Planting Vegetables

By following a few basic rules, you can enjoy your vegetable garden with little effort. A smart plant selection can significantly reduce the maintenance work. Some vegetable plants, such as cauliflower, are very sensitive to drought stress. High soil moisture or regular watering is essential for these plants. However, there are also species that can tolerate shorter dry periods. Carrots, for example, have a relatively low water requirement. If you want to ensure the water supply for the plants, mulching can help counteract excessive water evaporation.

Many vegetable plants are harvested relatively early in the year, and the bed shouldn't be left unused afterward. Of course, flower plants can be sown to create a low-maintenance, colorful sea of flowers after harvest. If you sow "bee-friendly" plants in August, you're also doing something good for your soil, as these plants form a protective layer for the bed in winter. Another option is to sow another crop that will be harvested later in the summer. Field salad can still be sown in September. A similar but rather unknown crop is winter purslane, also called Cuban spinach. The young leaves are prepared like field salad. Lollo Rosso and other types of lettuce can also be sown after an initial harvest. Additionally, you can consider: turnip stalks, spring turnips, or autumn turnips. They resemble radishes and are used in the same way.

You don't have to give up fresh vegetables from your own garden, even in winter. Salsify, often called "winter asparagus" due to its winter harvest time, and "winter onions" truly live up to their name. Other alternatives include Chinese cabbage, kale, leek, Brussels sprouts, and winter cabbage.