Gardening for diversity and achieving an ideal harvest

Gardening for diversity and achieving an ideal harvest is all about the details. How and what we grow can be varied almost infinitely, as long as we understand what works best for our growing conditions and own goals.

The ideal place to grow your crops

The very best place for cultivation here in the Nordic region is on a southern slope; due to this being the angle where you get the most out of the sun. Most other conditions can be solved when the place is right.

The location should have protection both to the north and to the west. The soil needs to have rich humus content, be nutritious, and be able to retain a fair amount of water.

The cultivation beds should first of all lie slightly twisted to the southwest, as long as this does not mean that they end up sitting vertically in relation to the slope. Should this be the case, it is better to lay the beds horizontally along the slope, and adapt how you plant in the beds so that the crops face the southwest.

An old piece of Swedish wisdom says;

“The north wind brings frost and hail, the chilly westerly winds delay the development of the plants, and may even kill them”.
– From Trädgårdsmästaren, in 1917

Choosing plants when gardening for diversity

Among the most enjoyable things to do is reading seed and plant catalogues – but sometimes it is important to master oneself and plan for what you actually need. Gardening for diversity has three essential factors to consider:
⇾ The shape of the plant, how it grows and how old it becomes

⇾ The plant’s climate zone, how it tolerates sun, shade, what it needs from the soil, pH tolerance, and other specific requirements that…