Ready, set, snack time - The harvest begins!

Earlier, an apple tree could be found in almost every garden. Since that's not often the case today, it's high time to bring the apple tree back into the garden! Because there's nothing better than fruit from your own garden.

Is snacking unhealthy? Definitely not! Summer offers a few treats that are much healthier and tastier than chips, gummy bears, and the like. A grab from the fruit tree or berry bush – it doesn’t get any better than that!

Unchallenged at number 1 when it comes to fruit from your own garden is the apple. It is equally popular with both young and old, and with over 300 valuable nutrients, it is probably the healthiest snack the garden has to offer. The first varieties can be harvested from the beginning of August. Some early-ripening varieties don't need to be stored after harvesting. They taste great straight from the tree, with a sweet but slightly sour note. On the other hand, autumn apples need to be stored before they taste their best. To avoid negatively affecting other fruits, apples should be stored separately. Apples release a high level of ethylene gas, which accelerates the ripening process of other fruits.

Stone fruits like cherries and plums are a real highlight in the garden. Although they are neither exotic nor rare, they belong in every snack garden. Peaches, nectarines, and apricots are more popular than ever. And fortunately, the trend is returning to the snack garden. But as delicious as stone fruits are, unfortunately, they don’t store as long as pome fruits. Stone fruits should be eaten quickly. Of course, cherries, plums, and the like are also great for further processing. How about some fresh plum jam? Or delicious cherry jam? Because no matter if it’s an apple, pear, cherry, or peach, one thing is for sure: no fruit from the supermarket tastes nearly as good as fruits from your own garden.

When you think of fruit trees, a very specific image comes to mind: an orchard behind the house, old apple trees, with a hammock strung between them... The reality, however, is that gardens are getting smaller as property prices rise. But even those with limited space can harvest delicious fruit. Miniature shrubs produce dwarf apples, small pears, and even tiny nectarines. Thanks to a special grafting process, these mini shrubs have the same appearance as their "larger siblings" – just in miniature form. Additionally, columnar fruit trees are a great alternative for small spaces. They thrive beautifully even on balconies. The best time to plant fruit trees and berry bushes is in the fall. So grab your spade and plant some tasty snacks!