The weak consumers are characterized by a significantly reduced nitrogen requirement compared to the heavy consumers. Nevertheless, the vegetable convinces with lush harvest yields and an expansive green cover.

In a nutshell

  • Weak feeders offer many advantages in the vegetable patch
  • low nitrogen consumption
  • minimal need for fertilizer
  • dead plant parts are suitable as a natural fertilizer
  • are used for soil regeneration and improvement

Weak Eaters List

When it comes to the utilization of cultivated areas, the weak feeder plays a decisive role in determining optimal crop rotation. A list of the 22 most popular types of vegetables follows below.

Vegetables from A - E

aubergine (Solanum melongena)

  • Growth form: herbaceous
  • Growth height: 50 to 150 centimeters
  • Flower color: green, violet
  • Flowering time: April to June
  • Harvest time: July to October
  • Location/sun intensity: sunny and sheltered place
  • Soil pH: basic
  • Perennial: basically perennial, but very sensitive to frost
  • Special feature: Harvest not suitable for long-term storage

chicory (Cichorium intybus var. foliosum)

  • Growth form: rosette-shaped
  • Growth height: 10 to 15 centimeters
  • Flower color: none
  • Flowering time: none
  • Harvest time: September to October
  • Location/sun intensity: sunny place
  • Soil pH: basic
  • Perennial: biennial perennial
  • Special feature: rich in almost all essential vitamins and minerals

Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis)

  • Growth form: cylindrical
  • Growth height: 30 to 40 centimeters
  • Flower color: yellow
  • Flowering period: June to August
  • Harvest time: October to November
  • Location/sun intensity: sunny to half-shady place
  • Soil pH: basic
  • Perennial: no, only one year
  • Special feature: the development of flowers leads to a loss of taste in the leaves

endive (Cichorium endivia)

  • Growth form: rosette-shaped
  • Growth height: 60 to 70 centimeters
  • Flower color: none
  • Flowering time: none
  • Harvest time: June to November
  • Location/sun intensity: sunny place
  • Soil pH: basic
  • Perennial: can only be cultivated as a lettuce once a year
  • Special feature: Cultivation possible in spring or autumn

pea (Pisum sativum)

  • Growth form: herbaceous
  • Growth height: 25 to 200 centimeters
  • Flower color: white
  • Flowering period: May to June
  • Harvest time: August to October
  • Location/sun intensity: sunny and open space
  • Soil pH: acidic
  • Perennial: no, only one year
  • Special feature: Roots serve as an optimal nitrogen fertilizer

Therewhite: By incorporating the remaining parts of the plant into the soil, the pea plant serves as an extensive and inexpensive natural fertilizer.

strawberry (fragaria)

  • Growth form: rosette-shaped
  • Growth height: 25 to 30 centimeters
  • Flower color: white, pink
  • Flowering period: April to August
  • Harvest time: May to September
  • Location/sun intensity: sunny place
  • Soil pH: basic
  • Perennial: yes
  • Special feature: also suitable for tub cultivation

Vegetables from F - M

Lamb's lettuce (Valerianella locusta)

  • Growth form: rosette-shaped
  • Growth height: 10 to 15 centimeters
  • Flower color: none
  • Flowering time: none
  • Harvest time: September to November
  • Location/sun intensity: sunny place
  • Soil pH: basic
  • Perennial: no, only one year
  • Special feature: frost-resistant leaves

Notice: Because of its high tolerance to freezing temperatures, lamb's lettuce can be cultivated outdoors all year round.

fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)

  • Growth form: herbaceous
  • Growth height: 100 to 200 centimeters
  • Flower color: yellow
  • Flowering period: July to October
  • Harvest time: August to November
  • Location/sun intensity: sunny place
  • Soil pH: basic
  • Perennial: biennial plant
  • Special feature: Harvest not suitable for long-term storage

carrots (Daucus carota subsp. sativus)

  • Growth form: herbaceous
  • Growth height: 100 to 150 centimeters
  • Flower color: white
  • Flowering period: June to July
  • Harvest time: May to August
  • Location/sun intensity: sunny place
  • Soil pH: basic
  • Perennial: can only be cultivated for consumption once a year
  • Special feature: the formation of flowers leads to a loss of flavor in the vegetables

garlic (Allium sativum)

  • Growth form: herbaceous
  • Growth height: 70 to 90 centimeters
  • Flower color: green, white, pink, red
  • Flowering period: June to July
  • Harvest time: June to August
  • Location/sun intensity: sunny location
  • Soil pH: basic
  • Perennial: no, only one year
  • Special feature: formation of sterile flowers

cress (Lepidium)

  • Growth form: bushy
  • Growth height: 30 to 50 centimeters
  • Flower color: white, pink
  • Flowering period: July to August
  • Harvest time: April to August
  • Location/sun intensity: sunny to half-shady place
  • Soil pH: basic
  • Perennial: basically perennial, but very sensitive to frost
  • Special feature: particularly suitable for indoor cultivation

chard (Beta vulgaris)

  • Growth form: rosette-shaped
  • Growth height: 30 to 60 centimeters
  • Flower color: green, white
  • Flowering period: October to November
  • Harvest time: May to October
  • Location/sun intensity: sunny to half-shady place
  • Soil pH: basic
  • Perennial: can only be cultivated for consumption once a year
  • Special feature: the formation of flowers leads to a loss of flavor in the vegetables

Vegetables from P - R

parsnip (Pastinaca sativa)

  • Growth form: bushy
  • Growth height: 50 to 60 centimeters
  • Flower color: yellow
  • Flowering time: March to May
  • Harvest time: September to October
  • Location/sun intensity: sunny to half-shady location
  • Soil pH: neutral
  • Perennial: can only be cultivated for consumption once a year
  • Special feature: the formation of flowers leads to a loss of flavor in the vegetables

purslane (Portulaca oleracea)

Consider the necessary distance when sowing!
  • Growth form: bushy
  • Growth height: 10 to 30 centimeters
  • Flower color: none
  • Flowering time: none
  • Harvest time: February to April
  • Location/sun intensity: sunny place
  • Soil pH: basic
  • Perennial: no, only one year
  • Special feature: only very short cultivation time

radicchio (Portulaca oleracea)

  • Growth form: rosette-shaped
  • Growth height: 10 to 15 centimeters
  • Flower color: none
  • Flowering time: none
  • Harvest time: September to February
  • Location/sun intensity: sunny to half-shady place
  • Soil pH: basic
  • Perennial: biennial perennial
  • Special feature: blanching reduces bitter taste

radish (Raphanus sativus var. sativus)

  • Growth form: conical
  • Growth height: 10 to 15 centimeters
  • Flower color: white, pink
  • Flowering time: April to October
  • Harvest time: June to September
  • Location/sun intensity: sunny location
  • Soil pH: basic
  • Perennial: no, only one year
  • Special feature: the formation of flowers leads to a loss of flavor in the vegetables

radish (Raphanus)

  • Growth form: herbaceous
  • Growth height: 30 to 100 centimeters
  • Flower color: white, yellow, pink
  • Flowering period: May to June
  • Harvest time: April to June
  • Location/sun intensity: sunny place
  • Soil pH: basic
  • Perennial: can only be cultivated for consumption once a year
  • Special feature: Cultivation possible in spring or autumn

Beetroot (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris conditiva group)

  • Growth form: herbaceous
  • Growth height: 10 to 13 centimeters
  • Flower color: green, white
  • Flowering time: April to June
  • Harvest time: July to October
  • Location/sun intensity: sunny to half-shady location
  • Soil pH: acidic
  • Perennial: can only be cultivated for consumption once a year
  • Special feature: the formation of flowers leads to a loss of flavor in the vegetables

salsify (Scorzonera)

  • Growth form: conical
  • Growth height: 30 to 50 centimeters
  • Flower color: yellow
  • Flowering period: June to July
  • Harvest time: October to December
  • Location/sun intensity: sunny to half-shady place
  • Soil pH: neutral
  • Perennial: can only be cultivated for consumption once a year
  • Special feature: very long cultivation period

runner bean (Phaseolus vulgaris)

Runner beans, Phaseolus, Blauhilde
  • Growth form: bushy
  • Growth height: 250 to 300 centimeters
  • Flower color: white, purple
  • Flowering period: July to October
  • Harvest time: July to October
  • Location/sun intensity: sunny place
  • Soil pH: basic
  • Perennial: no, only one year
  • Special feature: well suited for greening fences

spinach (Spinacia oleracea)

  • Growth form: herbaceous
  • Growth height: 10 to 12 centimeters
  • Flower color: green, white
  • Flowering period: June to September
  • Harvest time: April to November
  • Location/sun intensity: sunny to half-shady place
  • Soil pH: basic
  • Perennial: biennial
  • Special feature: can be harvested up to four times during the cultivation period

Jerusalem Artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus)

  • Growth form: herbaceous
  • Growth height: 200 to 300 centimeters
  • Flower color: yellow
  • Flowering period: August to November
  • Harvest time: October to February
  • Location/sun intensity: sunny to half-shady place
  • Soil pH: basic
  • Perennial: perennial
  • Special feature: also suitable for tub cultivation

frequently asked Questions

At which point in the crop rotation do weak-eating species belong?

The weak feeders represent the last component of the crop rotation and should therefore be used especially after intensive cultivation phases of heavy and medium feeders. After planting with a heavy or medium feeder, it is advisable to fertilize the cultivated areas vigorously in order to restore the mineral reserves in the soil that have been used up. Subsequent cultivation should now be done with a weak feeder from the list.

What other advantages does the use of alternating crop rotation have?

Regular rotation of the cultivated vegetables ensures even nutrient utilization of the soil. Analogous to the mixed culture, which is produced by a combination of different types of heavy and weak feeders, excessive additional fertilization is avoided, which protects the environment as well as saves costs.

Which weak consumers are particularly suitable for soil improvements?

In addition to almost all herbs, garlic, buckwheat, horseradish and onions are also suitable for refining the substrate. In addition, however, all types contained in the list are also suitable for upgrading.

What are the consequences of excessive fertilization of a weak feeder?

Due to the overall lower nutrient requirements, weakly consuming plants show clear signs of over-fertilization after a short time, for example in the form of dried-up leaf edges and stunted growth.

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Vegetable garden