Knowing the simple techniques of mixed planting, even a novice gardener can get the maximum yield with a minimum of free land, without harming the crops grown.
Even if the garden is very small and the ambitions of its owner do not correspond to the actual size, this does not mean the end of all plans. You can still find a way out! With proper planning, even a bright flower bed and a vegetable garden will fit even on three acres.
Consolidate plantings and build a pergola for climbing plants
Consider ripening vegetables before the first half of summer. In conditions when every centimeter of the plot counts, this land should not be allowed to stand idle for the rest of the summer. Use this feature to tighten the landings. Onions and garlic can be safely planted between the rows of strawberries, and cabbage - between the rows of potatoes. Tomatoes can grow next to black currant bushes - this way you will save space and save the currants from pests (tomatoes emit phytoncides that scare away insects harmful to berries).
As for the pergola for climbing plants, this planting is perfect for pumpkins, loofah, melons, lagenaria and other climbing plants. The pergola can have a primitive rectangular shape in the form of an arch. Make sure only that its base is stable enough, otherwise the whole structure will break under the weight of the grown fruits. Support growing fruits with string bags.
Combine tall and climbing plants and build multi-tiered beds
A classic example of tall and climbing plants is when cucumbers are grown with beans and corn. It's best not to experiment with the pumpkin / corn mix, as the corn may not survive. Corn not only keeps climbing plants well, but also protects them from the wind.
It would be nice to learn from Chinese farmers on building multi-tiered beds. They are known as real aces in the world of gardening and farming. It is very convenient to pick ripe berries from hanging beds - they hang from the beds and are always clean. But suspended structures have their drawbacks, for example, crops freeze through easily in them.
Old pots and barrels will always serve as beds. Fill them with layers of earth, compost, branches and bark. In such mixtures, early cucumbers grow well, because they tolerate light frosts very well under agrofibre. But the garden beds also have to be watered more often. Be sure to make sure that there are enough holes in the entire hanging bed system to drain excess water, otherwise stagnant water will harm the root system of the crops being grown.
