Of course! During our joint gardening sessions, you can ask any questions, try things out, and learn from experienced members. We will support you with tips so that even your first gardening year will be a success!

As a member, you can use two garden beds. If you prefer to garden in a group, you can contribute your two beds to the group. For example, a group of three can manage six beds together. Additionally, there are community garden beds that we all take care of together. You can also harvest from these. Many herbs grow in the community beds, so you don't have to plant them in your own bed.

Community garden beds are maintained by all members and are available to everyone. During our collective gardening sessions, we take care of planting, sowing, and maintaining the beds. If you notice that a community bed needs some attention in between sessions, you can certainly work on it outside of the sessions as well. Please harvest from the community beds thoughtfully, so that everyone can enjoy the harvest.

Most community garden beds are marked with a dark green sign bearing the name "Essbare Straße." If you're unsure whether a bed is a community bed, take a look at the bed plan by the water containers or check the plan here on our site.

For us humans, wildflower meadows may contain little that is edible – but for animals, they are a true paradise! Many insects find food and shelter there, and birds and other animals also benefit from the abundant resources.

Yes and no. Our raised beds are primarily intended as vegetable gardens – this is where edible plants for us humans should grow. However, there are some flowers that are also useful in the vegetable garden. Marigolds or calendulas can be planted next to your vegetables without any issues. If you want your bed to bloom and buzz with activity, we recommend herbs like shrub basil. It blooms all summer long and is a great alternative to traditional basil!

Give your plants a good, deep drink so that even the deeper layers of soil benefit and the water is stored for longer. In the high summer, watering a full watering can has proven effective for tall raised beds. Smaller beds typically can't hold as much water. You can check your bed's capacity by waiting a few minutes. If a puddle forms under your raised bed, water a bit less next time.

With the finger test, you can easily find out if water is needed: Stick your index finger deep into the soil and check if the lower layers are still moist. If so, you can skip watering. In the high summer, when temperatures are consistently around 30°C, watering daily is usually necessary. In spring and autumn, less water is often sufficient. Important: If you've just sown seeds, make sure the soil stays consistently moist – otherwise, the seeds might not germinate.

Yes, it is possible. Especially young plants can be "spoiled" by too much water. When they receive too much water, they develop fewer roots, and these remain in the upper soil layers. As a result, the plants become dependent on constantly moist soil, which means you need to water more frequently. However, you can train your plants to get by with less water and encourage root growth. Pay special attention in the spring not to overwater your plants. This way, you can reduce your water usage in the summer and water less often.

Our garden is divided into different watering groups, usually consisting of 5 to 8 people. Each group is responsible for watering a specific area in the garden. Most groups organize themselves via WhatsApp. You can find the individual watering groups within our "Essbare Straße Community." You can check which watering group you belong to on the watering schedule, which is located on the water containers or here.

1. Read the seed packet: Check the information on the packet. If it’s not enough, a quick internet search can help. Each seed has specific needs, such as sowing depth, spacing, and the right time for sowing. 2. Follow the instructions. Typically, the sowing distances apply to each individual seed. Only in exceptional cases are multiple seeds put into one sowing hole, and this is explicitly stated. (Exception: see "What does thinning mean?") 3. Remove mulch layers. If there is a mulch layer made of chippings, grass clippings, or similar, remove it so that the young plants can work their way through the soil easily. 4. Water gently. Even if the soil is already moist, water your seeds gently. It’s important to always water after transplanting or sowing! 5. Ensure even moisture. Keep the soil evenly moist until the plants have germinated. This gives the seeds the best chance to germinate and grow.

To make the most of the space in your raised bed, you can sow some plants more closely than indicated on the seed packet. Later, when the seedlings grow larger, you space them further apart – this is called thinning. This way, you save space that can be filled with fast-growing vegetables like radishes or spinach. Thinning is also practical during the gardening season because you can start smaller plants while harvesting is still happening elsewhere. Once the space is free, the larger seedlings can be moved there. Caution: If you don’t thin out closely sown plants, their growth will be stunted. Your yield will be greatly reduced, and in the worst case, you won’t have any harvest, or the plant won’t produce any fruit.

First, it’s important to know that not all plants are suitable for thinning. Root vegetables like carrots, radishes, or beets do not tolerate thinning very well. However, lettuce, cabbage, and tomatoes are well-suited for thinning. Pay attention to good weather conditions when thinning. In intense heat and direct sunlight, the plants may struggle. It’s better to thin on a cloudy, rainy, or cool day. If possible, do this in the evening, so the plants have enough time to recover overnight. 1. Thin carefully. Use a long, thin stick or a hand trowel to loosen the soil next to the plant without damaging the roots. 2. Dig a planting hole large enough for the roots to have ample space. Place the plant deep enough so that all the roots are below the soil, but the stem and the green parts of the plant remain above the ground. Firm the plant well, creating a small depression around the seedling. This depression helps direct the watering water straight to the roots. 3. Water well. Even if it rains, always water freshly transplanted plants. Make sure they receive enough water in the following days. It usually takes a few days for the plants to establish themselves and take root properly.

Mulch is a layer of grass clippings, straw, hay, leaves, wood chippings, or garden waste applied to the open soil. Mulch has many benefits. It protects the soil from drying out – a well-mulched bed needs to be watered much less because the soil stays nice and moist. In the cold season, mulch protects the soil from severe frost, allowing young plants to survive the winter better. Mulch prevents nutrients from being washed away too quickly by rain and also helps retain water. The decomposition process of the mulch layer continuously provides nutrients that benefit the soil. Therefore, we recommend mulching your bed – it’s an easy and effective way to keep your bed healthy!

In the Keimzelle, we fill the water containers using an outdoor tap from the nearby house of the Berlin Housing Cooperative (BBG). At the Boulegarten, it’s a bit more complicated: we borrow a standpipe from the Berlin Water Utilities to connect to a hydrant. The hose for filling is stored in our club cellar. When we meet for communal gardening, we take care of filling the containers together. Every member learns how it works and can help out at the next opportunity!

We’re a garden located on public street land, and unfortunately, there are occasional people who help themselves to our beds. But don’t worry, the losses are manageable! We enjoy abundant harvests and are happy with our produce. Over time, we’ve developed a few tricks and tactics to protect our garden paradise. If you’re curious, we’d be happy to share how we do it!