Start of the gardening season: your own vegetable patch and insect-friendly balcony are trendy - the gardener gives tips

Created: 04/25/2022, 12:01 p.m

By: Josef Ametsbichler

The Bavarian vegetable of the year grows in Anna Jirsak's nursery in Aßling: The Lila Luzi is a chili pepper that owes its name to the colorful fruits that turn purple, yellow and red.

© Stefan Rossmann

With the rising temperatures, hobby gardeners are now really starting the season - what needs to be considered before the ice saints and what is particularly in demand this year.

Aßling

– Like the drones of a colony of bees after the hibernation, customers buzz in and out of the Kellerer nursery in Aßling.

An elderly man pushes a trolley with lettuce seedlings to the car, a woman wraps both arms around a pot of herbs with rosemary, thyme, basil - as much as she can carry.

Another has a single tomato seedling in a bag.

And in between, in the entry and exit zone, so to speak, gardening manager Anna Jirsak says: "Here we go."

Jewelry: A real purple bell.

© Stefan Rossmann

Many of their customers would have waited until now because of the almost daily frosts, it was just chilly at night.

But now the thermometer is finally fighting its way up.

The ice saints in mid-May are also an important fixed point for the gardener for the last frost.

“You can never be sure beforehand.” But she also says: Many plants can already be planted in the garden at home.

Lettuce, cabbage or kohlrabi, for example.

"They can withstand anything." The same applies to herb plants, with the exception of individual exotic species such as lemon verbena, honeydew melon sage - and basil.

"He's such a mimosa!" says Jirsak and smiles.

Gardening before the icy saints: How to protect yourself from the last frosts

But the 64-year-old also has tips ready to protect more sensitive leeks, celery or beets from a possible final winter eruption: put them close to the house, in the greenhouse or in the hotbed, if necessary cover them with fleece.

And if you want to put the geraniums in the balcony box, you can protect them on the ground behind the parapet for a week or two.

Geraniums - and bee-friendly alternatives

Speaking of geraniums: "They are part of it," says the gardener, and they are also stress-free and can easily withstand a long weekend without watering - but more insect-friendly balcony flowers are those with open inflorescences.

Anna Jirsag is standing in the warm greenhouse in front of a table with Australian daisies in blue, pink, white, with Bidens, which are characterized by a circular, yellow blob in the flower, with rich red dahlias and at this time still shy white magic snow - all colorful alternatives.

Whether brightly colored or tone-on-tone - "Everyone should plant what they like," says the gardener.

"People want to enjoy it all summer long."

There are many pretty alternatives to geraniums - open flowers are more bee-friendly than the balcony classic.

© Stefan Rossmann

Price jumps in food: the trend is to have your own vegetable patch

She observes that there is a stronger trend towards growing your own vegetable and herb beds.

"Many plant cucumbers and tomatoes," says Anna Jirsak.

This is probably also related to the recent jumps in food prices - your own plaice is easy on the wallet, even if there are only three salad balls in the window box.

"It works very well," says the expert.

In general, beans, yellow turnips and lettuce are easy to sow.

Things are quicker with the seedlings for lettuce, cabbage, fennel and beetroot, which she grows in the greenhouse herself or from other nurseries in the region.

"Depending on how much patience you have," says Jirsak.

Lit: A Bornholm daisy.

© Stefan Rossmann

Pro tip: Beneficial instead of chemical mace

Between plum tomatoes, orange peppers, lilac-pale blue carpet phlox and purple bells, she can think of another tip for hobby gardeners that is very trendy when it comes to insect repellent: beneficial insects instead of chemical clubs.

Mealybugs in the apple tree, aphids in the vegetable patch or the notorious whitefly in the greenhouse can be dealt with by colonizing parasitic wasps, ladybirds or lacewings.

"A lot of people don't dare to do that, but it works great!" says Anna Jirsak.

"They are also suitable for the hobby garden."

You can find more current news from the district of Ebersberg at Merkur.de/Ebersberg.

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