Planning and planting the garden is always relevant for summer residents. For new gardeners, happy owners of several hundred acres of land, it is very important to plan the work first. Those who have always dreamed of giving have long drawn up a list of what will grow on their site. The list is made up by the whole family, and each brings his favorite vegetables into it, and more often than not growing in a particular area, but imported from exotic countries.
It's time to really appreciate the desires and opportunities. Is everything you want suitable for growing in your climate? Recall that most vegetables are loved and can only grow in the sun, and there are shade-loving vegetables for the garden. And there are such coveted ones, but to get their harvest in your area you can not do without building greenhouses. You need to seriously think through everything.
Garden plan
First of all, the plan of the entire site must be divided into zones. Mark the places of development (a house with a garage, a utility unit, a bathhouse, a swimming pool, a sports ground, etc.) that already exist or are planned to be. It is imperative to determine where fruit trees and shrubs will be planted. Maybe something already exists, and they can and should be saved and entered into the plan. And now it is very important to outline the areas for planting and their illumination on the plan.
What areas will be under the sun all day, which in partial shade or partially lit by the sun? And for those who care about which vegetables like shade, mark places where it will be cool and shady forever. Taking into account the illumination, relief, water sources, plan the planting of
vegetable crops in the beds so as not to wind circles with a shovel around the plot and not to make neighbors - gardeners with experience.
Soil preparation
Shade-loving vegetables for the garden and those that without the sun will not produce a crop, need fertile soil. If you got loamy land, you are very lucky. It requires almost no fertilizer. Planting a garden for owners of such land can begin without exploring the issue of organic or mineral fertilizers. The worst option is solonetzic soil. It needs to be fertilized every year. To save money on the purchase of fertilizers, they can be prepared independently in the spring and summer, and in the autumn they can be buried in the ground. Groundwater, the surrounding atmosphere affect the acidity of the soil. Shade-loving vegetables and greens like slightly acidic land. Acidic soil will please potato growers, however, if the size of your plot is sufficient. Potato is a crop that requires a lot of space to plant.
Seed and seedling preparation
Different summer residents solve this issue in different ways. It’s easier for one to trust special shops that have proven themselves with experienced neighbors. But there are daredevils who grow their own seedlings from seeds collected on their own site all winter through the greenhouses. When assessing the required amount of these same seeds and seedlings, one must again proceed from the size of the plot, the number of people you want to feed with fresh vegetables from your own garden, and the average consumption rates of these vegetables per person. It is necessary to choose varieties of vegetables, taking into account the climatic zone and the brightness of the site. It is not as expensive as burning shade-loving vegetables for the garden under the scorching sun in an open area. By gaining experience in planting and growing vegetables, excellent yield results can be achieved without increasing or changing the shape of the site.
In the shadow of the neighbors
So that the land does not deplete and delight a good crop of vegetables, it is best to choose a mixed technique of planting. Many vegetables are perfect neighbors. The main thing is to choose them correctly.
One species is always the main one, and quickly ripening shade-loving vegetables for the garden are planted in its shadow. Often such crops protect the main species from parasites and pests. And sun-loving plants protect with their voluminous greenery the greens and vegetables growing in the shade from the sun, which is destructive for them. In the shade of bushes of tomatoes and peppers, it is good to plant basil, spinach, salad. Spinach leaves hold moisture well. A salad is generally the best neighbor for any plant. The same radish, they can condense any plants, planting on both sides of the main vegetable. The fruits of cucumbers will be tastier if dill and garlic grow in the neighborhood. And some climbing
plants such as peas and beans can even be used as a living fence. Bean vegetables are planted on the north side of the plot, as they themselves do not like direct sun all day. When choosing which vegetables to plant in the shadow of the main culture, one should not forget that there is also a complete intolerance of some species to each other. Do not plant onion and sage, tomatoes and dill, cabbage and garlic next to it.
Quantity and quality of light
An important question: how many hours a day in the area planned for landing, there is an absolute shadow. After all, even in a very shady garden the sun looks. The crown of the trees creates diffused light. And for very arid regions of this quality, light is much more useful for growing vegetables.
And there are lovers of coolness full of shade.
Harvest of greenery in the garden
Do you live in the southern latitudes? Most of your plot is occupied by a garden. The garden is well maintained, gives good harvests of berries and fruits. The crown and root system of fruit trees has formed, and there is enough space for growing vegetable crops. You are faced with the question of which vegetables love shade. First of all, it is garden greens.
Dill, parsley, basil will be on your table as soon as the snow falls and before late autumn.
Spicy herbs are often planted specifically to protect fruit trees from the codling moth and scaring away slugs in the currant bushes. And what garden without honey plants of lemon balm, mint, tarragon, decorative wormwood? But it should be remembered that all greenery grows very quickly. Most of it can be prepared for the winter. Dry melissa and mint and add to tea. If there is a lot of greenery, then when planting it, you can put limiters. In this case, it is important not to damage the roots of fruit trees. Hand weeding is safer. Choose for you: protection from the codling moth and fragrant tea or periodic manual weeding of the growing spicy greens.
Planting vegetables in the near-stem zone
After spring pruning of the garden, shade-loving vegetables are often planted in the near-stem zone of fruit trees to protect them from the codling moths. You can protect apples and pears and at the same time get a decent harvest with climbing varieties of tomatoes and cucumbers. Moreover, tomatoes grown under such conditions are less likely to suffer from phytophlora than those planted in vegetable gardens. The crown of fruit trees protects tomatoes from rain and dew.
Under the trees, some varieties of beans feel good. In the garden under the trees, beans are often planted to enrich the soil with nitrogen.
Special vegetable
In the south, summer residents have a special garden vegetable - garlic. It is often planted next to peaches and nectarines to protect trees from twisting of leaves in hot climates. Only you need to very carefully dig out the garlic so as not to damage the roots. It is planted in the shade of gooseberry bushes, black and red currants. For the same purpose, they planted southern perennial grass jusai, similar to wild garlic. And, perhaps, wild garlic itself will take root. A medicinal plant similar in taste to garlic and onions is a storehouse of vitamins.
All kinds of cabbage
For shade-loving white cabbage: the wetter and cooler the better. Seeds of Brussels sprouts are sown first in a container. And shoots are planted in the ground in the spring in a shaded place, but not in very moist soil. In the shade of the garden, you can get a healthy crop of broccoli.
Just do not forget to weed out more often.
Most shady
To big lovers of shadow can be attributed beets. But for this vegetable every year you need to plant a new place. Beets can not stand their volatile. And it’s dangerous to plant it under the trees; when digging it out, you can damage the roots. But radish in this regard is convenient and harmless. The ripening one is not being dug, but is pulled out with his hands, thereby loosening the soil in the garden. Not a single salting is complete without horseradish. This is perhaps the most shade-loving vegetable. It should be planted in the darkest places of the garden, it is better under the fence, but further from the trees, so that when digging up the roots of horseradish not to damage the fruit roots.
Rare but useful
Now a rare plant - perennial rhubarb, grows very well in the shade. Grow it from seeds. And to make it stronger and rooted, one must not forget to water it abundantly. Leaf mustard, arugula, chard in the shade of the garden will not give huge leaves. But they will not be bitter, they will not become rough, they will not go into color, but they will be tender until the fall.