The market garden on an afternoon in August 2025. Photo: Lars Wiemer
There is currently a lot of activity on our test area: numerous crops are currently growing and blooming in the herb garden – including cinnamon basil, white and blue cornflower, marigold (varieties: Mix Kinglet and Ivory Princess), Vietnamese coriander and lemon verbena. The colorful mixture serves as a source of pollen and nectar for a variety of pollinators. The flowering strip that frames the test area is also regularly visited by bumblebees, wild bees and other insects.
On another part of the area, the flax (variety: Tango) was harvested (pulled) in the past few weeks and then retted in the field. The flax is moistened by dew and dried again in the sun during the day. This sequence creates suitable conditions for microorganisms that dissolve the woody stem portion from the valuable fiber material inside. This opens up the fibers and makes them usable.
Lettuce, spinach, arugula, parsley and pak choi are harvested in the market garden. The first carrots also left the ground this week. The old foil tunnel did not survive the stormy spring and was replaced by a new one, which was built directly over the tomatoes and cucumbers growing there. Kale, chard and zucchini were planted for the autumn harvest.
Next year, bee colonies will move to a part of the area. In preparation for this, a flower mixture was test-sown on the designated area, which has only grown moderately. An alternative is now being sought here so that the bees will find a variety of flowering resources next year.
The freshly sown lawn on the community area has grown well – it will soon serve us as a green place for exchange and events. More detailed insights into the developments on the test area will follow shortly as part of our area diary.