partial shade or cannot tolerate direct sunlight at all.

Fresh vegetables from your own bed

If you want to create vegetable beds, you should plan them in detail beforehand. The plants should be divided into different categories. Plants that need a lot of sun are placed in a sunny spot and shade-loving species are planted in a shady section of the bed. Plants that are sensitive to wind are more protected and plants that are vulnerable to late frost need certain protective measures, such as growing in a greenhouse.
Questions that are essential at this point:

– When is the last time it freezes in spring and when is the first time in autumn?
– What temperatures can be expected during the day and what temperatures at night, depending on the season?
– How much precipitation falls on average per year?
– Are there likely to be longer dry periods?

Once these questions have been answered, the planting list should be checked for feasibility. Not all plants will suit the conditions of the garden. However, this provides an opportunity to try out new plant varieties. OnGutefrage.netThere are suggestions from various users about which vegetable plants thrive particularly well in German gardens. Many hobby gardeners also swear by using oneMouth calendars.

Fruit trees provide shade and lure you with a rich harvest

Fruit trees take a while until they are big enough to produce a rich harvest, but it is still worth planting one or two fruit trees because after a few years at the latest, the yield is enormous if they are cared for well.
The right season for planting fruit trees is autumn. This means the small plants still have enough time to form roots and store water before the ground freezes.
A straight trunk and strong roots are characteristics that should definitely be paid attention to when buying a tree. In addition, a pronounced central shoot of the crown and several side shoots distributed around the trunk are a good sign of the health of the tree.
The tree should find its way into the ground quickly after purchase, otherwise there is a risk of it drying out.

A tree like this may seem small at first, but it needs a lot of space as it grows. Its crown can reach a diameter of ten meters at some point. For smaller gardens, special tree varieties that only reach a certain size can be a solution.