What does the gardener do in winter? 2.0

At the veteményes... 

... what are the main aspects to consider when planning: 

• what vegetables do we prefer to eat? Do we eat it fresh or store it for the winter (freeze, steam, ferment)? 
• available space: balcony garden in pots, raised beds, or several 10 square metres of open ground, possibly with a foil?
• what was the pre-sowing the previous year? As in the field, it makes sense to make a rotation in the home garden: every year we sow the seeds in a different place
• different vegetable species have different growing seasons. Some things can be sown very early (e.g. spinach, lettuce, radishes, peas) and are sown early. You can then plan a second crop in the same place (e.g. squash, sweet potatoes). This is called rotation. However, some plants have a longer growing season and can survive from spring to late summer or autumn (e.g. tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers)
• plant spiking: a planting strategy to promote the self-healing ability of the crop (e.g. planting garlic next to green beans to discourage aphids) or planting plants next to each other that help each other (e.g. nitrogen-fixing runner beans on maize, parsley improves the flavour of tomatoes)

Fortunately, farmers' shops will be stocking up on seeds in January, so you can start selecting now.

There's a huge choice and it's very easy to get lost in it, but what you should always check is: when the seed was produced (Do not buy anything older than 1 year!), whether the seed has been treated with pesticides or biostimulants and if so, with which.

All seed packages contain information on sowing date, row and spacing, harvesting time and varietal characteristics.

What else can we plan? 

For example, what are the projected soil treatment and plant protection will be needed. What are the most common pests and pathogens in the chosen plant species? Fortunately, by planning ahead, you can do a lot to prevent problems. A at Danuba Garden offers a chemical-free, natural solution all year round: 

... whether it's increasing soil vitality, rooting, promoting flowering and intensive growth, or biological control.