First results
Eén van de doelen van ons experiment was het benutten van kennis van moestuinders die van waarde kan zijn voor de akkerbouw, met name als het gaat om strokenteelt of andere vormen van gewasdiverse teeltsystemen. We vroegen de deelnemers allemaal een keuzegewas te kiezen om te combineren met tuinbonen en ook waarom jullie voor dit gewas kozen.
Below you can see the top 10 choice crops. Many participants chose the choice crop because it has a similar growing season to broad beans or because it fitted well into the crop rotation scheme.
- Red beets
- Potatoes - because of the use of nitrogen from the beans
- Lettuce - because of the use of nitrogen from the beans and because they cover the soil
- Peas and pods
- Maize - because it fits in with the idea of ‘Three Sisters’ - combination cultivation of pumpkin, maize and beans
- Onions - because they repel harmful insects
- Other beans - because of equal nutrient requirements, as both are nitrogen fixers and thus store more nitrogen in the soil for next year's crop, or as a distraction for pests in the later (stick) beans
- Chard
- Courgette - because of their resemblance to pumpkin, because they attract pollinators or because low courgettes also save space in the garden alongside tall broad beans
- Spinach - can be harvested before broad beans are tall so that light is maximised
Other interesting combinations were:
- Dill (alone or mixed with other herbs) for repelling aphids.
- Different types of flowers to attract pollinators and natural enemies.
- Artemisia for attracting ladybirds to control aphids.
- Perennial crops such as asparagus, artichoke and even young fruit trees.
And what about those beans?
Ultimately, one of our other goals is to analyse which combinations with broad beans now work better or less well than others. However, the results on the yield of broad beans and the comparison between combinations with broad beans requires some more analysis. So the results on the yield and performance of the beans will have to wait. To be continued!
Foto: Deelnemer Lisa.
Would you like to know more or do you have questions? Please contact us via moestuinmix@wur.nl.
MoestuinMix is a citizen science project in which non professional vegetable growers and gardeners experiment with different crop combinations.
In collaboration with
More information
Would you like to know more or do you have questions? Please contact us via moestuinmix@wur.nl.
About MoestuinMix
MoestuinMix is part of CropMix. A five-year research programme on ecology-based agriculture. The CropMix-consortium consists of a large number of partners and educational and research institutions.
Wageningen University & Research coordinates CropMix and the experiments in MoestuinMix.
For news and updates, follow CropMix on LinkedIn
Frequently asked questions
Broad bean and pumpkin are not together in the garden for most of the season. Why did you choose this combination?
- Broad beans are an early crop and much of the season the broad bean is alone in the garden. If we adjust the sowing density and make room to sow pumpkin later on, each broad bean plant will get more light. The broad bean has less competition from its peers. For the pumpkin, on the other hand, it is planted or sown late and takes up very little space in the beginning. Once the broad beans are harvested, the pumpkin can take up space from the broad beans. In science, we call this 'temporal niche differentiation' and this seems to have the greatest advantage in areas with temperate climates.
- Broad beans are so-called nitrogen fixers, due to their cooperation with soil bacteria. These bacteria supply nitrogen to the broad bean in exchange for sugars from the broad bean. When the broad bean dies, the plants and root remnants of the bacteria remain, passing on the captured nitrogen to the next crop, in this case pumpkin. Broad beans also stimulate beneficial soil bacteria from which the pumpkin can in turn benefit.
- Pumpkin and broad beans are both interesting for pollinating insects. By growing them together, pollinators can use the same place over a longer period of time this saves them searching time.
- Pumpkin and broad bean can both suffer from aphids. In healthy ecosystems, the aphids will also attract natural enemies. When the pumpkin is planted, there is already an army of natural pest controllers ready to protect the pumpkin as well.
These are all advantages that may occur. If they do occur is the question that we are trying to answer with your help.
When do I start the experiment?
The experiment starts as soon as you sow the broad beans. This moment is up to you. You can pre-sow from mid-February. As soon as you have sown the broad beans, squash and your crop of choice, you can let us know via answer form step 1.
When does the experiment end?
The experiment finishes after you've harvested the first broad beans. Please fill out answer form 6 to report your yield. You can also use this form to inform us that you couldn't harvest any beans.
What is the role of AVVN?
AVVN samen natuurlijk tuinieren is a partner in the CropMix consortium. We work together in building the MoestuinMix experiments, aimed at people with a kitchen garden.
What do I get in return?
Besides it being fun to participate in the experiment, you also get an insight into how your garden is doing. You will receive interim results and interesting facts about crops, pests and biodiversity. We also share great tips on broad beans. Last but not least: by participating, you contribute to knowledge about sustainable agriculture and help future farmers increase biodiversity in their fields.
Who is behind MoestuinMix?
Researchers from Wageningen University & Research coordinate CropMix, a five-year research programme, and the experiments in MoestuinMix. Here, we work together with AVVN samen natuurlijk tuinieren.
What is the goal of the experiment?
Our aim is to learn more about crop diversity and how it works in practice in a vegetable garden or in a field. We are specifically looking for crop combinations that promote cultivation and the processes that ensure this. This knowledge could be important for farmers who want to work with crop diversity in their fields.
Why do you ask the help of vegetable gardeners?
A vegetable or kitchen garden is pre-eminently a place where crop diversity is high, but there are also big differences between gardens. For instance, in soil type, type of environment and which crops are grown. This provides interesting data.
Moreover, vegetable gardeners often have a lot of valuable knowledge about combining crops. We like to retrieve that knowledge to see what insights could be useful for arable farmers.
What happens with my data?
CropMix researchers will analyse the data collected to draw conclusions about which crop combinations work well, for example for higher yields, fewer pests and more biodiversity. Where possible, we will use the data for scientific publications to further share the results with other researchers and eventually arable farmers.
We process the results from your garden anonymously and confidentially. Your participation in MoestuinMix is voluntary and you can withdraw at any time without giving any reason.
Is you question not answered above? You can send us an email at moestuinmix@wur.nl.
MoestuinMix is a collaboration between CropMix and AVVN samen natuurlijk tuinieren.
